Critical Thinking Club
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Critical Thinking Club, Location: Date: February 5 Time: 10:00 a.m. to Noon Presenter: George Kane Topic: “The Decision Process of Ethics” |
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Critical
thinking is the process of evaluating evidence to arrive at justified
conclusions. The point has been made
been made in this Club many times over the years that we must not confuse
‘justified conclusions’ with ‘certainty.’
In math we may attain certainty, but when predicting future events the
best that we can ever do is to reduce doubt to reach a high level of
confidence. Inevitably, we will
sometimes be wrong.
Yet
it is often difficult to admit our errors, particularly concerning ethical
decisions. People who pride themselves
on critical thinking often justify their actions as “well intended,” regardless
of how badly their consequences played out.
This habit of thought degrades the decision-making process that should
be part of all ethical reasoning.
George
Kane will present examples of consequential ethical reasoning that will
variously upset and anger most of those in attendance – but that’s OK! Look upon it as your opportunity to shred his
charlatanry with your own superior knowledge and remorseless logic.
George Kane has been a member of the Critical Thinking
Club since its beginning. He was a
presenter at the Club’s first meeting, and has presented in every calendar
year.
Breakfast Buffet $10.00 Coffee only $3.00. We need to
plan for the room setup and meal, so if you are going to attend, please RSVP on
Meetup.
March Sarah Kogut, topic TBA
April Dick Taylor, topic TBA
May Lee Salisbury, “Was America
Created as a Christian Nation?”
Stillwater
Critical Thinking Club
Location: Family Means Bldg,1875 Northwestern Ave., Stillwater
Date: Monday, February 13
Presenter: Dr. Julie Bunn
Topic: “Myths and Realities about the Minnesota State
Budget: A Conversation about the Future
of our State”
Julie is an applied economist with over
twenty years of government and academic experience in conducting and
synthesizing economic and policy research.
She received her MA and PhD from Stanford University. From 2007 to 2010, Julie represented House
District 56A in the Minnesota legislature.
During this time, she served on the Health and Human Services Policy and
Finance, Ways and Means, and Bioscience and Emerging Technologies
Committees. Earlier in her career, Julie
was employed as a member of the economics faculty at Macalester College and as
an economist with U.S. Department of Labor.
Currently she is self-employed as a policy consultant.
Stillwater
Critical Thinking Club
Location: Family Means Bldg,1875 Northwestern Ave., Stillwater
Date: Monday, March 12
Presenter: George Paulos
Topic: “Us vs. Them”
There are many examples of
extreme mass behavior around the globe – from religious fundamentalism to
jingoism to extreme political polarization.
Is there a common thread within these disparate behaviors? Veteran Crititical
Thinking Club presenter George Paulos will
investigate tribalism as a motivation for much of modern extremism and the
connection between tribal behavior and certain personality types.
Critical Thinking Club, West Metro
Location: Ridge Pointe Apartments
12600 Marion
Lane W, Minnetonka, MN 55305
Date: Saturday, February 25
Presenter: Kathy Bonnifield
Topic: “Voter Photo ID:
Fraud Catcher or Vote Snatcher?”
Next
November, Minnesotans will decide 1) if voter fraud is a problem worthy of the
cost of implementation, 2) if the proposed law will actually stop the alleged
voter fraud and 3) whether voting is an earned privilege such as the use of a credit
card or a necessary right for every citizen if we are to live in a
democracy. Our Stillwater/Lake Elmo Mn House Representative Kathy Lohmer
co-sponsored the Voter ID legislation.
The proposed law is not without controversy. A June 12, 2011 USA Today editorial
highlighted the proposed Republican Voter ID law concluding that it
"smacks of voter suppression."
SPEAKER: Kathy Bonnifield
is Director of Citizens For Election Integrity of
Minnesota. She has considerable election
experience having been an election judge in Ramsey County and the City of
Minneapolis plus serving on an election observation mission with the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Most recently she worked as a Program
Administrator for the McKnight Foundation.