Asian Philosophies of Critical Thinking

Asian Philosophies of Critical Thinking Essay EXTENDED ESSAYAsian Philosophies of Critical Thinking: divergent or convergent to westernestablishments?MAY 2003 AbstractThe research question of this extended essay came across at a very earlystage in my life. Having been born and developed from a family with all itsmembers being University instructors and professors, I was often involvedin arguments related to the lack of critical thinking in Asian cultures. AsI got older, having had the chance to emerge in different cultures, Istarted to develop my own viewpoints and answers. I started to wonder aboutthe truth between the real differences of Asian and Western philosophies ofcritical thinking. This extended essay, intended to be a research andinvestigation, bearing the title Asian Philosophies of Critical Thinking:divergent or convergent to Western establishments? is in fact howevermerely just a summary of my viewpoints and answers which I have developedthroughout the years. In the first section of the essay, Logical Tradition in India and China Iwill attempt to give evidence of critical thinking in two Asian culturesthat I have chosen; namely India and China. In India, I will argue thatcritical thinking is clearly visible in historical texts such as the Carakaand Nyayasutra. This is presented as the well-known five-membered argument,a system of logical deduction, similar to the Aristotelian syllogism foundin the west. In China I would focus mainly on the two schools of logicalthought, the Mohists and the Logicians. For the Mohists I would argue thatcritical thinking is a vital element in the building of what they callmental models. For the Logicians, I would study deeply the writings ofHui Shih and Kungsun Lung, I would show that in fact both of them developedsystems of logical and paradoxical thinking that could well serve as thefoundations of modern science. If critical thinking is clearly presentable in these Asian cultures thenwhy are there still concerns for introducing it to them? This is thequestion I intend to answer in the latter section Needhams Grand Questionand Fullers Interpretation. During this section, I would also show thatdiscussions of modern science seem to enable us to see how the tradition ofcritical thinking arose and how they were promoted or discouraged. I wouldcover how Asian historical, economic, social and cultural factors have abig influence on their development of critical thinking. Lastly I wouldshow how the prioritization of a civilization has a devastating effect ondeciding the future road they intend to walk. In conclusion, I would argue that since the philosophy of a culture is butan abstract and theoretical expression and justification of the culturesdecision to choose one set of priorities over another, Asian philosophy andcritical thinking are neither necessarily divergentnornecessarilyconvergent to western establishments. Contents|Introduction|4|||||Logical Tradition in India and|4||China||||||Needhams Grand Question and|7||Fullers Interpretation||||||Asian Philosophy and Critical|8||Thinking: Divergence or|||Convergence?||||||Conclusion|9|||||Bibliography|10 |||||References|11 ||||Asian Philosophies of Critical Thinking: divergent or convergent to westernestablishments?By Clement NgIntroductionIt is widely recognized nowadays that critical thinking has become anecessary ingredient in all levels of education. Educators and educationalpolicy makers agree that one of the desirable goals of education is thatstudents are able to think critically. Throughout the past few years, manyhave felt the need to consider critical thinking more seriously ineducational programs. At the moment several different acts are beingconsidered around the world by various factors and agencies. The core ofthese proposed acts is the idea that the students are able to thinkcritically and independently. Although there are widespr ead disagreementson what critical thinking actually is,1 there is an agreement that it hasbecome very important in the world overwhelmed by huge amountsofinformation. Some Western educators who teach at schools or universities in a number ofAsian countries have voiced their difficulties and problems they encounterwhile trying to teach critical thinking and other related skills to Asianstudents. Bruce Davidson (1998) argues that a set of Japanese culturalfactors act as a kind of barrier against teaching critical thinking tostudents. Atkinson (1999) goes so far as to argue that critical thinking isculturally specific, and is a part of the social practices of the Westhaving no place within Asian cultures, which do not adopt such practices. What these educators have in common is the feeling that some elements inAsian cultures do prevent the full realization of critical thinking skillsin the students. Most of these elements perceived by Western educators inAsia are quite well knownthe beliefs that teachers are superior andalways right, that knowledge is not to be made here and now, but existseternally, so to speak, to be handed down by teachers, that social harmonyis to be preferred rather than asking probing questionsto mention just afew. Is critical thinking really culture specific? Can the traditional beliefsystems of Asia respond to the challenge of the modern world while stillretaining their distinctive identities? Are Asian philosophy and criticalthinking necessary divergent or possibly convergent? These areverysignificant question not just for Asian cultures, but for understanding howcultures of the world respond to globalization. In addition the questionalso has a bearing on the problematic relation between critical thinkingand the cultural environment in which it happens to be embedded. In this essay, I attempt to argue that critical thinking is not necessarilyincompatible with Asian traditional belief systems. In fact I will showthat both India and China do have their own indigenous traditions oflogical and argumentative thinking; it is just because of certain barriersthat prevent them from further developing such establishments. I willfurther try to show that these traditions can and should be reexamined,reinterpreted and adapted to the contemporary situation. By doing this Iwould seek acknowledgement to the essay question and would provide ananswer to the Western educators who have found no such critical traditionsin the East. Logical Tradition in India and ChinaIt is widely known that India had a highly advanced logical tradition,spanning more than two thousandyears.ThesuccessesofIndianmathematicians and computer programmers are perhaps due to the fact thatlogic and critical thinking have been integral to the Indian way ofthinking since time immemorial. Such integration can also be witnessed inthe fondness of Indians for talking and debating. Tscherbatsky (1962: 31-34) tells us that in the times of Dignaga and Dharmakirti, two of thegreatest Buddhist logicians, the fate of entire monasteries depended onpublic debates. According to Tscherbatsky, Dignaga won his fame and royalsupport through his defeat of the brahmin Sudurjaya at Nalanda Monastery(31-34). In another vein, Matilal (1990: 1-8) argues that the Indian logicaltradition is entirely home grown, since there is no evidence of India beinginfluenced by Aristotelian ideas. Matilal also shows that many topics,which are of interest by contemporary logicians and philosophers today,were discussed and researched into with sophistication by Indian scholars. Such topics include theory of inference, empty names, reference andexistence, perception, knowledge of theexternalworld,substance,causality, and many others (Matilal 1990). Moreover, Tscherbatskys (1962)work, dealing mainly with the works of Dignaga and Dharmakirti illustratesthat India is one of the great logical and philosophical civilizations ofthe world. There are a number of topics that both traditions discovered independentlyof each other. For example, Matilal notes that the counterpart of theAristotelian syllogism is the five-membered argument found in such textsas Caraka and Nyayasutra. Instead of the three propositions found inAristotelian syllogism, the five-membered argument consistsoffivepropositions, the first of which is the conclusion, and the last repeatingwhat is already stated in the first. The remaining three propositions inbetween are the premises. Here is one example of the five-membered argumentcited by Matilal (1990: 5):1. There is fire on this mountain. 2. For, there is smoke there. 3. Smoke goes with fire always (or, in all cases, or in all places):witness, kitchen. 4. This is also a case of smoke. 5. Therefore, there is fire there (on the mountain). Logicians will immediately be able to reconstruct this argument in thefamiliar Aristotelian form as follows:The place on the mountain is a place where there is smoke. A place where there is smoke is a place where there is fire. Therefore, the place on the mountain is a place where there is fire. Matilal, however, notes that there is at least some dissimilarity betweenthe Indian and the Aristotelian argument forms presented here.Forinstance, he says that the conclusion of the Indian argument form is in theform of singular proposition, (i.e., modified by demonstratives likethis or that) whereas that of the Aristotelian syllogism is eitheruniversal or particular (i.e., modified by quantifiers like all orsome). But the dissimilarity here could be amended, as indexicals (termslike this or that which relies on the context of utterance for theirfull meaning) could be dispensed with by supplying the required informationon the context in which they are uttered. Thus it could be safely statedthat the Indian logical tradition fully comprehended the essence, so tospeak, of logic, which is the concept of validity and the basic validargument form. Another of the worlds great civilizations, China, also had its ownindigenous and independent logical tradition. Two of Chinas logicalschools of thought are the Mohists and the Logicians. The former wasfounded by Mo Ti, who lived between 479 to 381 B.C., during the WarringStates period of Chinese history (Ronan 1978: 114). Among the typicalChinese scholars the Mohists are better known for their doctrine ofuniversal love and the condemnation of offensive war rather than theirinterests and achievements in the physical sciences. In the latter Needhamreports that the Mohists went very far towards realizing that the thoughtsystem was in fact a prerequisite for modern science. Most significantly,the Mohists appeared to be in grasp of the concepts of deduction andinduction. They viewed the former as a way of thinking which follows amental model, which guarantees that whoever follows it will never fail tobe right in their thinking. Here is an example of reasoning based onfollowing such mental model:Model thinking consists in following the methods of Nature. What are followed in model-thinking are the methods. Therefore if the methods are truly followed by the model-thinkingliterally: hit in the middle, the reasoning will be correct. But if the methods are not truly followed by the model-thinking, thereasoning will be wrong (Ronan 1978: 119). On the other hand, the Mohists also recognized the value of extensionwhich is a kind of reasoning from the known examples and extend it tounknown cases similar to them:Extension is considering that that which one has not yet receivedi.e. a new phenomenon is identical from the point of view ofclassification with those which one has already received, andadmitting it (Ronan 1978: 119). READ: Teen Suicide EssayIt is clear then that the former is an instance of deductive thinking,while the latter represents the basic idea of inductive thinking. The two most well known representatives of the Logicians are Hui Shih andKungsun Lung. The former is known for his paradoxes resembling that ofZeno, and his writings were designed to shock and to illustrate deeplogical point. For example, Hui Shihs writing that The Heavens are as lowas the Earth; mountains are on the same level as marshes (Ronan 1978: 122)could be regarded as a way of illustrating the fact that, viewed from thecosmic perspective, the sentence written by Hui Shih here is actually true. Other pieces of his writings concern what and how we perceive:Fire is not hot. Eyes do not see (Ronan 1978: 122). These are designed to lead one to think that what is hot in fire may wellnot be in the fire at all, but is located within our tactile perception ofit. And the factor that actually does the seeing is not the eyesthemselves, but the consciousness or whatever that gives rise to theperception. Similarly, according to Needham, Kungsun Lung had a system of logical andparadoxical thinking that could well serve as the foundation of modernscience. The following excerpts show that Kungsun Lung grasped suchconcepts as the universality and unlocalizability of number and universalsand their contrasts with particulars that are their instances. Mostinterestingly, Kungsun Lungs discussion of changes in Nature could wellpoint to modern scientific way of thought:Q: Is it permissible to say that a change is not a change?A: It is. Q: Can right associating itself with something be called change?A: It can. Q: What is it that changes?A: It is right. Q: If right has changed, how can you still call it right? And ifit has not changed, how can you speak of a change?A: Two would have no right if there were no left. Two contains `left-and-right. A ram added to an ox is not a horse. An ox added to a ramis not a fowl (Ronan 1978: 121-122). Here one finds a discussion of the unchangeability of universals and theirdistinction from particulars. One thing, A, located to the right of anotherthing, B, would form two things, A-and-B. This thing, A-and-B would undergoa change if A happens to move to the left of B. What are changed here arethe relation between A and B. However, the Right itself is changeless, eventhough the particulars forming right or left relation to each other do. Thus, a ram added to an ox would still be two animals, and wont becomeeither a horse or a fowl. The changelessness of universals is a differentmatter altogether from the mutability of particular things. Kungsun Lungswriting here reminds us of Western medieval treatises on logic and theproblem of universals, such as those of Abelard or Duns Scotus. No matter how similar or different these Asian writings on logic andphilosophy are from those of Europe, it is certain that both India andChina do indeed have rigorous and profound systems of logic and criticalthinking, systems which could well form a launching pad for advancedscientific research and innovation that actually took place in the West. Thus Atkinsons argument that critical thinking is culturally specific tothe West is clearly not borne out by historical facts and thus is mistaken. However, when we look at the situations in the Asian countries today,especially in Thailand whose cultural tradition is mostly influenced byBuddhism, which originated within the Indian philosophical and religiousmilieu, Atkinson seems to be right in that there is a felt need forteaching Thai students to be able to think critically. McGuire (2000)argues that there is a need to teach critical thinking and that criticalthinking can be taught to Asian students because it does not necessarily goagainst the grain of local cultures and contains universal elements thatany local culture can find acceptable. If critical thinking is alreadythere in these cultural traditions, then why are there concerns forintroducing it to them? Something must have happened to these culturaltraditions so that there feels a need to bring in the skills and practicesof critical thinking from outside. Or is it really the need to reintroduceand to reestablish these traditions with something which is clearly theirown , but is somehow lost?1901Needhams Grand Question and Fullers InterpretationAn adequate investigation into what actually may have caused the decline ofthe logical traditions in India or China would comprise one thick book. However, I believe that a glimpse toward an answer could be found if wecompare the dominant positions in the two civilizations with the logicaltraditions. In India, the logical schools, Nyaya, Mimamsa, together withthe Buddhist logic and dialectic schools of Dignaga, Dharmakirti andNagarjuna never gained the supreme control when compared to the othertraditions such as the Vedanta. Personally, I think that this may be due tothe fact that the teachings of the logical schools were limited to themonks or brahmins who practiced them. And when the logical tradition had tocompete with other traditions that could garner more popular appeal, it isquite conceivable that the remote logical schools would lose support. Perhaps in India the tradition of logical and critical thinking was limitedto the highly educated class in such a way that the general population knewnothing of it, and this could be one explanation, as to why modernscientific thinking did not develop in India. For science to develop, theremust be a tendency toward a full understanding of all of Nature through afew general laws that could be learned and understood by anyone. The methodof learning such laws must be such that no one is excluded from studyingexcept through his own intellectual capabilities. In China, Needham suggests that the reasons for modern sciences lack ofdevelopment are due to historical, economic, social and cultural factors(Needham 1969: 190-217). Needham rightly dismisses the interpretation ofEuropes eventual mastery of modern scientific techniques in geographicalor racial beliefs. The scientific and mathematical achievements in bothIndia and China during the ancient and medieval periods is so great that itis hardly conceivable at all to think of Europes success in terms of herdestiny or superior level of advancement as propagated by the Hegeliantradition. On the other hand, Needham seems to believe that it is more amatter of luck that Europe could eventually mastered the arts of modernscience and became dominant. Needham writes:The further I penetrate into the detailed history of the achievementsof Chinese science and technology before the time when, like all otherethnic cultural rivers, they flowed into the river of modern science,the more convinced I become that the cause for the break-throughoccurring only in Europe was connected with the special social,intellectual and economic conditions prevailingthereattheRenaissance, and can never be explained by any deficiencies either ofthe Chinese mind or of the Chinese intellectual and philosophicaltradition. In many ways this was much more congruent with modernscience than was the world-outlook of Christendom (Needham 1969: 191). The special social, intellectual and economic conditions that explainEuropes success are nowhere necessarily attached to thehistoricaldevelopment of Europe. They seem only to be those that Europeans adopted,consciously or not, in response to their historical, social, and mercantileneeds. Those needs apparently were not in the minds of Indians or Chinese,whose priorities for their civilization as a whole seemed to be somethingelse. Thus, instead of looking for a unifying theory capable of explainingand predicting natural phenomenon so that men could harness the power ofNature to their own material needs as well as feel a sense of mastery whenNature is thus comprehended, Indians and Chinese chose to put the ideals oftheir civilizations in another way. The summum bonum of the Indian philosophical tradition, attainment ofMoksha or Liberation, is quite contrary to the ideals and assumptions ofmodern scientific thinking. Instead of looking for the way to free oneselffrom the endless cycle of rebirths throughstrictself-discipline,Europeans sought to advance their own self-interests that are more inclinedto the ordinary. In China, the rapid transformation from feudalism to statebureaucratism, coupled with the influence of the Confucian ethos, whilehugely successful in preserving Chinas cultural identity amidst the greatvariety of people and localities, nonetheless made it the case thatmaterial innovations and proto-scientific and logical theories would begiven little attention. Writings on such matters are referred to the`Miscellaneous category by the mandarin scholars who put the highestpriority to moralistic, ethical, or historical writings (Ronan 1978: 19)This interpretation, which is focused on the contingent character of therise of modern science in Europe, is regarded by Steve Fuller as the underdeterminist one. According to Fuller, the reason why China did not developmodern science was that it was not specifically promoted (Fuller 1997: 80-88). He contrasts this with the over determinist modethe kind ofexplanation that seeks to explain the lack of progress of modern sciencethrough the idea that it was specifically prevented from occurring. Thus,according to the former outlook, the reason science did not develop inChina was because historical, social, economic conditions were such thatthey were simply incompatible with its rise. I think this could be due tothe Chinese not putting a high priority on things scientific. On the otherhand, the over determinist would assume that science is part of a culturesdestiny which would materialize anyway if the circumstances were favorable. However, in the case of China these circumstances were not favorable,blocking sciences potential development. To viewthehistoryanddevelopment of science in the latter mode would mean that science is anecessary part of a cultures path of development, which is the same forall cultures. A culture in which science successfully develops is thusviewed as more advanced than another where the development of science issomehow stinted. On the other hand, the under determinist would argue thatsuch a picture of each cultural entity racing along the same path smellstoo much of teleology and Gods design to be tenable. Instead of soviewing, each culture should be regarded as having its own path notnecessarily shared with others. Since critical thinking and modern scientific thinking are closely related,discussions of the historical rise of science in various cultures aredirectly related to our investigation of whether critical thinking iscompatible with the major Asian cultural traditions. Discussions on therise of modern science seem to enable us to see how the tradition ofcritical thinking arose and how they were promoted or discouraged. If theunder determinist mode of interpretation is accepted, then the lack ofcritical thinking tradition in Asia could be explained by the fact thatsomehow members of these traditions decided not to go put critical thinkinghigh on their list of priorities, despite the fact that critical thinkingskills could be found deep within the traditions themselves. READ: Ambition in Macbeth examples Essay1034Asian Philosophy and Critical Thinking: Divergence or Convergence?Hence, the values typically associated with Asian culture such as socialharmony and deference to the elders and teachers are thus seen asconsequences of the cultures deciding to put a certain set of prioritiesabove others. Social harmony was instrumental in bringing about thecultural unity that is the most distinctive characteristic of Chineseculture. It is valued above most other types of values because it goes handin hand with social stability, whose alternative is perceived as chaos andgeneral burden of social structure. The prioritization of social harmonycan also be seen in other Asian cultures such as the Thai one, and resultsin Thais trying as far as they possibly can to avoid open conflicts anddisagreements. In the case of China, since all the elements that couldbring about the rise of modern science were in place, it is quite clearthat the Chinese culture actually chose not to go along the path taken bythe Europeans. The decision made by a culture to adopt a particular systemof beliefs and practices certainly did not happen suddenly, as if at oneparticular moment of history, members of a culture had a meeting anddeclared their cultures adoption of this or that set. The decisionoccurred gradually throughout the historical development of a culture, andcan be seen in China adopting Confucianism ratherthanthemorematerialistic and scientifically inclined Taoism and Mohism, and in Indiaadopting the more mystical doctrine emphasizing the role of meditation andprivate insights rather than publicly demonstrable methods of knowing. Ithink that reasons for such decision are enormously complicated, but it ishardly conceivable that China was somehow destined to lag behind Europe inthe science race due to factors they could not control. This may be taken to show that critical thinking and Asian thought aredivergent. If the Asian cultures chose not to go along the path wherecritical thinking is one milestone, then both do not seem to go with eachother, and Atkinson may be vindicated when he argues that critical thinkingis a part of Western culture only. If the Asian cultures prioritize sets ofvalues which are incompatible with critical thinking, and if they freelychose those sets over the set adopted by Europeans for whatever reasons,then it appears that critical thinking would belong to European cultureonly, and to adopt it to Asian cultures would be the same as to importingforeign ideas and practices to alien lands. Thus, Atkinsons argument seemsto fit well with the under determinist position. This line of reasoning, however, would be valid only if a culture decidedas its own set of priorities at one time will always remain so for allother times. If the Thai culture, for example, once decided that socialharmony should take precedence over critical argumentation andopendebates, then critical thinking practices would be forever alien to them. But that is surely a very unreasonable position to take. Cultures, likehumans, often make decisions that later are amended or revoked with newdecisions made; when things are not the same any longer. Decisions toprioritize one set of values over another are not etched in stone, but evenso the stone can be broken down or else taken to a museum or a pedestalwhere it loses its real meaning. Decisions at one time reflect thecircumstances normal at that particular time, and to stick onto pastdecisions with no plan of adapting or making new decisions in response tochanging circumstances would make the culture frozen and unabletoparticipate. Opting not to correct their past decisions, a culture would ineffect be telling the world that it is constructing a wall around itself,giving nothing to the world and receiving nothing. However, sociologicaland economic conditions of the current world do not permit such a scenariofrom happening. Cultures need to change themselves, not merely to survive,b ut to prosper and to permit better lives for their members. Consequently, Asian cultures and critical thinking are divergent only ifthe former opt not to correct their decisions. But since we are talkingonly about decisions, then it is not difficult at all to suggest thatcultures would make new decisions in response to changing times. Doing sowould make the two more convergent. Hence, the divergence and convergence,after all, depend on what decisions a culture makes. There is nothingnecessarily attached to a cultures path along history that makes itessentially divergent or convergent from the modern critical thinkingtradition, or from any tradition for that matter. Since the philosophy of aculture is but an abstract and theoretical expression and justification ofthe cultures decision to choose one set of priorities over another, Asianphilosophy and critical thinking are neither necessarily divergent nornecessarily convergent. ConclusionAny attempt to introduce, or we should say to bring back critical thinkingpractices to the cultures of Asia would, therefore, begin within thecultures themselves. This is in line with the under determinist idea thateach culture has its own peculiar development path which is not necessarilyshared with others. The mission of spreading the truth of one culture toanother is a misplaced. One that apart from sounding patronizing, issomething the current morality cannot accept. Thus the first step in suchan attempt must consist of a series of arguments designed to show to mostmembers of the culture where critical thinking is to be introduced, thatcritical thinking is really good. However to do that would at least requirelarge amounts of explanations, something that is definitely out of scope ofthis present essay. Besides, to argue that critical thinking is actually agood thing to have is difficult, because it may run counter to the deeplyestablished belief that critical thinking i s just a label fortheconfrontational mode of life that the culture finds unpleasantanddifficult to accept. Though the task is difficult, I believe that it is unavoidable. As aninsider of my own Chinese cultural tradition, I am trying to convince themembers of my culture of the value of critical thinking and its importantrole in educating citizens for the increasingly globalized world of todayand tomorrow. An important part of my argument for combining criticalthinking and its belief systems to the Chinese culture is the idea thatpeople should view the elements of their culture which could present themost serious obstacles to critical thinking as benign fiction. That is,elements such as respect of the elders and the belief in social ranking andso on should be viewed in the same way as a modern person views his or herown traditional customs and ceremonies. One is in a sense a part of theculture where the ceremonies happen, but in another sense detached from it. This is because he knows himself only to serve a certain function in theculture, and in addition, knowledge of other cultures enables furtherdetachment from his own customs and ceremonies. Such an argument would naturally require a lot more space and time than isavailable here. What I hope to have accomplished in this essay, however, ismuch more modest. It is, as we have seen, an argument that Asian philosophyand Asian thought in general do not necessarily conflict with criticalthinking and its presuppositions. Furthermore, it is the influential makingof decisions throughout the history of each culture itself, which, Ibelieve, is flexible and adaptive enough to effect important changes forthe future. 1065BibliographyAtkinson, D. 1997. A Critical Approach to Critical Thinking. TESOLQuarterly 31, 71-94. Blair, J. Anthony and Ralph H. Johnson. 1991. Misconceptions of InformalLogic: A Reply to McPeck. Teaching Philosophy 14.1, 35-52. Davidson, Bruce. 1995. Critical Thinking Education Faces the Challenge ofJapan. Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines, 14.3, 31 pars.,http://www.shss.montclair.edu/inquiry/spr95/davidson.html. Fuller, Steve. 1997. Science. Birmingham: Open UP. Hatcher, Donald. 1995a. Critical Thinking and Epistemic Obligations. Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines 14.3, 38 pars.,http://www.shss.montclair.edu/inquiry/spr95/hatcher2.html. Hatcher, Donald. 1995b. Should Anti-Realists Teach Critical Thinking?. Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines 14.4, 21 pars.,http://www.shss.montclair.edu/inquiry/summ95/hatcher.html. Hongladarom, Soraj. 1998a. Critical Thinking and the Realism/Anti-RealismDebate, http://pioneer.chula.ac.th/~hsoraj/web/CT.html. Hongladarom, Soraj. 1998b. Humanistic Education in Todays and TomorrowsWorld. Manusya: Journal of Humanities, 1 (forthcoming). Hostetler, Karl. 1991. Community and Neutrality in Critical Thought: ANonobjectivist View on the Conduct and Teaching of Critical Thinking. Educational Theory, 41.1, 1-12. Matilal, Bimal Krishna. 1990. Logic, Language and Reality: IndianPhilosophy and Contemporary Issues. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. McGuire, John. 1998. Is Critical Thinking Cultural Thinking?. Unpublishedms. McPeck, John E. 1991. What is Learned in Informal Logic?, TeachingPhilosophy, 14.1, 25-34. Needham, Joseph. 1969. The Grand Titration: Science and Society in East andWest. London: Allen Unwin. Paul, Richard. 1993. Critical Thinking: What Every Person Needs to Survivein a Rapidly Changing World. Santa Rosa, CA: Foundation for CriticalThinking. Ronan, Colin A. 1978. The Shorter Science and Civilization in China: AnAbridgement of Needhams Original Text. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. Sutton, Robert. 1995. Realism and Other Philosophical Mantras. Inquiry:Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines, 14.4, 18 pars.,http://www.shss.montclair.edu/inquiry/summ95/sutton.html. Tscherbatsky, F. Th. 1962. Buddhist Logic. New York: Dover. References1 The literature on the nature and definitions of critical thinking areenormous. Probably the most intense debate among critical thinking expertscenters on the question whether critical thinking can be a separateautonomous academic disciplines dealing with the general form of thinkingto be applied by students in all of their academic areas. Or whether it isnot autonomous at all, but should always be part of important academicdisciplines. However, I believe that these debates giveuslittleunderstanding of what critical thinking should be. For critical thinkingwould be nothing if not applied to real cases, and the study of it wouldnot be totally effective if the skills and theories unique to it were notabstracted and studied on their own. The other debates focuses on thenature of critical thinking, or the meaning of critical thinking itself. Richard Paul (1993) provides a definition that no one can gainsay: Criticalthinking is the kind of thinking one thinks of ones thinking in order tomake ones thinking better. Hatcher (1995a; 1995b) calls for the kind ofcritical thinking that is based on the so-called epistemological realistposition this is contrasted by Sutton (1995) and Hostetler (1991), whoargue that critical thinking is more amenable to the anti-realist position. Whatever it is, there is still no correct definition concerning the truemeaning of critical thinking.

Consensus on Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Consensus on Global Warming - Essay Example This has introduced some new areas of debate which require a solid scientific intervention to achieve a consensus on the issue. What is the debate? The arguments that come for, and against the human role in the rising global warmth are interesting, and both have stringent views on the issue. Attributing the global warming to human actions Al Gore (6) states, â€Å"I have learned that, beyond death and taxes, there is at least one undisputable fact: Not only those human caused global warming exists, but it is also growing more and more dangerous, and at a pace that has now made it a planetary emergency.† On the other hand, a number of scientists accept the fact that our planet is becoming warmer; negate the human role in the issue. Especially, the last one and half-century has witnessed a quick rise in earth temperatures. However, they argue that the case against human activity is not supported by the solid scientific research. Hollander (66) narrates this sentiment in these wo rds, â€Å"However, the evidence of human contribution is, at best, suggestive. Hard evidence simply doesn’t exist.† The scientific proof that the global warming is caused and aggravated by human actions is considered inadequate and flimsy by these scientists, and they attribute this hype to various political reasons and natural phenomenon. History of consensus The issue does not have a long history of controversy and initially, there was more or less a state of consensus on the human contribution in the rising temperatures of the earth. Various studies conducted in early phase were either highly appreciated or went unopposed on scientific grounds. The best criticism on these papers was based on methodologies and research approaches that were adopted to ascertain the human contribution in global warming. More importantly none of these papers challenged the consensus on the issue. Even the special panels like Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and United Nation commissions on the issue reached the consensus that human activities may have an impact on the increasing global warming. Even not a single research paper between 1993 and 2003 had opposed the crux of the theory and human role in the growth and amplification of global warming. This decade long consensus is explored in detail by the Oreskes, â€Å"Of all the papers, 75% fell into the first three categories, either explicitly or implicitly accepting the consensus view; 25% dealt with methods or paleoclimate, taking no position on current anthropogenic climate change. Remarkably, none of the papers disagreed with the consensus position.† Conclusion It is can be deduced in the light of foregone that there is a partial scientific consensus on the issue of global warming. The gradual rise in the temperature of our native planet is scientifically proven and accepted. However, the role of human activity in the creation and escalation of this calamity is debatable.   The role of carbon dioxide, methane, Carbon Monoxide in the combustion of oxygen and the hazardous impact of this interplay of gases is beyond scientific perplexity. Scientists have also consensus on the impact of greenhouse effect on our soil. Only a small number of scientists disagree with the concept that the gases and fossils of human activity are a major source of this effect. These scientists argue that human contribution is negligibly small as far the impact on the greenhouse effect and ozone layer is concerned. There are other natural

Assignment 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

3 - Assignment Example Through this style, the employees were given the freedom to come up with innovative ideas to transform the operations of the business. In addition Sir Richard involved the subordinates in decision making process. As a result, they felt as an integral part of the company. This motivated them to work hard towards the organizational goals, an aspect that was replicated in the overall performance of the firm. Sir Richard Branson also understood that the employees were the one who interacted with the customers in the market. As a result, he used them as an important source of information. He gave the workforce a role of identifying opportunities and noting any changes in the tastes and preferences of the target market. Therefore, the company was able to make the necessary changes in its operations before the competitors (Chan 2013). This gave it an upper hand in the market. Furthermore, it improves the customer relationship, thereby, increasing their loyalty levels. Sir Richard implemented a functional organizational structure in order to streamline the operations of the company. Each department is held by a manager who oversees and manages its operations. However, all functional units work together towards the common objective of the company. Setting up functional units enabled the company to maximize the returns from the employees as they are grouped according to their areas of specialization. This has been very instrumental in establishing very strong teams that are able to deal with the diverse challenges that are facing the company in the market. Sir Richard Branson led the organization from the front. He has been the role model for the rest of the workforce. In addition, he always ensured that he was there when critical decisions concerning the operations of the business were made. He has always offered suggestions but open to critics and challengers. This ensured that the decisions that were

The Laptop Computer :: Mobile Computing Portable

"Alan Kay has remarked that had Vannevar Bush enjoyed working in all-night coffee shops, he would have invented the portable computer." (Press, 1993, p.31) The laptop computer has had a tremendous impact in the areas of business, education, government, and personal use. The emergence of portable computing and the laptop computer can be traced to the introduction of the personal computer itself. In 1975, the MITS Altair 8800 was introduced. The Altair is recognized as being the first commercially successful personal computer and the launching point for the personal computer revolution (Sysop, n.d.). Almost simultaneously, the idea of portability (in particular for the business-person) became a major focus in the industry. This new desire for computing portability introduced a number of new challenges. Factors such as cost, weight, power source, screen & keyboard size, overall size, and included software presented great challenges to computer system designers. There is some debate regarding which machine holds claim to being the first portable computer, as portable was a relative term used quite liberally. The earliest portables, while heavy by today’s standards, shared the common characteristic of integrating a keyboard, memory, processor(s), display, and expandability potential into a single unit able to be transported. In 1975, about one month after the Altair’s debut, IBM introduced the 5100 – dubbed the IBM Portable PC. There were few personal computers available around this time, making the powerful 5100 very attractive as a complete portable system (Sysop, n.d.). At almost 60 pounds and a cost of $9,000-$20,000 however, it was attractive to a small audience. It was designed specifically for professional and scientific problem-solvers. Several years later saw the introduction of what most historians refer to as the first truly portable computer, the Osborne 1 (Bellis, 2005). Released in 1981, the Osborne 1 weighed about 24 pounds and sold for $1795. While the unit itself was still rather bulky, it contained a fold-out keyboard, 5 inch monitor, and two floppy disk drives. Its biggest value however, was the $1500 worth of software that came with it. Unlike the IBM 5100, the Osborne 1 optionally ran on battery packs, enabling true portability. Advances in technology sa w the decrease in size of portable computers, as well as an increase in computing power.

Navajo Peacemaking

CAV Paper – Navajo Peacemaking Throughout Indian Country tribes have their own courts to address legal matters. However, the Navajo Nation has a court system that stands apart from other tribes. Howard L. Brown Esq. wrote, â€Å"The Navajo Nation’s Peacemaker Division: An Integrated Community-Based Dispute Resolution Forum† which was published in the American Indian Law Review 1999-2000 issue and was reprinted in the May/July 2002 issue of Dispute Resolution Journal. As a former judicial law clerk for the Supreme Court of the Navajo Nation, Brown gained firsthand experience with the Peacemaker Division within the Navajo Nation’s Judicial Branch.He details the history, development and ceremonies associated with this resolution forum. Two other authors also covered the same topic, agreeing with Brown’s opinion although from different perspectives. This paper will compare Brown’s viewpoint to Jon’a F. Meyers article, â€Å"It is a Gift F rom the Creator to Keep Us in Harmony: Original (vs. Alternative) Dispute Resolution on the Navajo Nation† published in the International Journal of Public Administration and Jeanmarie Pinto’s article â€Å"Peacemaking as Ceremony: the Mediation Model of the Navajo Nation. published in The International Journal of Conflict Management. Brown’s article opens with statistical information about the Navajo Nation’s reservation size and population, its status as a sovereign nation, and system of government. The article provides a brief history and evolution of the Navajo Nation’s judicial system, clearly explaining the difference between Navajo common law and contrasts it with the more adversarial federal or state law. The Navajo Nation Tribal Council established the Navajo courts, which make up one of the three branches of tribal government.In 1982, after searching for more traditional ways to solve disputes the Peacemaker Court began. It is know referr ed to as the Peacemaker Division within the judicial branch of government and uses Navajo Common law. [1] In â€Å"Peacemaking as Ceremony: The Mediation Model of the Navajo Nation,† Pinto agrees with Brown’s explanation of the Navajo court and government system, but explains the difference between Original Dispute Resolution (ODR) and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). The Navajo legal term for peacemaking s Original Dispute Resolution, because it is the traditional Navajo method for solving disputes while ADR is a term for unique mediation methods within the federal, state, and local court systems. [2] Jon’a Meyer ‘s description of the history of Navajo peacemaking also agrees with the other two authors version of the history of the Navajo Nation’s judicial system, but the article â€Å"It is a Gift From the Creator to Keep Us in Harmony: Original (vs. Alternative) Dispute Resolution on the Navajo Nation† includes a history King Henry Ià ¢â‚¬â„¢s use of compensation for crimes which is a component of the Navajo peacemaking process. 3] According to Brown, Navajo common law is also known as traditional law which â€Å"reflects the customs, usages and traditions of the Navajo People, formed by Navajo values in action,† reinforcing the Nation’s sovereignty, preserving Navajo tradition, and preventing the state from interfering in Navajo judicial matters. [4] The article relates why the use of Navajo common law is important as it employs traditional cultural values to resolve disputes which is something familiar to the disputants, making them more inclined to go through the legal process to settle disputes.Pinto agrees with Brown, but points out that there are some younger Navajos who are not supportive of returning to the old ways of resolving disputes and prefer to use the more mainstream Navajo Court System. [5] Meyer’s article mentions the use of Navajo common law in the Navajo as did Brown and P into, but states â€Å"peacemaking never fully ceased to occur in the remote regions of the reservation. †[6] Unlike Pinto, Meyer did not mention the lack of support for Navajo peacekeeping within the younger generation.Peacemaking or hozhooji naat’aanii comes from Navajo common law and tradition and includes â€Å"a justice ceremony in which disputants and community members gather to talk things out with the assistance of a respected community leader or naat’aannii (peacemaker) to reach a consensual settlement. †[7] Brown describes how a peacemaker is chosen, how tradition is followed by opening the session with a prayer to create a harmonious atmosphere, and the protocol that if followed during the mediation leading to the final consensual solution.While talking things out family and community members will explain to the offender how they have violated tradition and failed to fulfill the expectation of their role as a family or community member and how it has impacted them. Brown’s description of the peacemaking process is similar to Pinto’s which is illustrated via a table comparing three model’s of dispute resolution. The table clearly shows the importance of Navajo tradition in peacemaking and how it is reflected in each step of the process via a healing ceremony and focusing on restoring harmony to the community. 8] Pinto also includes three pages detailing the seven steps and components of the peacemaking process. The outline format makes the process easy to understand and reinforces many points brought up by the other two authors. Meyer describes the peacemaking process in terms similar to Brown and Pintos, but compares the Navajo process to other tribal resolution methods. Using the Ojibwe example of cleansing the spirits of offenders and victims of a crime, Meyer points out that the Navajo peacemaking process works to eliminate â€Å"the causes of discord rather than focus on the dispute itself. [9] A fter the period of discussion the peacemaker will often use a story to illustrate the wrongdoing and to find a consensual solution that is in accordance with traditional Navajo beliefs. Brown relates how the story of the Horned Toad and Lightning resolved a dispute over land ownership. [10] Lightning felt that he owned all of the land and was upset when Horned Toad entered it and ordered him to leave. When Horned Toad refused to leave, Lightning threw a lightning bolt which landed very close to Horned Toad who left.The next day Horned Toad returned wearing armor and when Lightning hit him with a lightning bolt it was deflected by the armor. Horned Toad explained that the Creator was the same one that gave them the land and the armor and questioned why they were fighting over something that had been given to them. This story reminds disputants of the importance of talking things out and following traditional ways. While Pinto agrees with Brown’s account of how stories are used as a part of the peacemaking process, the article does not mention any specific stories.However, Pinto states, â€Å"through the telling of Sacred Navajo Narratives, and in relating wisdom gained through personal experience, the peacemakers teaches basic Navajo principles and guides the participants from a negative frame of mind to one that is positive enough to promote problem solving. †[11] Meyer also mentions the use of stories, but states that they are used to â€Å"illustrate issues in the dispute. †[12] All three authors agree that during the peacemaking solutions are achieved through discussion of the dispute and that the resolution reached is one that satisfies all parties.Meyer’s article is the only one that mentions the term â€Å"restorative justice† and it is in reference to the 1881 Brule Sioux Crow Dog case, in which the offender compensated the victim’s family. Crow Dog murdered Chief Spotted Tail and was ordered by the tribe to â⠂¬Å"make reparations to the victim’s family, a sanction that was commonly imposed in Sioux homicides. [13] Pinto’s outline of the peacemaking process includes the nalyeeh, â€Å"a process resulting in restitution, restoration, and making a person whole for an injury. [14] The person who caused the injury or is the responsible party for the dispute is required to make sure that restitution is given to the victim or victim’s family, which will help make the community whole again. Brown does not mention the term â€Å"restorative justice,† but does explain that the solution must be something agreed upon and satisfactory for all parties involved in the dispute. The agreement by consensus implies that community harmony is restored.The Navajo Nation’s Peacemaking Division has been successful and other tribes in the United States and Canada have similar successes. Meyer’s article uses an example taken from Hollow Water, Manitoba where tribal leade rs allowed sexual abusers to plead guilty and complete a 13 step two year program that helped them address the issues they struggle with due to their having been victimized during their childhood. After completion of the program â€Å"the former abuser foes through a cleansing ceremony to mark a new beginning for all involved.During the ceremony, the former abuser washed his victim’s feet, symbolically allowing her to re-enter womanhood, then throws a mask he has worn throughout the ceremony into the fire, symbolically destroying his identity as an abuser. †[15] The tribe has been incredibly successful with less than 5% of the abusers committing a sexual offense again, compared to much higher recidivism rates in mainstream courts. Pinto’s article agrees with Meyer that the Navajo peacekeeping system is successful and even goes as far to suggest it serving as a model or Western mediation â€Å"to improve the mediation methods currently being used. †[16] Br own’s article suggest that the Navajo Peacemaking system is successful and that success is reflected in the increased number of cases in the Peacekeeping Division. [17] Three authors wrote about Navajo peacekeeping from different perspectives, bringing up various points, but all agreed that it is successful. With the success of the Navajo Peacemaking Division of the Navajo Nation court system, it is clear that this long-standing tradition will continue to bring back restore harmony to communities torn apart by disputes.Works Cited Brown, Howard L. â€Å"Nation's Peacemaker Division: An Integrated, Community-Based Dispute Resolution Forum,† Dispute Resolution Journal 57 (May 2002) : 42- 48. Meyer, Jon’a. â€Å"It is a Gift From the Creator to Keep Us in Harmony: Original (vs. Alternative) Dispute Resolution on the Navajo Nation† International Journal of Public Administration 25 (2002) : 1379 – 1401. Pinto, Jeanmarie. â€Å"Peacemaking as Ceremony: The Mediation Model of the Navajo Nation,† The International Journal of Conflict Management 11 (2000) : 267-286. ———————– 1] Howard L. Brown, â€Å"Nation's Peacemaker Division: An Integrated, Community-Based Dispute Resolution Forum,† Dispute Resolution Journal 57 (May 2002), 44. [2] Jeanmarie Pinto, â€Å"Peacemaking as Ceremony: The Mediation Model of the Navajo Nation,† The International Journal of Conflict Management 11 (2000), 269. [3] Meyer, Jon’a â€Å"It is a Gift From the Creator to Keep Us in Harmony: Original (vs. Alternative) Dispute Resolution on the Navajo Nation† International Journal of Public Administration 25 (2002) : 1380. [4] Brown, Nation's Peacemaker Division, 45. 5] Pinto, Peacemaking as Ceremony, 270. [6] Meyer, It is a Gift From the Creator, 1387. [7] Brown, Nation's Peacemaker Division, 45. [8] Pinto, Peacemaking as Ceremony, 275. [9] Meyer, It is a Gift From the Crea tor, 1388. [10] Brown, Nation's Peacemaker Division, 47. [11] Pinto, Peacemaking as Ceremony, 278. [12] Meyer, It is a Gift From the Creator, 1388. [13] Ibid, 1384. [14] Pinto, Peacemaking as Ceremony, 282. [15] Meyer, It is a Gift From the Creator, 1383. [16] Pinto, Peacemaking as Ceremony, 283. [17] Brown, Nation's Peacemaker Division, 47.

Women s Role During Society Has Changed Dramatically...

Women in H amlet Women’s role in society has changed significantly throughout history. For the most part, women have been treated as second ­class citizens in comparison to men. It was not until 1920 that women were allowed to vote in the United States, and many controversies carry on today regarding women’s rights. Similarly, women in the works of William Shakespeare were usually placed in secondary roles. In Shakespeare’s H amlet, w omen are represented by just two characters: Gertrude and Ophelia. The way that these two are perceived by men demonstrates men’s sexist opinion of all women. Because women live in such a sexist environment in H amlet, they are led to develop emotional weakness, obedience to men, and they allow men to use them as tools of manipulation. These flaws are ultimately the causes of the women’s deaths, and they prove women to seem inferior to men. As a result of their misogynistic surroundings, women in H amlet are extremely weak in comparison to men. 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Cómo completar las planillas de Inmigración

Las peticiones al Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Naturalizacià ³n (USCIS, siglas en inglà ©s), se hacen rellenando la planilla correspondiente al beneficio que se solicita. Cà ³mo obtener las planillas de Inmigracià ³n Los formularios para solicitar beneficios migratorios son gratuitos. Casi todos pueden encontrarse en internet en la pà ¡gina del USCIS. Ademà ¡s, las personas que residen en Estados Unidos pueden tambià ©n solicitar por internet en la pà ¡gina de USCIS que se les envà ­en por correo ordinario los formularios. Tambià ©n se puede realizar la misma solicitud marcando al 1-800-870-3676. Es requisito saber quà © nà ºmero de formulario es el que precisa. En un plazo de 10 dà ­as se recibirà ¡ en casa la planilla solicitada. Todos los formularios se pueden rellenar en papel y, algunos, tambià ©n pueden ser completados y/o enviados por internet. 9 tips para rellenar las planillas en papel de Inmigracià ³n Las reglas generales que deben seguirse son las siguientes: Escribir con tinta negra, preferentemente en letras mayà ºsculas y que puedan fà ¡cilmente leerse. Para espacio adicional, si para contestar a alguna pregunta de la planilla se necesita mà ¡s espacio, tomar una hoja en blanco y seguir con la respuesta. Ademà ¡s, firmar esa hoja, ponerle fecha, y el nà ºmero de la pregunta que se està ¡ respondiendo. En el caso de que se tenga un nà ºmero del alien registration number, deberà ¡ tambià ©n incluirse en dicha hoja adicional. Cuando una pregunta no aplique, responder N/A y cuando la respuesta correcta sea â€Å"ninguno†, anotar NONE. Pero no dejar en blanco ese espacio. Para adjuntar la documentacià ³n adicional, como pueden ser pasaportes, tarjetas de residencia, certificados de matrimonio, calificaciones escolares o profesionales, etc. Salvo que se especifique otra cosa, es suficiente adjuntar una fotocopia legible de los documentos. Es recomendable leer con detenimiento las instrucciones de cada formulario. Cabe destacar que si no es necesario enviar el original de un documento pero se envà ­a, USCIS no lo regresa. Debe traducirse al inglà ©s todo documentos que està © en otro idioma. En la mayorà ­a de los casos, no es necesario contratar a un traductor jurado, ni obtener la Apostilla de la Haya ni la firma de un notario pà ºblico. Como regla general, es suficiente que la traduccià ³n la realice una persona con buen conocimiento de los dos idiomas y que asà ­ lo certifique siguiendo este modelo de carta. El pago puede hacerse por money order o cheque o tarjeta de dà ©bito o crà ©dito. En este à ºltimo caso, solo si se envà ­a una solicitud a un lockbox de USCIS. En algunos casos, como en la solicitud I-131A de aplicacià ³n de documento para viajar, es posible pagar online. Si se paga mediante money order o cheque, debe ser pagable a U.S. Department of Homeland Security, por una cantidad en dà ³lares y el cheque o la money order debe ser de un banco radicado en Estados Unidos. Es muy importante no utilizar iniciales. Es decir, no escribir cosas como DHS o USCIS.   Precisamente la verificacià ³n de que se ha efectuado el pago es una de las primeras seà ±ales de que la oficina de inmigracià ³n ha recibido la peticià ³n. Si se desea pagar con una tarjeta de crà ©dito o dà ©bito Visa, MasterCard, American Express o Discovery debe completarse el formulario G-1450. Si cuando USCIS intenta cobrar no hay fondos suficientes, se rechazarà ¡ la solicitud ya que no intentarà ¡ el cobro una segunda vez. Para pagar con tarjeta de crà ©dito o dà ©bito debe tratarse de una peticià ³n o solicitud enviada a un lockbox de USCIS. Como ejemplo de dichas peticiones destacan I-130 para peticià ³n de familiar, I-485 para ajuste de estatus, N-400 para solicitar la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense por naturalizacià ³n, etc. Todos los documentos deben firmarse, se puede firmar en tinta azul o negra. Pero recordar que el formulario solo se puede completar en tinta de color negra. Bajo ningà ºn concepto utilizar colores tipo verde, rojo, etc., ya que la peticià ³n serà ¡ rechazada. Verificar si se califica para no pagar la tarifa  al USCIS. En casos muy especà ­ficos, puede solicitarse a USCIS no pagar por la cuota de una solicitud cuando pueda alegarse problemas econà ³micos y se està ¡n recibiendo beneficios como Medicaid, cupones de alimentos (SNAP), SSI o TANF. Mentir en una planilla para obtener un beneficio migratorio es un fraude de ley que puede tener  consecuencias graves. Planillas que pueden rellenarse electrà ³nicamente El USCIS permite que se completen por internet ciertas planillas en lo que se conoce como e-filing. Entre las planillas que pueden rellenarse electrà ³nicamente destacan el AR-11 para notificar el cambio de domicilio, el I-90 para reemplazar la tarjeta de residencia, el N-400 para solicitar la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense por naturalizacià ³n o el N-600 para la aplicacià ³n de la emisià ³n del Certificado de Ciudadanà ­a. Para completar de este modo las planillas serà ¡ necesario crearse previamente una cuenta en la pà ¡gina web del USCIS y seguir las instrucciones pertinentes para cada formulario. En estos casos de e-filing, el pago por la solicitud a la que se aplica puede hacerse mediante tarjeta de crà ©dito, dà ©bito o transferencia bancaria desde una cuenta corriente o de ahorro. Al acabar de rellenar el formulario se recibirà ¡ una confirmacià ³n de que el USCIS ha recibido la aplicacià ³n. En esa confirmacià ³n aparecerà ¡ una direccià ³n. Debe enviarse a dicha direccià ³n la documentacià ³n adicional que se necesita en los 7 dà ­as siguientes a haber rellenado la solicitud por internet. Estos documentos que deben adjuntarse està ¡n los que prueban la identidad de la persona que realiza la peticià ³n y tambià ©n su derecho al beneficio que solicita. Por ejemplo, copia de la tarjeta de residencia o de un certificado de nacimiento o matrimonio. El tipo de documentacià ³n adicional depende del tipo de solicitud. En general, serà ¡ suficiente una fotocopia legible del documento que se solicita y, si algà ºn documento està ¡ en un idioma distinto al inglà ©s, enviarlo traducido. Ademà ¡s hay que incluir como primera pà ¡gina la pà ¡gina en la que se ha imprimido la confirmacià ³n de haber realizado la peticià ³n por internet –sà ³lo esa hoja, no copias de toda la solicitud. En los casos en los que tambià ©n se deba enviar fotografà ­as en color tipo pasaporte, estas deben reunir los mismos requisitos que las fotos que se piden cuando se solicita una visa o pasaporte. Deben de tener menos de 30 dà ­as y anotar en el reverso con un là ¡piz el nà ºmero de confirmacià ³n de la solicitud rellenada por internet y, en los casos en los que sea necesario, el nà ºmero que corresponda al alien registration number. Si no se envà ­an estos documentos, es posible que se cancele la peticià ³n. En algunos casos, se recibirà ¡ una cara de Peticià ³n de Evidencia (RFE, siglas en inglà ©s) pidiendo la documentacià ³n y fijando un plazo para no enviarla. Sin esos documentos no se tramitarà ¡ la peticià ³n y se perderà ¡ el dinero ya abonado. Asesorà ­a para completar las planillas de Inmigracià ³n Si se desea obtener un beneficio migratorio es muy importante estar correctamente asesorado con un buen abogado. Si no se puede pagar, existen organizaciones reputadas que brindan ayuda para llenar los formularios migratorios. En el caso de ser mexicano, se puede llamar a un telà ©fono de consulta donde dan buenas referencias sobre donde buscar ayuda para estos casos. Cà ³mo seguir un caso migratorio Una vez que el USCIS recibe la papelerà ­a, la persona interesada tiene a su disposicià ³n distintas  maneras para informarse de cà ³mo va el caso, desde marcando a seguimiento online o a presentarse en una oficina migratoria. Sin embargo, cabe destacar que los formularios tienen un tiempo de tramitacià ³n que depende de su categorà ­a y de la oficina que debe tramitarlo. USCIS no darà ¡ ninguna informacià ³n mientras no llega el tiempo de procesamiento porque, sencillamente, no tiene nada de lo que brindar informacià ³n. Puntos Clave: rellenar formularios de USCIS Los formularios de USCIS pueden obtenerse gratuitamente en la pà ¡gina oficial del Servicio de Inmigracià ³n.Los formularios pueden ser en papel y, en algunas solicitudes, es posible utilizar el sistema e-filing, es decir, solicitar un beneficio o presentar una peticià ³n por internet.Todos los formularios deben firmarse.Los formularios en papel deben completarse en tinta negra, escribir N/A como respuesta a las preguntas que no aplican y NONE cuando la respuesta sea ninguno.Pueden aà ±adirse hojas en blanco para incorporar mà ¡s informacià ³n.Toda la documentacià ³n adjunta debe traducirse al inglà ©s, si estuviera en un idioma distintoEn principio, no debe enviarse documentacià ³n original y es suficiente copia legible.Puede pagarse con money order, cheque o tarjeta de crà ©dito o dà ©bito.Mentir en un formulario de USCIS para obtener un beneficio migratorio es un fraude de ley, el cual tiene consecuencias graves. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal para ningà ºn caso concreto.