Critical thinking by john chaffee

1. Perceiving and Believing
 6th Session
 What are Beliefs?
 What are the categories that defines beliefs?
 Types of Beliefs
 Course Facilitator: Ms. Qazi Safia Hussain

2. What are Beliefs?
Beliefs are the main tools you use to make
sense of the world & guide your actions.
Beliefs represent an Interpretation, Evaluation,
Conclusion or Prediction about the nature of the
world.

3. Categories that defines Beliefs
 Interpretation: An explanation or analysis of the
meaning or significance of something
 Evaluation: A judgment of the value or quality of
something, based on certain standards.
 Conclusion: A decision made or an opinion
formed after consideration of facts and evidences.
 Prediction: A statement about what will happen in
Future

4. Lets take a look at some examples!
I believe that in that book, the whale actually symbolizes a
primal natural force that men are trying to destroy.
(Interpretation)
I believe that watching reality shows is unhealthy because they
focus almost on the lest attractive qualities of People.
(Evaluation)
I believe that one of the main reasons two out of three people in
the world go to bed hungry each night is that industrially strong
nations have not done a satisfactory job. (Conclusion)
If drastic environmental measures are not undertaken to slow
the global warming trend, then I believe that the polar ice caps
will melt and the earth will be flooded. (Prediction)

5. Types of Beliefs
 Let us learn about three basic types of beliefs you use to make
sense of the world.
 Reports
 Inferences
 Judgments
These beliefs are expressed in both your thinking and your use of language, as
illustrated in the following sentences.
My Bus was late today (Type of belief = Reporting)
My Bus will probably be late tomorrow (Type of belief = Inferring)
The bus system is unreliable (type of belief = Judging)

6. Try some activity to learn more
1. Each modern atomic warhead has over 100 times the
explosives power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Type of Belief?
2. With all of the billions of planets in the universe, the
odds are that they are other form of life in the cosmos.
Type of belief?
3. In the long run the energy needs of the world will best
be met by solar energy technology rather then nuclear
engery or fossil fuels.
Type of belief?

7. Types of Beliefs
 Reporting
 Reporting factual information describes the world
in ways that can be verified through investigation.
 Inferring
 Describing the world in ways that are based on
factual information yet going beyond this
information to take statements about what is not
currently known.
 Judging
 Describing the world in ways that express an
evaluation based on certain criteria.