Introduction
Welcome Fall 08 Students to Humanities 100, Creative and Critical Thinking. 

Bookmark/favorites this page or  www.casad.org.  Your first task is to browse through the site and read the Notes up through the first week.  Your second task is to send me your email address (see Begin Course above). Put Humanities 100 in the subject line of all your emails. You will do all of your work at www.casad.org.  If you have questions, you can always send an email.

Later, when you save your assignments in a file, save as your last name and save as a Word doc or rich text format (rtf), e.g., smith1.doc or smith1.rtf.   Add assignments to the file each week. Then, when you send the assignments, attach (paper clip, insert file, open) your file to your email. Do not send a folder; send a file. Use standard email conventions (salutation, short message, close).  Send to rfcasad@msn.com.  

Note that the first file you send (smith1.doc)  contains three weeks of homework (your journal).  I will read your homework, comment, and grade it consistent with the assignments and weights defined in the course guide and syllabus. I will respond to your homework within three days, usually sooner.  If each week you summarize the reading assignment (including a quotation from the reading material), complete the writing task, and explain a relevant quote (to the week's topic) from the Resource Quotes (note link above), you will do well.  Edit and proofread your writing since I will take off points for non-standard format, punctuation, grammar, and usage (use a college level English handbook and a college desk dictionary). Do not plagiarize (i.e., submitting another's ideas or writing as your own--see syllabus). 

There is no textbook required for this class. Initially, browse the Notes.  Then, review them each week, especially before an assignment is due.  They will clarify each week's assignments since they are answers to student questions and requests from past quarters. If you want to post a question not answered in the notes, send it to me and I will put it in the notes. 

Beginning Thoughts
Our project this quarter is to introduce you to the different ways of understanding the world. We will follow the principle that knowledge of the truth entails knowing when one is mistaken.  In the past, students have developed this concept to include relative gains in aspects of creative and critical thought.  Below I have listed some of these thoughts and hope you will seek gains during the quarter.

1. Have more second thoughts.
2. Ask questions.
3. Analyze problems.
4. Analyze others’ opinions.
5. Analyze before judging.
6. Find new thoughts.
7. Tolerate ambiguity.
8. Make fewer mistakes.
9. Am intrigued by simple things.
10. Question what I know and think.
11. React differently to situations.
12. Analyze choices.
13. Accept different explanations.
14. Contribute my explanation.
15. Think twice.
16. Comprehend more while reading.
17. See more options.
18. Am more open-minded and analytical.
19. Know what people are talking about.
20. Form more habits of thought.
21. Think when challenged
22. Have improved relationships.
23. Use new ways to solve problems.
24. Find better way to live life.
25. Understand more concepts.
26. Form theories that explain more.
27. Am more open minded and confident.
28. Accept and use a variety of thoughts.
29. Consider thoughts in conflict with my own.
30. Concentrate more and without interruption.

At the end of the quarter I will ask you about the progress you have made (self assessment).  You will need to talk to significant other people about this and offer to me  a candid answer as to your progress. Over the years I have found that student self assessments are not far from the truth and it's good to have a grade on your transcript that accurately reflects your effort, knowledge, and learning.

Your work, your knowledge, and your learning (your commitment to knowledge) are the pivot between the traces of critical and creative thinking. Imagine a teeter-totter with creative the teeter, learning the mechanical center, and critical the totter. We are born teeters with the weight of creativity holding up a vast unknown. We die totters with our critical eyes viewing our created lives.

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