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UNIT ONE: OUTPUTS OF THE SYSTEM

Government comes from social and behavioral sciences.

Objective versus subjective
--Ethics: "good", "bad", "wrong","right"
--Aesthetics: beautiful, undesirable, etc.

Rational ------------vs ----------------- emotional
Fact------------------vs------------------ value
Think---------------vs ------------------- feel

→how not what you think

Ideology- how you think politically

Questions

What does it mean to be a critical thinker? (p.vi.)

"This book is critical, not in the sense of being a negative polemic or proceeding from an alternative ideology. To be critical is to be self-consious about one's own values, assumptions, and way of thinking. It clarifies concepts, rigorously examines evidence and looks beyond the way that institutions and events present themselves, to search for underlying causes and relationships. With this sort of critical approach, people learn analytical and evaluative skills, not just facts. On this basis, we frankly encourage readers to make their own judgements and interpretations."

Cf. "a critical stance." (p. 37-38)

"We believe that it is possible, and even necessary, to be both honestly critical and frankly biased without sacrificing intellectual quality, rigor or utility. The key lies in our conviction that readers can and must become independent thinkers. It is our purpose in this book to provide them with the tools to do so. A critical stance that points out the culture-bound, self-congratulatory, and hence, limiting elements of standard American beleifs is absolutely essential for this purpose. Only then can people begin to analyze where power is located and how and for whose benefit it is and can be used."

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