1)     Reason is a way that humans use to learn things. It is " the power to think in such a way that we proceed from what we know to what we do not yet know."(RB p.58) Although there are animals other than humans that posses forms of reasoning, only humans posses self-consciousness and the ability to think abstractly. Humans can reason in two different ways. The first, deductive reasoning, is when humans make decisions based off of principals that are believed to be true. The second, inductive reasoning, is when humans make "universal generalizations about something based on a limited number of experiences of that thing."(RB p.61) Reason is important in our lives because we use it to gain knowledge. For example, a philosopher looks for truth by using reasoned knowledge, which is the process of explaining a situation rationally through the use of reason.

2)
     a) The first thing I want to remember this week are the three types of knowledge. These three types are the basis for everything we learn in our lives. Every bit of knowledge we gain falls under one of these three types.

•         Experiential knowledge is the knowledge we gain from prior personal experiences. We gain experiential knowledge through the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.
•         Knowledge from authority is the knowledge we are given by some authority, be it a parent, teacher, friend, media, or book.
•         Reasoned knowledge is the knowledge we gain by ourselves by making a conclusion based on premisses, statements we believe are true.

•          Non sequitor- When a conclusion does'nt follow the premisses that support it logically.
•          False and/or Vague Premises- When a conclusion follows the premises logically, but is false and not valid because the premisses used to support it were false or vague.
•          Ad Hominem- Instead of criticizing the person's argument, we attack the person. A person is guilty of this when, instead of dealing with the person's idea(s), one attacks a certain aspect of the person that is not related to the argument itself.
•          Begging the Question- A person does this when he or she trying to demonstrate that a point is true, but already assumes his or her point is true during the process.
•          Red Herring-A red herring is an inflammatory or beside-the-point statement that is meant to distract others from the real issue in an argument.

• Know the facts
• Remember the Principle of Contradiction(ex: The earth cannot exist and not exist at the same time)
• Define your terms
• Be intellectually humble
• Look for different perspectives

3) One good image...

4) One good question
     When I think critically, am I following the 5 Steps to Critical Thinking? Do I know the facts, remember the principal of contradiction, define my terms, look for different perspectives, and display intellectual humility?

5) How can I make myself a better person from this study?
     I can make myself a better person by thinking more critically and following the 5 Steps to Critical Thinking. In order to do this better, I should also be aware of the process of knowing. I should be aware that my mind perceives, categorizes, evaluates, symbolizes, and tests.