Week 1-Critical thinking and sexual decision-making

Glenda Rosario

PSY/265

02/27/2015

Frank brusinski

Week 1-Critical thinking and sexual decision-making

In general we use critical thinking in all aspects of our lives this could be the same when it is time to make a sexual decision. Everyone at one point their life has to make a sexual decision. The dreaded should I or shouldn't I question many of us have experienced. According to Webster Dictionary (2015) critical thinking is used to analyze and evaluate a situation and then we can form a judgment or make a decision. We live in a very diverse society, and everyone makes their choices and decisions based on their beliefs and feelings. Similarly, each person has their ideas about sexuality and have their value system regarding sex. I believe that we all know right from wrong, and ultimately we are the ones who make the sexual decisions that are right for us.

I just completed a class in philosophy, and we discussed skepticism that can be related to making our sexual decisions and is part of the critical thinking process. Skepticism plays a role in critical thinking because it is the part that allows us to look at assumptions about situations and enable us to be more cautious. In today's technology based world, the younger generation is quick to meet strangers online, meet with them in person and ultimately sleep with them.

Personally, after the readings of this week I would say that I relate to the Ethical Relativism value system. According to the text this week there are eight principles to critical thinking these principles are skeptics, examine definitions of terms, examine the assumptions or premises of arguments, be cautious in drawing conclusions from evidence, consider alternative interpretations of research data, consider the kinds of evidence on which conclusions are based, do not oversimplify, and do not over-generalize (Rathus, Nevid, & Fichner-Rathus, 2011).. I believe that there is only one set of morals and standards that can be applied to everyone. I remember that when I was growing up and learning about my sexuality and I was very skeptical about any sexual decision I made. I did not engage in sexual activities with anyone that I did not know for a long period. I have always been the