Transcript Critical Thinking Mike Phillips Geology Professor REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION.

Critical Thinking
Mike Phillips
Geology Professor
REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE
AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND 'TOP SECRET'. I AM SURE AND HAVE CONFIDENCE OF YOUR ABILITY AND
RELIABILITY TO PROSECUTE A TRANSACTION OF THIS GREAT MAGNITUDE INVOLVING A PENDING TRANSACTION
REQUIRING MAXIIMUM CONFIDENCE.
WE ARE TOP OFFICIAL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
IMPORATION OF GOODS INTO OUR COUNTRY WITH FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY TRAPPED IN NIGERIA. IN
ORDER TO COMMENCE THIS BUSINESS WE SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ENABLE US TRANSFER INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT THE SAID TRAPPED FUNDS.
THE SOURCE OF THIS FUND IS AS FOLLOWS; DURING THE LAST MILITARY REGIME HERE IN NIGERIA, THE
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SET UP COMPANIES AND AWARDED THEMSELVES CONTRACTS WHICH WERE GROSSLY
OVER-INVOICED IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES. THE PRESENT CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT SET UP A CONTRACT REVIEW
PANEL AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF INFLATED CONTRACT FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY FLOATING IN THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA READY FOR PAYMENT.
HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR POSITION AS CIVIL SERVANTS AND MEMBERS OF THIS PANEL, WE CANNOT
ACQUIRE THIS MONEY IN OUR NAMES. I HAVE THEREFORE, BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY
COLLEAGUES OF THE PANEL TO LOOK FOR AN OVERSEAS PARTNER INTO WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WOULD
TRANSFER THE SUM OF US$21,320,000.00(TWENTY ONE MILLION, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND U.S
DOLLARS). HENCE WE ARE WRITING YOU THIS LETTER. WE HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE MONEY THUS; 1. 20%
FOR THE ACCOUNT OWNER 2. 70% FOR US (THE OFFICIALS) 3. 10% TO BE USED IN SETTLING TAXATION AND ALL
LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENSES. IT IS FROM THE 70% THAT WE WISH TO COMMENCE THE IMPORTATION
BUSINESS.
PLEASE,NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% SAFE AND WE HOPE TO COMMENCE THE TRANSFER LATEST
SEVEN (7) BANKING DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIOM BY TEL/FAX; 234-17740449, YOUR COMPANY'S SIGNED, AND STAMPED LETTERHEAD PAPER THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL ENABLE
US WRITE LETTERS OF CLAIM AND JOB DESCRIPTION RESPECTIVELY. THIS WAY WE WILL USE YOUR COMPANY'S
NAME TO APPLY FOR PAYMENT AND RE-AWARD THE CONTRACT IN YOUR COMPANY'S NAME.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS BUSINESS WITH YOU AND SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS
TRANSATION. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER USING THE ABOVE TEL/FAX NUMBERS. I WILL
SEND YOU DETAILED INFORMATION OF THIS PENDING PROJECT WHEN I HAVE HEARD FROM YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR CLEMENT OKON
NOTE; PLEASE QUOTE THIS REFERENCE NUMBER (VE/S/09/99) IN ALL YOUR RESPONSES.
JEFFERSON MORGAN & CO.
Dear Friend,
Greetings to you.
I wish to accost you with a request that would be of immense benefit to both of us. Being an executor of wills,
it is possible that we may be tempted to make fortune out of our client's situations, when we cannot help
it, or left with no better option. The issue I am presenting to you is a case of my client who willed a
fortune to his next-of-kin. It was most unfortunate that he and his next-of-kin died on the same day in the
Sharja plane crash of Tuesday 10 February 2004. I am now faced with confusion of who to pass
the fortune to.
According to the English law, the fortune is supposed to be bequeathed to the government. However, I don't
belong to that school of thought which proposes that the fortune of unlucky people be given to the
government.My purpose of contacting you is to seek your acting as the beneficiary of the will, and lay
claim the legacy of Ł12.4million, which this unfortunate client of mine bequeathed to his next-of-kin. For
now, I alone know about his will, as my client has great confidence in me.
Everything will be left between you and I. The share would be 35% for you and 65% for me. I would want to
take care of the needy and less privileged, as this is my primary objective. All I have to do is amend the
will to make you the beneficiary to the Ł12.4million legacy. Again, I feel that you may apprehensive and
consider this amount too big for you to defend. It does not matter, as there are documents to back it up.
This is a legacy being passed on to a next-of-kin. As I am not very sure of getting your consent on the
issue I prefer not to divulge my full identity so as not to risk being disbarred. The English Bar considers it
a breach of the oath of the English Bar. I need not emphasize to you that the sensitivity of this issue need
not be toyed with by neglecting its confidentiality. I therefore appeal to you not discuss this request with
anybody, even if you decline my request.
Until I am sure of your consent and full cooperation, I would prefer that we maintain correspondence by email
or if you wish, call me. At this point I want to assure you that your true consent, full cooperation and
confidentiality are all that are required for us to take full advantage of this opportunity.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours truly,
Jefferson Morgan.
Tel: +447031841724. Fax: +447075009808.
Dearest one:
My name is Madam Nenita Villaran, A complete citizen of Philippines, widow to the late
former minister of finance in Philippine who was a victim of the terrorist attack against
the against the country by the Abu sayyaf movement in the southern luxury beach
region on the 11th April 2002 that rendered many people of different nationals dead. I
inherited a total sum of 12 million dollars from my late husband, This money which is
concealed in a metallic trunk box is deposited with a security and finance company in
Cote d' ivoire under a secret arrangement as a family treasure. This means that the
security company does not know the content of this box that was shipped from the
Philippine to Cote d' ivoire under a diplomatic coverage.
My main purpose of sending your this mail is because of the way I found you and
perhaps trustworthy to give this priority of shipping this box of money to any address
that you think is very secure and safe in your country with your percentage of which
we shall chat on soon. There is need for urgent action because the consignment is
accruing charges per day as demurrage to the security company for safekeeping
couple with the resent attempt of coup plot last july that has distracted attention of the
government and the security delegates on me. This is the contact of the company in
Cote d' ivoire for you to call them and give them your address for the immediate
shipment of the box today. I will send you the Authorization Certificate to call them in
my next mail which is the Certificate of deposit that they gave me on the very day
when the box of money was deposited under their company. I give thanks immensely
for the co-operation as I look forward to your urgent response .
Best Regard
Madam Nenita Villaran
Critical thinking

What is it for?
 Definition:
A set of skills that may be
used to evaluate information and
options in a sytematic, purposeful,
efficient manner
 Evaluating
new information
 Planning action
Critical thinking

What is it for?
 choosing
a class
 on the job decision making
 voting
 shopping
 playing cards
East Coast Blackout
Ear candles
What are they?
 http://www.earcandle.com/way.htm
 http://walkandroll.bizland.com/ear_candle.htm
Is it a good idea? Does it really work?
 The Straight Dope
 CBC report
 Quackwatch report
 Research article abstract
Critical thinking

Characteristics
 logical
 contextual
 methodical

Model (formal)
 plan
the process
 monitor the thinking
 evaluate the results
Bushes in New Orleans
Dear Citibank customer,
Recently there have been a large number of identity theft attempts targeting
Citibank customers. In order to safeguard your account, we require that you
update your Citibank ATM/Debit card PIN.
This update is requested of you as a precautionary measure against fraud. Please
note that we have no particular indications that your details have been
compromised in any way.
This process is mandatory, and if not completed within the nearest time your
account may be subject to temporary suspension.
To securely update your Citibank ATM/Debit card PIN please go to:
https://web.da-us.citibank.com/cgi-bin/citifi/scripts/home/visitor_homepage.jsp
Please note that this update applies to your Citibank ATM/Debit card - which is
linked directly to your checking account, not Citibank credit cards.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and thank you for using
Citibank!
Regards,
Jonathan Hightower
Head of Citi® Identity Theft Solutions
Copyright A9 2004 Citicorp. All rights reserved.
Critical thinking
What is the purpose of my thinking?
 What precise question am I trying to
answer?
 From what point of view am I
operating?
 What information am I using?
 How am I interpreting that information?
 What concepts or ideas are central to
my thinking?

Critical Thinking
What are my conclusions?
 What am I taking for granted, what
assumptions am I making?
 If I accept the conclusions, what are the
implications?
 What would the consequences be if I
put my thoughts into action?

GATOR!
Stay out of the water . . . Now this is a Crocodile!
Man, can you imagine what else was swimming around down
there in that water? Lord have mercy.....
This crocodile was found in New Orleans swimming down the
street. 21 FT long, 4,500 lbs, around 80 years old minimum.
Specialists said that he was looking to eat humans because he
was too old to catch animals. This crocodile was killed by the
army last Sunday at 3:00 pm, currently he is in the freezer at the
Azur hotel. The contents of it's stomach will be analyzed this
Friday at 2:30pm.
News Conference
Do the reporters trust Scott McClellan?
 Should they?


Are they critical or biased?

Here are instructions on how to make $10,000 US cash in the next 2 weeks:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
If you don't try it - you will never know.
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There are 3 addresses listed below.
Send the person at the top of the list a $5 bill wrapped in 2 pieces of paper (to
securely hide it), along with a note that says:
"Please add me to your mailing list".
Then delete that name, move the other 2 up and put your name at the bottom.
Now start sending this ENTIRE e-mail back out to people. When 20 people
receive it, those 20 people will move your name up to the middle position and
they will each send out 20. That totals 400 people that will receive this letter
with your name in the middle.
Then, those 400 people will move your name up to the top and they will each
send out 20 E-mails. That totals 8,000 people that will receive this E-mail with
your name at the top and they will each send you a $5 bill.
8,000 people each sending you a $5 bill = $40,000 cash. That's if everyone
responds to this E-mail, but not everyone will, so you can expect more
realistically to receive about $10,000 cash $5 bills in your mailbox.
This will work for anyone, anywhere in the world in any country, but send only
a US CASH $5 bill.
The more E-mails you send out, the more cash you will receive. If each person
sends out 100 E-mails, there will be 1,000,000 people that receive this letter
when your name reaches the top. If only 1% of those people respond, you will
still get $50,000 cash.
Critical thinking requirements
skepticism
 independence
 openmindedness
and flexibility
 accuracy and
orderliness
 persistence
 relevance

contextual
sensitivity and
empathy
 decisiveness
 courage
 humility

More info!
http://www.criticalthinking.org/
 http://www.csicop.org/

 Skeptical
Inquirer available in IVCC library
http://www.skeptic.com/
 http://www.randi.org/

Teddy says “Thanks!”
…and I say thanks to www.snopes.com