Critical thinking

1. CRITICAL THINKING

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is a relatively old term that was in fact a subject of interest among Plato and Socrates, all the way up to modern philosophers like Locke, Bacon, and Bloom. There are many broad definitions, but one sums up all others well: “careful thinking directed to a goal.” Critical thinking is how we think in full capacity, quite clearly, and rationally in order to make logical connections between ideas. No matter what you do in life (e.g., marketing, manufacturing, education, law, etc.) critical thinking is a must-have skill in the 21st century. It encourages us to think analytically and without prejudice to find the best solution to a particular problem. Such higher-order thinking is crucial to distinguish important sources of information from irrelevant ones and to find and evaluate relevant arguments. “In essence, critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason. It is about being an active learner rather than a passive recipient of information.” At its best, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend the divisions of the subject: namely clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, solid evidence, good reason, depth, breadth, and honesty. Handbook For Youth Workers

Why is critical thinking important?

Critical thinking improves students’ flexibility and capacity to learn. It also helps us think about our learning methods and encourages self-evaluation.

Critical thinking makes education less passive and more interactive. Teaching students how to approach any topic critically makes it more relevant to them. It also fosters a better understanding and improved focus on a given topic and its significance within their lives, making them feel like active participants. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills boost academic success. Instead of relying on teachers and classroom time for teaching and guidance, students with critical thinking skills become independent and self-directed learners.

Critical thinking is the foundation of science and a liberal-democratic society. Science requires the critical use of reason in the process of experimenting and validating theory. For a liberal democracy to properly function, citizens must be able to think critically about social problems to make informed decisions about proper governance and overcome bias and prejudice.

How can you develop critical thinking skills?

Engage in active listening, which means to carefully read, hear, and observe what is happening around us.

Analyse observations to think about and evaluate claims we hear or read about.

Ask basic questions, deciphering the reasons why something was said, how it was said, when it was said, and where it was said. Take a stand on what we hear or read, which is very important.

Try reversing items in any given scenario, which is a great way to get “unstuck” when facing a difficult problem. It may seem obvious that “X caused Y, ” but what if “Y caused X” instead?

Self-evaluate. Ask yourself, “Was I biased while seeking this information?’’

Decide which arguments are relevant to your issue, flagging the most consequential pieces of information.