examples of critical thinking in everyday life

examples of critical thinking in everyday life

The Importance of Critical Thinking in Everyday Life

1. Recognizing Biases and Assumptions

A great deal of pain and suffering in the world is caused by people acting on their biases and assumptions, without proof that they are in the right. This can be seen in various forms ranging from the pain and suffering caused by racism, to an overly self-conscious teenager engaging in self-harm. While it is unlikely that we will ever be entirely free from our assumptions and biases, we can work to prevent them from having a negative effect on ourselves and on others. A key to this is developing our reflective thinking skills. To examine our beliefs and the possible consequences of our actions is essential, and it is only by employing critical thinking that this can be done effectively.

Our experiences are greatly influenced by our assumptions and our biases. Sometimes they are a result of a psychological tendency that is systematically skewed. An example of such a bias is overconfidence. Sometimes they are cultural or are the result of a pursuit of selfish interests. At one time, it was a commonly held assumption that the earth was at the centre of the universe. However, it is important that we learn to evaluate our reasons for holding beliefs and making decisions. This is because our actions often have far-reaching effects, and it is only through knowing the true reasons for them that we can be sure that we are doing the right thing.

2. Evaluating Information Sources

There are a number of important skills involved in critical thinking, one of the most important is being able to evaluate arguments or information. This very important skill is going to be useful in your personal and business life. If you know how to evaluate information, you will be able to understand what is being said, you can understand the implications of the information, and you can make an informed decision on whether this information is good for the decision making process. On top of that, if the information is flawed, you will be in a good position to identify the flaws in the information presented. If you are able to do this in an efficient manner, you will be saving yourself the difficulties that come with making decisions on bad information. Evaluating information is a complex process. It involves identifying the problem, determining the usefulness of the information, assessing the information for its reliability, validity, accuracy, and credibility, and finally being able to determine if the information is biased or not. In the process of evaluating information, the primary goal is to understand the issue at hand, to make an informed decision, and to be in a position to present and defend a viewpoint on the issue. It is a very structured process, and there are many methods to evaluate information. Nonetheless, the skill and ability of the evaluator is paramount to the success in this process.

3. Problem Solving and Decision Making

After a problem is identified, it is necessary to come up with a solution. This is where critical thinking comes in to play. The ability to think critically will help one to think of most possible solutions to a problem and help weigh the decision to find the best possible solution. During this process of critical thinking, ideas should be reasoned, judgments should be made, and conclusions should be drawn. Reasoning is the act of justifying an action. In critical thinking, the reasoning is to make sure everybody is clear on what is being said. It is to make sure the statement is true. During the process of critical thinking, ideas should be reasoned because reasoning will help come to a conclusion as to whether an idea is true or false. Next is judgment, this is the decision-making phase. This requires a set of information to make a decision. Using past experiences as well as newly acquired information to make a decision. For example, if someone has to make a decision on whether they should switch jobs and has to put all the information down on paper to decide why or why not they should change jobs, using this PRO vs. CON method. After reasoning and judgment comes the conclusion to the problem. This is often overlooked as people jump to the easiest solution. When thinking critically, the best possible solution to a problem should be chosen, it is encouraged that constructive feedback be implemented. This means to take the decision or the problem and think of if there are better conclusions to it. It’s to compare it to something if feasible and if not, understand what it would take to make that comparison. By doing this, one can make sure to avoid negative consequences of decisions and fully implement the best possible solution to a problem. With every decision, there comes a following action. A good decision will lead to a successful implementation of the decision. A poor decision often leads to frustration, which is caused by an unclear goal and failure to implement the decision. By thinking critically and weighing the conclusion, one can come to a solid decision that can be supported. This can eliminate the risk of the decision and find alternative solutions. If the decision is not clearly supported by the conclusion, one can weigh the alternative solutions and refer back to the original problem to make sure the best possible decision was made.

4. Analyzing Arguments and Reasoning

The art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it is defined as reasoning. It is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism. All reasoning has a purpose. All reasoning is an attempt to figure something out, to settle some question, to solve some problem. Another way of saying this is that all reasoning aims at some end. Analyze group influences on your life. How can you tell when you’re being influenced by a peer pressure situation or a group decision? This will be connected to your last week’s assignment in this entry.

5. Applying Critical Thinking in Daily Situations

Of course, once there is a good foundation in critical thinking, there is also a need to exercise it. New problems are the best way to practice and apply critical thinking. Each new problem will require the most quality thinking possible and will only serve to make the critical thinker better. A good situation would be a meeting with higher-level executives from one’s company. Coming well prepared with information for the situation and ready to think critically will only bring more respect from the higher-ups and possibly more responsibilities. Lastly, and possibly the best quest for a person, is to find others with a strong ability to think critically. A group of people working together to solve a problem the right way has the potential to have a large impact.

Companies with the most success in training employees how to think critically have incorporated four training techniques. Awareness of the importance of the issue and the applicability of critical thinking. Must have knowledge of how to apply the information in question through ways of knowing or intelligent behaviors. There must be training in the various ways in which critical thinking is done. And finally, there must be facilitation of the general training transfer, in other words, training of how to apply critical thinking to the multiple issues that occur over time and how to sustain a high level of critical thinking.

When using critical thinking in everyday situations, it is useful to apply the situation to the framework. It might have already become automatic for the most part, but experiencing the situation from different perspectives can help the intervention of new ideas and solutions. It would be useful to have a structured approach to the situation by also setting some time aside. Scheduling when the thinking is to take place might help bring about more successful results to the situation. Another useful tool may be to work through the situation with someone else because individual views may not bring about the best possible result to the situation.