|
English Department |
|
Critical Thinking Models:
|
|
Sometimes, when we think about things, we categorize them into two columns.
This is called a dichotomy. The things we categorize are either one thing or the other. They can’t be anything else as we have only two categories.
For example, mentally categorize the following list of human behaviours into the columns below,. Cheating Killing Lying Smoking pot Torturing Being nude in public
Some people might respond by placing each behaviour into one column. Some people might place some behaviours in one column, and some in the other. Some people might decide, however, that a different graphic organizer would better suit the way they think about “right” and “wrong” human behaviour.
Another graphic organizer that provides a way to think about right and wrong behaviour is called a continuum. A continuum looks like this:
Rather than categorizing right and wrong behaviours into two distinct categories, a continuum suggests that there are degrees of right and wrong. Some behaviours, then, might be more wrong, or more right, than others.
Look at the list of human behaviours you previously categorized. Place them on the continuum. You might want to start with behaviours you find most “right” and most “wrong” then work your way toward the middle.
Behaviours in the middle of the continuum might be neither “right” or “wrong”; they might be least “right” or “wrong” ; they might be “right” or “wrong” depending on the circumstances.
Click to apply this concept to MacBeth.
Click to apply this concept in Kite Runner.
|
|
Right |
|
Wrong |
|
Right |
|
Wrong |
