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What is critical thinking

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Angelie Dauray

The document defines critical thinking and contrasts it with non-critical thinking. Critical thinking involves using rationality, self-awareness, honesty, open-mindedness, discipline, and judgment. It involves skeptically evaluating various perspectives rather than passively accepting a single view. Critical thinkers consider alternative interpretations and are willing to challenge their own beliefs. In contrast, non-critical thinkers take a simplistic view of the world and only consider their own perspective without recognizing complexities or alternatives.

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What is Critical Thinking? No one alwaysactspurelyobjectivelyandrationally.We conniveforselfishinterests. We gossip,boast, exaggerate,andequivocate. Itis"onlyhuman"towishtovalidate ourpriorknowledge,tovindicate our priordecisions, ortosustainour earlierbeliefs.Inthe processof satisfyingourego,however,we can oftendenyourselvesintellectual growthandopportunity. We maynotalwayswantto applycritical thinkingskills,butwe shouldhave those skillsavailabletobe employedwhenneeded. Critical thinkingincludesacomplex combinationof skills. Amongthe maincharacteristicsare the following: Rationality We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe relyon reasonratherthan emotion, require evidence,ignore noknownevidence,andfollow evidence where itleads,and are concernedmore withfindingthe bestexplanationthanbeingrightanalyzingapparent confusionandaskingquestions. Self-awareness We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe weighthe influencesof motivesandbias,and recognize ourownassumptions,prejudices,biases,orpointof view. Honesty We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe recognizeemotional impulses,selfishmotives,nefariouspurposes,or othermodesof self-deception. Open-mindedness We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe evaluate all reasonable inferences considera varietyof possibleviewpointsorperspectives, remainopentoalternative interpretations accept a newexplanation,model,orparadigmbecause itexplainsthe evidence better,is simpler,orhasfewerinconsistenciesorcoversmore data
accept newprioritiesinresponse toareevaluationof the evidence orreassessmentof ourreal interests,and do notrejectunpopularviewsoutof hand. Discipline We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe are precise,meticulous,comprehensive,andexhaustive resistmanipulationandirrational appeals,and avoidsnapjudgments. Judgment We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe recognize the relevance and/ormeritof alternative assumptionsandperspectives recognize the extent andweightof evidence In sum, Critical thinkersare bynature skeptical.Theyapproachtextswiththe same skepticismand suspicionastheyapproachspokenremarks. Critical thinkersare active,notpassive. Theyask questionsandanalyze.Theyconsciouslyapply tactics andstrategiestouncovermeaningorassure theirunderstanding. Critical thinkersdonottake an egotistical viewof the world.Theyare opento new ideasand perspectives. Theyare willingtochallengetheirbeliefsandinvestigate competingevidence. Critical thinkingenablesustorecognize awide range of subjectiveanalysesof otherwise objective data, and to evaluate howwelleachanalysismightmeetourneeds.Factsmaybe facts,but how we interpret themmay vary. By contrast,passive,non-critical thinkerstake asimplisticview of the world. Theysee thingsinblackand white,aseither-or,ratherthanrecognizingavarietyof possible understanding. Theysee questionsasyesorno withno subtleties. Theyfail to see linkages andcomplexities. Theyfail to recognize relatedelements.
Non-critical thinkerstake anegotistical view of the world Theytake their factsas the onlyrelevantones. Theytake their own perspective asthe onlysensible one. Theytake their goalas the onlyvalidone.

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What is critical thinking

  • 1. What is Critical Thinking? No one alwaysactspurelyobjectivelyandrationally.We conniveforselfishinterests. We gossip,boast, exaggerate,andequivocate. Itis"onlyhuman"towishtovalidate ourpriorknowledge,tovindicate our priordecisions, ortosustainour earlierbeliefs.Inthe processof satisfyingourego,however,we can oftendenyourselvesintellectual growthandopportunity. We maynotalwayswantto applycritical thinkingskills,butwe shouldhave those skillsavailabletobe employedwhenneeded. Critical thinkingincludesacomplex combinationof skills. Amongthe maincharacteristicsare the following: Rationality We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe relyon reasonratherthan emotion, require evidence,ignore noknownevidence,andfollow evidence where itleads,and are concernedmore withfindingthe bestexplanationthanbeingrightanalyzingapparent confusionandaskingquestions. Self-awareness We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe weighthe influencesof motivesandbias,and recognize ourownassumptions,prejudices,biases,orpointof view. Honesty We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe recognizeemotional impulses,selfishmotives,nefariouspurposes,or othermodesof self-deception. Open-mindedness We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe evaluate all reasonable inferences considera varietyof possibleviewpointsorperspectives, remainopentoalternative interpretations accept a newexplanation,model,orparadigmbecause itexplainsthe evidence better,is simpler,orhasfewerinconsistenciesorcoversmore data
  • 2. accept newprioritiesinresponse toareevaluationof the evidence orreassessmentof ourreal interests,and do notrejectunpopularviewsoutof hand. Discipline We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe are precise,meticulous,comprehensive,andexhaustive resistmanipulationandirrational appeals,and avoidsnapjudgments. Judgment We are thinkingcriticallywhenwe recognize the relevance and/ormeritof alternative assumptionsandperspectives recognize the extent andweightof evidence In sum, Critical thinkersare bynature skeptical.Theyapproachtextswiththe same skepticismand suspicionastheyapproachspokenremarks. Critical thinkersare active,notpassive. Theyask questionsandanalyze.Theyconsciouslyapply tactics andstrategiestouncovermeaningorassure theirunderstanding. Critical thinkersdonottake an egotistical viewof the world.Theyare opento new ideasand perspectives. Theyare willingtochallengetheirbeliefsandinvestigate competingevidence. Critical thinkingenablesustorecognize awide range of subjectiveanalysesof otherwise objective data, and to evaluate howwelleachanalysismightmeetourneeds.Factsmaybe facts,but how we interpret themmay vary. By contrast,passive,non-critical thinkerstake asimplisticview of the world. Theysee thingsinblackand white,aseither-or,ratherthanrecognizingavarietyof possible understanding. Theysee questionsasyesorno withno subtleties. Theyfail to see linkages andcomplexities. Theyfail to recognize relatedelements.
  • 3. Non-critical thinkerstake anegotistical view of the world Theytake their factsas the onlyrelevantones. Theytake their own perspective asthe onlysensible one. Theytake their goalas the onlyvalidone.