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Sources of Errors in Thinking and How to Avoid Them

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Thinking Skills for the Digital Generation

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Abstract

In this chapter we discuss ways in which our experiences might mislead our thinking. We identify sources of errors in thinking as well as time-honored strategies to avoid these errors. Being aware of these errors is crucial to developing critical thinking skills.

“Natural intelligence is no barrier to the propagation of error.”

—John Dewey ( 1910 , p. 21)

“Distortions in thinking are often due to unconscious bias and unrecognized ignorance”

—Susan Stebbing ( 1939 , p. 5)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pennsylvania – Perelman School of Medicine and Thomas Jefferson University – Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Balu H. Athreya (Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Teaching Consultant)

  2. Nemours- A.I.duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA

    Balu H. Athreya (Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Teaching Consultant)

  3. School of Education, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA

    Chrystalla Mouza

Authors
  1. Balu H. Athreya
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  2. Chrystalla Mouza
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Athreya, B.H., Mouza, C. (2017). Sources of Errors in Thinking and How to Avoid Them. In: Thinking Skills for the Digital Generation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12364-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12364-6_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12363-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-12364-6

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