Aristotle said that: “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”, so following this ancient thought this course is designed for students to develop a comprehensive understanding of critical thinking and its distinction from reproductive thinking, recognizing its value in academic, personal, and professional contexts, especially in the era of digitalization. Students during this course will pursue a deep understanding of critical thinking and its relationship to reading and writing in the contemporary digital age.They will gain knowledge of the components of arguments, including their types, validity, and the differences between arguments and explanations. Students will also learn to identify and address logical fallacies and reasoning errors, building a strong foundation for critical analysis equipping students to navigate and evaluate the information-logged digital landscape effectively. In the contemporary world, with the rise of AI, it is the question who is an intellectual? Eco says: "For me, an intellectual is one who produces new knowledge by mobilizing his creativity." This definition sounds even more challenging then ever. Students will acquire practical skills in analyzing and critiquing arguments through structured methodological frameworks, assessing their validity, soundness, and overall strength. They will learn to apply natural deduction rules, construct logical arguments, and evaluate the reasoning presented in various academic works, including discussion papers, review papers, and research papers. These skills will extend to developing well-reasoned and structured written arguments in formats such as academic essays and reviews. Students will also engage in critical listening and reading practices to evaluate and reflect on complex ideas, sharpening their ability to identify and counter superficial or misleading arguments prevalent in digital media.The course fosters intellectual practices such as autonomy, self-criticism, fidelity to truth, and sensitivity to context. It emphasizes ethical and respectful approaches to critical discussion, encouraging students to embrace diverse perspectives and constructive dialogue. By cultivating these values, the course prepares students to approach complex problems thoughtfully and communicate their ideas effectively in both academic and challenging 21st century real-world settings.The course will also promote critical thinking and writing that counteract the fragmented nature of digital information consumption, such as sustained focus, self-reflection, truth, etc. Students will engage in ethical and respectful critique, practicing intellectual openness and a commitment to thoughtful discourse. By the end of the course, they will be equipped to process and engage with information deeply and meaningfully, enhancing their ability to contribute to scholarly and public conversations in the digital age.

The course combines theoretical instruction with practical application, thereby ensuring a comprehensive and effective learning.Theoretical concepts will be introduced through lectures, which will provide students with a foundational understanding of critical thinking (such as The Socratic Method), argument analysis, and the principles of logical reasoning. Furthermore, illustrative examples and case studies will be provided to elucidate the core concepts. To enhance comprehension, students will engage in group discourse that fosters introspection and the interchange of disparate viewpoints.The course will emphasize practical learning through the use of active learning strategies, including hands-on exercises, critical reading, and writing assignments. Students will analyze texts, evaluate arguments and identify logical fallacies using the structured frameworks provided during the course. These tasks will be supported by thought challenges, which are interactive exercises designed to stimulate critical engagement with complex ideas and scenarios.In order to encourage independent learning, students will be required to complete self-directed assignment, including the preparation of discussion review. These tasks will be complemented by peer reviews, in which students will critique and provide constructive feedback on each other's work, thereby reinforcing collaborative learning and critical evaluation skills.In addition, the course will examine the latest exemplar of critical thinking, as evidenced by the book of Slavoj Žižek Too Late to Awaken: "The most provocative philosopher of our times returns with a rousing and counterintuitive analysis of our global predicamentWe hear all the time that it's five minutes to global doomsday, so now is our last chance to avert disaster. But what if the only way to prevent a catastrophe is to assume that it has already happened - that we're already five minutes past zero hour? Why do we seem unable to avert our course to self-destruction? Too Late to Awaken sees Slavoj Žižek deliver his most forceful, hopeful account of our discontents yet. Surveying the interlocking crises we currently face - global warming, war, famine, disease - he points us towards the radical, emancipatory politics that we need in order to halt our drift towards disaster. Pithy, urgent and witty, Žižek's diagnosis reveals our current geopolitical nightmare in a startling new light, and shows why, in order to change our future, we must reimagine our past."

This course content offers a comprehensive guide to developing and applying critical thinking skills across listening, reading, and writing, supported by hands-on thought challenges and methodological tools for critique.The course roadmap will cover four big areas, and by following this roadmap we will uncover differenet approaches to the subject: 1. What is Critical Thinking?2. Argument3. Critical Listening and Reading4. Critical WritingFor example we will tackle books that deal with reading and critical thinking in the age of digitalization: "Wolf draws on neuroscience, literature, education, and philosophy and blends historical, literary, and scientific facts with down-to-earth examples and warm anecdotes to illuminate complex ideas that culminate in a proposal for a biliterate reading brain. Provocative and intriguing, Reader, Come Home is a roadmap that provides a cautionary but hopeful perspective on the impact of technology on our brains and our most essential intellectual capacities—and what this could mean for our future."Alberto Manguel explores "the six-thousand-year-old conversation between words and that hero without whom the book would be a lifeless object: the reader. Manguel brilliantly covers reading as seduction, as rebellion, and as obsession and goes on to trace the quirky and fascinating history of the reader’s progress from clay tablet to scroll, codex to digital."

No expected prior knowledge. 

Lektürekurs 1Literaturwissenschaft 1 und 2 (for BA-Students)Lektürekurs 1 or introduction to literary studies for students of CBS.

-Manguel, Alberto. (2014). A History of Reading. Penguin Books.-Wolf, Maryanne. (2019). Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World Paperback. Harper Paperbacks-Žižek, Slavoj. (2024). Too late to awaken (What Lies Ahead When There is No Future?). Penguin Books. -Dewey, John. (2018). How We Think. -Buchberger, Iva. (2012). Kritičko mišljenje : priručnik kritičkog mišljenja, slušanja, čitanja i pisanja. Udruga za razvoj visokoga školstva Universitas.-Bowel, T., Kemp, G. (2010). Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide. London, New York: Routledge.-Epstein, R. L., Kernberger, C. (2010). The Pocket Guide to Critical Thinking. Socorro: Advanced Reasonig Forum.-Ficher, A. (2001). Critical Thinking. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Link auf weitere Informationen/

 Although examples are basically taken from South Slavic literatures, other literatures are not excluded as topics for seminar papers and analyzes of criticism about writers from other literatures, even those from other artistic fields (theatre or film criticism), and it is possible, instead of a seminar paper, to write two journal reviews about contemporary writers, based on the model of critical thinking. 

Abstract: Crafting a clear thesis statement and outlining the scope of the essay.Body of the seminar: Structuring arguments and analysis effectively, integrating evidence and theoretical insights.Conclusion: Summarizing findings and reflecting on the implications of critical thinking and writing.

 1. Analytical skills, interpretation, synthesis, critical thinking skill: Demonstrates skill in the basics of critical thinking. Synthesis of information: Synthesizes information from various sources to present a well-rounded writing.2. Writing, style, formality, originality, insight, and research.