In order to ensure the safety of students, staff, and our community, all consultations will be hosted through Zoom. Appointments can be made through Starfish. Additional meeting times can be scheduled by contacting your consultant directly
Critical Thinking Lab
At the Critical Thinking Lab, you can expect an individualized session with a trained critical thinking consultant for help with any argumentative writing assignment.
What We Do
We are here to develop your best thinking. Whether you are a beginning student or advanced, the Critical Thinking Lab can help you with your essays, summaries, formal arguments, speeches, presentations, and application materials. We recognize that critical thinking takes many forms—writing, speaking, listening—and occurs at all stages of the creation process—questioning, analyzing, brainstorming, synthesizing, outlining, articulating, and revising. Visit us, and we'll think about your work together.
Consultations
Think out-loud in a face-to-face consultation via Zoom.
Use Starfish to schedule your consultation. You can access Starfish from the MyBinghamton page under "Useful Links" on the Left-Hand side.
Spring 2021 Hours
To schedule an appointment for a time not listed below, contact Adam - aascion1@binghamton.edu or Will - wjones4@binghamton.edu.
- Monday: 11 a.m - 2 p.m - Anne Moruzzi | 3 - 5 p.m - Chloe Cairncross
- Tuesday: 10 a.m - 12 p.m - Kat Sanders | 3:30 - 5:30 p.m - Samson Goldberg | 5:30 - 7:30 PM - Anne Moruzzi
- Wednesday: 3:30 - 5:30 p.m - Samson Goldberg | 11a.m - 2 p.m - Anne Moruzzi
- Thursday: 10 a.m - 12 p.m - Adam Ascione D'Elia | 5:30 - 7:30 PM - Anne Moruzzi
- Friday: 2- 4 p.m - Kat Sanders | 3 - 5 p.m - Chloe Cairncross
How to Make the Most of Your Consultation
- Work hard to understand the material first. Where applicable, grapple with any assigned readings and texts before your consultation. Our consultants come from diverse backgrounds, but they may not be familiar with the content of your paper or project.
- Prepare to think. Come in with a sense of what part of the thinking process you want to focus on—i.e. brainstorming, organization, revising, etc.
- Plan time for revision. Set aside time after your appointment to reflect, revise, and ask follow-up questions as you develop your thinking further.
- Meet early in the semester and visit often. Developing your critical thinking will take time, practice, and ongoing effort. Be patient with yourself, ask questions, and your thinking will improve.
- Utilize your consultant's strengths. Each of our consultants has certain areas of interest and specialization with which they can provide more targeted assistance. Be sure to read their bios below to see if a particular consultant has the expertise you need.
Contact
Contact James Lethbridge at jlethbr1@binghamton.edu with any questions.
Guides for Students
- A Brief Guide to Constructing Thesis Statements and Introductions
- How to Interpret a Writing Assignment
- Help on Writing a Philosophy Paper
- Positions, Objections, and Making Things Clear
- How Might a Philosopher Respond to This Objection
- Editing Basics
- 10 Tips for a Successful Philosophy Paper
- A Short Guide to Clarifying Your Ideas
Lab Director
A Ph.D. candidate in the Social, Political, Ethical, and Legal (SPEL) Philosophy program
at Binghamton University. While his primary research areas are within these spheres,
he also has a keen interest in the philosophy of religion, the intersection of religion
and politics, and the philosophy of literature. James' current work focuses on the
ways in which the concept of toleration is understood, both in the popular social-political
imagination and within social-political philosophy. In particular, he is interested
in examining how society sets limits on what is tolerable, how one ought to respond
to those things which one finds intolerable, and the role that the concept of toleration
plays in determining individual and collective social/political conduct in the public
sphere. He has taught numerous courses at Binghamton and elsewhere, including Introduction
to Philosophy, Introduction to Political Philosophy, Introduction to Ethics, Medical
Ethics, Methods of Reasoning, World Religions, and Contemporary Moral Problems. He
has also served as a teaching assistant for Law and Justice, Descartes, Hume and Kant,
and Elementary Logic. When not working at the lab or working on his dissertation,
James enjoys reading crime fiction, fiddling with electronics and audio equipment,
and moonlighting as the announcer for the local roller derby team.
James Lethbridge
Lab Consultants
Our consultants are undergraduate Philosophy and/or PPL majors with special training in critical thinking pedagogy. They are experienced, curious, and excited to work with you.
A Senior studying Philosophy, Mathematics, and Judaic Studies. Though interested in
materialism and humanism across many historical schools of philosophy, Adam has mostly
focused on Ancient Philosophy in academic courses. After graduation, Adam is interested
in further academic study in either philosophy or mathematics, or possibly pursuing
a career in law. Outside of academics, Adam is also a fencer and the captain emeritus
of the Binghamton University Fencing Club. Courses in which Adam has excelled include:
Adam Ascione D'Elia
- PHIL 105: Intro to Asian Philosophy
- PHIL 201: Plato and Aristotle
- PHIL 202: Descartes, Hume, and Kant
- PHIL 456A: Ancient Legal Theory
A sophomore double major in Philosophy and Math, as she sees Philosophy and Math as
two forms of the same discipline. Her interests in philosophy lie in existentialism
and the evolution of cultural norms through history and language. She is an academic
writer as well as a creative writer, having written stories centered on philosophical
ideas, for example, Absurdism. She is also interested in exploring philosophical ideas
through literature and storytelling. Classes in which Chloe has excelled include:
Chloe Cairncross
- PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy
- PHIL 107: Existence and Freedom
- PHIL 202: Descartes, Hume, and Kant
A senior studying Philosophy, Politics, and Law (PPL) with minors in History and Religious
Studies. He has thrived and excelled in a wide variety of philosophy and humanities
courses, including some that are at the core of both the Philosophy and PPL majors.
Samson’s primary interests lay in both legal, ethical, and political philosophy and
the study of religion, and interaction between the two; indeed, he is currently participating
the Philosophy Department’s Pell Honors Program where he is a writing a thesis focusing
on the significance of religious influences and motivations on contemporary political
philosophy. Classes in which Samson has excelled include:
Samson Goldberg
- PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy
- PHIL 146: Law and Justice
- PHIL 147: Markets, Ethics, and the Law
- PHIL 345: Philosophy of Law
A junior double majoring in Mathematics and Philosophy. He is currently a TA for Elementary
Logic, and has a penchant for exotic metaphysics and epistemology, especially at the
limits of formal reason. He is also Vice-President of the Binghamton Outdoors Club
and enjoys taking very, very long walks in the woods.
William Jones
Is in her third and final year, majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Law with a minor
in Biological Anthropology. Her philosophical areas of interest include political
and legal philosophy with an eye toward bioethical issues. After graduating, Anne
plans to attend law school and intends to pursue a career in health law. She is currently
a TA for PHIL 201- Plato and Aristotle. Courses in which Anne has excelled include:
Anne Moruzzi
- PHIL 140 Introduction to Ethics
- PHIL 148 Medical Ethics
- PHIL 201 Plato and Aristotle
- PHIL 345 Philosophy of Law
- PHIL 456A Ancient Legal Theory
A senior double majoring in Biological Sciences and Philosophy and minoring in Environmental
Studies. Their main areas of philosophical interest include ethics, epistemology,
and logic. They are particularly passionate about environmental ethics. After graduating,
Kat plans to attend graduate school to perform environmental biochemistry research
on bioremediation technology. Outside of class, Kat serves as Vice President of TriBeta
Biological Honor Society and as Historian of Binghamton’s Pre-Veterinary Society.
In their free time, they enjoy reading, writing, drawing, hiking, and hanging out
with animals. Courses in which Kat has excelled include:
Kat Sanders
- PHIL 101: Intro to Philosophy
- PHIL 121: Methods of Reasoning
- PHIL 140: Intro to Ethics
- PHIL 202: Descartes, Hume, and Kant
- PHIL 458D: Ethical Theories in Ancient Philosophy
