Critical Thinking - Bell Hooks

Use what you have learned to write a short text 250/500 words that evaluates the evidence based information that bell hooks presents in Critical Thinking. Post this short piece of writing on your blog.

Evidence presented in the Bell Hooks' text, on the whole, is questionable.

 "A black woman professor wanted me to address how she could maintain authority in the classroom without being viewed through the lens of racialized sexist stereotypes as an "angry black woman." One teacher wanted me to f4lk about tears in the classroom, while another wanted me to talk about ·humor. It was particularly challenging to address the question of whether we can learn from thinkers and writers who are racist and sexist."

Much of the evidence given in this text is anecdotal. The reader must trust that these questions are real, and that they are not just falsified in order for the writer to share their opinion. 

 "Most children are taught early on that thinking is dangerous. Sadly, these children stop enjoying the process of thinking and start fearing the thinking mind."

"By the time most students enter college classrooms, they have come to dread thinking."

The use of the determiner "most" is used to quantify how many children are taught early on that thinking is dangerous. Likewise, it is claimed "most" students enter college dreading thinking. However, no official statistic is used. This statement has no real credibility, either claimed with no sample at all or at least failing to mention the sample used and method of collecting data. 

Potentially one thing the author does correctly is their source of external research. Daniel Willingham is referenced within the text. Willingham is a psychologist at the University of Virginia with many published books discussing cognitive psychology. The author references an essay specifically, "Critical Thinking: Why Is It So Hard to Teach?"  The statements made after are therefore traceable and can be cross-referenced, ensuring reliability.