critical thinking is

critical thinking is

The Importance of Critical Thinking

1. Introduction

This chapter discusses the crucial need for critical thinking in today’s society. Many believe that critical thinking is a learned behavior that comes after years of life experience. The subject is complex, and several different definitions exist, which generally include the rational, skeptical, unbiased analysis or evaluation of factual evidence. Thinking critically is a process that should be utilized when making decisions that affect an individual’s beliefs and actions. In this discussion, the applications of critical thinking in the processes of making strategies, and more tactfully, solving problems are going to be discussed. Another use of critical thinking is in the decision-making process. The author has found that the use of “what, why, and what if” questions helps to break down the core issues that need to be solved, thus enabling a decision based on relevant information. This process provides a suitable framework for the utilization of critical thinking in the decision-making practice.

2. Benefits of Critical Thinking

In more simple terms, critical thinking involves determining the meaning and significance of what is observed or expressed, concerning a given problem.

Critical thinking scholars have agreed that it involves a cognitive activity associated with using the mind. The mind should be used to think about thinking. It is a directed process that is focused on deciding what to believe or how to act. The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking defines critical thinking as the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.

Before discussing the benefits of critical thinking, it is useful to give a brief definition of what critical thinking is.

3. Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Learning how to think critically is an important element for a number of different stages of development. Having the ability to think critically enables one to think big and produce arguments or beliefs having a logical sense to them. It is important to develop critical thinking skills for a number of reasons. Firstly, in an increasingly complex world, where problems are rarely simple, being able to think critically about these problems will be a key to success. This means moving away from simplistic opinions to more informed decisions. It is also important to develop critical thinking skills because they transfer to so many different areas of life ranging from everyday decision making to professional settings. Decision making is an integral part of being productive and critical thinking helps to understand the methods used to make decisions and how they can be improved. In professional settings, it is essential to be able to think critically in order to carry out job duties at the highest level possible. Finally, critical thinking is important in solving problems. Steps to critical thinking include what the issue is, what the options are to solve the issue, and what the best decision would be. Problem solving and decision making are intertwined. High quality decisions cannot be made without first solving the problem. Given that an excellent decision is the ultimate goal, we have a use for critical thinking everywhere.

4. Applying Critical Thinking in Everyday Life

A large portion of the work in training critical thinking is to make people conscious of how much of their thinking is done at the low level of generalized assumptions which are not based on evidence. Consider the conspiracy theorist, many people are susceptible to conspiracy theories because they are psychologically comforting. It is a way of making sense of the world events and makes events predictable to them, but in many cases the theory lacks any substance and is based on one or two chance occurrences that people have blown out of proportion. By using critical thinking we would analyze the event, find the facts and only then form an opinion based on sound evidence. The evidence may still end up leading to a conspiracy but the difference is the opinion will have been formed logically based on something real.

The authors offer a motivation for applying critical thinking skills to the issue of evaluating information. “Critical thinking is based on self-discipline, self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathically. They are keenly aware of the inherently flawed nature of human thinking when left to its own devices” (Elder and Paul, 2007). If we can take charge of our own minds, we can implement critical thinking when evaluating information and this will help us avoid possible manipulation by others. For instance, advertisement is the most powerful propaganda tool in existence today and we are bombarded with thousands of adverts each day. Critical thinkers would be able to see these ads and understand if the product being sold is actually of any value to them or if it is being dressed up and presented in such a way that it appeals to their emotions rather than their needs.

5. Conclusion

It is also this author’s opinion that this is the best method to improve instruction. By delving deeper into the content and considering many different elements, particularly the implications and varying viewpoints, it is likely to make both teachers and students become more open-minded, understanding and tolerant of different views and values. And it is also these features that our society is striving to produce, as Barker suggests that if we want our students to become critical thinkers, it makes no sense for educators to be authoritarian.

Discussing these implications in a staffroom at Northcote High School after a professional development day, the consensus was that people generally have different expectations on what they think is sound decision making, depending on their upbringing, their age, morals, values and general outlook on life. Considering all of these different features and individual requirements to be competent in decision making, it is this author’s opinion that the more practice in deeper or more critical thinking is likely to be the best method, as the skills gained are both flexible and applicable to many situations.

In conclusion, it is evident that various implications are brought about by assuming that critical thinking is rational thinking. Practising critical thinking, no matter which method taken, is an essential step in guiding an individual to making sound, well-informed decisions regarding any aspect of their life. It is also a widely accepted view that teaching critical thinking is a means to improve instruction. In a review of their research, Halpern and Wayment state that the general goal in doing research on critical thinking is improving instruction. What is less clear is whether the critical thinking method or a more comprehensive thinking skills approach is the best means to achieve this end. However, the concept of improvement may vary to different individuals.