Arena: Applied Critical Thinking
A Spectrum of Validity and Truth
Shared Intellectual Standards
Step 1
Work with a partner. Make a poster of the Spectrum of Truth and Validity.
Step 2
Identify a flying fact at your work or in the social/political/cultural environment. Write the fact at the top of your poster.
Work together for 20-25 minutes (Steps 3-6) to figure out if you can move (right) toward certainty.
Step 3
Do you have any idea or a gut instinct on where this fact came from? Is anyone familiar “selling” this flying fact?
Step 4
Make a list of questions you would like to ask an expert who is not biased or prejudiced — someone who has nothing to gain from convincing you either way.
Step 5
Write down things that are related to the fact. What do we know about them? Might this shine a light on some aspects?
Step 6
Look at the words in the flying fact. List the important ones separately on your poster. Draw a bubble around each word. What do you know about each word and its meaning?
Step 7
To move toward validity, we have to do serious work, yet, we can’t pursue every flying fact. How can teams share the load with flying facts relevant to their challenges?
Where possible, host a group discussion exploring how teams can support each other in their pursuits of validity and truth.