What is Critical Thinking?
A Simple Definition:
Critical thinking is a term describing the accurate formulation, defense and evaluation of human reasoning.
American Philosophical Association Definition:
"We understand critical thinking to be purposeful, self-regulatory judgment that results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based. CT is essential as a tool of inquiry. As such, CT is a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in one's personal and civic life. While not synonymous with good thinking, CT is a pervasive and self-rectifying human phenomenon. The ideal critical thinker is habitually inquisitive, well-informed, trustful of reason, open-minded, flexible, fair-minded in evaluation, honest in facing personal biases, prudent in making judgments, willing to reconsider, clear about issues, orderly in complex matters, diligent in seeking relevant information, reasonable in the selection of criteria, focused in inquiry, and persistent in seeking results which are as precise as the subject and the circumstances of inquiry permit. Thus, educating good critical thinkers means working toward this ideal. It combines developing CT skills with nurturing those dispositions which consistently yield useful insights and which are the basis of a rational and democratic society.”From the Delphi Research Report of the American Philosophical Association
Major Components of Critical Thinking
- The application of logic and reason to human ideas and problems.
- The ability to define the pertinent criteria used in the evaluation of ideas.
- The ability to consider facts without bias or judgment.
- The desire to seek evidence to support assumptions and beliefs.
- The ability to reject irrelevant or incorrect information.
- A recognition of the difference between reasoning and rationalization.
- The ability to differentiate between validity and intensity.
- The ability to evaluate the probabilistic consequences of decisions.
- The ability to create and understand non-superficial analogies.
- The ability to recognize errors in thought or persuasion.
- The ability to recognize and create a rational argument.
- A desire to understand.
- A recognition of one’s own fallibility.
Why is Critical Thinking Good?
It underlies the basic mental and intellectual processes of human interpersonal communication.It prevents conflict created through bias and prejudice.
It provides us with the tools to understand what we don’t know, which is a powerful learning aid.
It allows us to quickly and accurately evaluate our decisions, and the probable outcome of those decisions. Critical thinking is a powerful antidote to poor decision-making.
It allows us to quickly and accurately evaluate the arguments that are presented to most of us on a daily basis. Critical thinking provides us with a tool that is useful for evaluating such arguments, and can ultimately help free us from being manipulated by snake-oil salesmen.
It allows us to evaluate ourselves, others and the world around us in a way that promotes greater self-understanding.
“Critical thinking is useful only in those situations where human beings need to solve problems, make decisions, or decide in a reasonable and reflective way what to believe or what to do. That is, just about everywhere and all the time. Critical thinking is important wherever the quality of human thinking significantly impacts the quality of life (of any sentient creature). For example, success in human life is tied to success in learning. At the same time, every phase in the learning process is tied to critical thinking. Thus, reading, writing, speaking, and listening can all be done critically or uncritically. Critical thinking is crucial to becoming a close reader and a substantive writer. Expressed most generally, critical thinking is “a way of taking up the problems of life.”
William Graham Sumner, Folkways, 1906
Why is Irrational Thinking Bad?
As any honest person knows, a poor decision based upon irrational reasoning can negatively affect many areas of a person’s life.Frequent irrational thinking in its best case gets you deemed a fool; in its worst case, you will be committed to an asylum.
Irrational thinking makes it easier for opportunistic individuals to take advantage of you. For most people, this is a negative event. It also often creates a negative situation in a community.
Negative emotions are often the result of poor decision-making and a lack of self-awareness, which in turn are frequently the result of irrational thinking.
Much human suffering and misery in the word can be attributed to irrational thinking. Crimes, wars, environmental damage and even the collapses of entire civilizations can often be traced to some irrational decision or some set of irrational decisions made by some individual or by some group of individuals.
Irrational thinking can, in general, be viewed as a form of human weakness.