example of critical thinking

example of critical thinking

The Importance of Critical Thinking

1. Introduction

If we can determine through the definition above, it can be concluded that the terms of thought or thinking are not fully an individual acting logically. Because logic only occurs when an individual wants to react to an event in the most efficient and correct way, but not all actions are done with logic. Some actions are done based on experience, personal preferences, and other factors. So, their actions become rational acts and not logical acts. Logical acts can be implemented by someone if they think critically.

Thinking is considered to be a mental representation of action that is represented in cognitive representation. The mental representation, which is true or resembles reality, has its own condition and is usually compared with other possibilities that can reflect an individual’s actions within it. In carrying out the action, an individual requires background knowledge that can be used as a comparison when they are going to react to an event. That is the way to make a reaction to an event. It does not mean the individual does it logically because logic can be formed when a complex condition has a solution and the solution can be generalized with the rules that formed the event.

2. Definition of Critical Thinking

Scriven and Paul (n.d.) define critical thinking as “the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.” This is yet another complex definition focusing on the process, involving cognition/judgment, and giving it a higher order than simply a higher level of thought.

In the aforementioned definition, we can see that critical thinking is a disciplined process. This means that it is a self-directed process, it does not come naturally. One must be willing to engage in the process of thinking critically. The cognitive process is complex, and this makes it difficult to give a simple definition.

The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking defines critical thinking as an “intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.”

3. Benefits of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is important for all of the benefits it can bring. Critical thinking provides the tools for this process of self-evaluation. Good critical thinking is the foundation of science and a liberal democratic society. Science requires the critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The proper functioning of a liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically about social issues to inform their judgments about what would be best to do. With critical thinking, citizens can decide what they want for themselves, do not easily have the wool pulled over their eyes and are not easily manipulated. Critical thinking helps people realize their potential and aspirations. People rarely put an end to their quest for a good life. For practical reasons they might sometimes think they have found it, but changes in their life and social conditions force them to reflect on the quality of their lives. If they come to realize they have not yet lived a good life, they may think of pressing social issues or personal goals that they previously sidestepped. At these moments they might find that their customary ways of thinking keep them from making the changes they now believe would be best. They may even realize that they desire things that they never thought to want before. Now critical thinking comes into play as the thinker searches for an effective and precise way to understand something, to evaluate it, or to express it to others. With critical thinking, the thinker can reconsider and even change his view on an issue, bringing into perspective social factors and personal experiences that can fundamentally alter his view. The result the thinker is a new and interesting view on something tried and tested, the old and often default view is now seen in a new light with no real assurance which view the thinker will take on in the future. This indecisive period is crucial to success and to changing the way people think or act. If the thinker decides that he prefer his new view on the issue, a pressing thought may lead him to further delve into the subject; looking for new information and thought to confirm his new view. This entire process from the questioning of his own view, to the changing of it based on reasoned thought is a major part of critical thinking and a skilled critical thinker will become analytical in nature at each step.

4. Strategies for Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Once you know your own mind and the disadvantage that there is no tickbox to clear cookies, you can now begin to notice the way you argue and formulate arguments in a more strategic manner. Start by choosing an argument that has significant reign, and you have to get it right. He says, “The case should not be chosen at random; it is more advisable to take the one which is the best known or the most characteristic.” Now, of course, this was intended for an altogether different situation, but the principle is the same. An argument that has made an impact or has widespread significance is more worthy of being got to the bottom of. If there is less at stake, the conclusion may be to suspend judgment until better information is provided. Then the bottom line must be utmost in your mind; hold the conclusion and any inferences that rely upon it up to the light and critique it as if it were someone else’s. This will help to avoid any prejudice that may be advantageous to you. With special regard to identifying arguments, notice it is predominantly the “why?” questions that extract the argument, which can be trouble with some people! Your patience, however, can be rewarded with a reconstructive technique that can lead to cash flow. At this stage, it is useful to know something about formal logic. You can assess the structure of the argument to see if it is an “if then” type argument, which has a set of assumptions or hypotheses that lead to a conclusion. By symbolizing the logic in this way, it is easier to see if the conclusion to the original argument is valid and determine which assumptions lead to the dispute. With all this in mind, it is essential that you do not jump to conclusions (pardon the pun) and scrutinize all conflicting information. Remember, it is only the two types of people that have perceptions and those with misperceptions that investigate the truth. At this point, you must already have a cognitive change. Now, in that long-winded metaphor, Jaynes goes on to describe a very fine method that can be applied to one’s own self-analysis and reflection upon past judgments. The most benefit may be gained if only you choose to read the entire section for yourself. But once again, in the theory that every effort shall increase the reader’s understanding, what is to follow attempts to simplify the matter into concrete points and examples. Cognitive self-monitoring is most desirable to a critical thinker. Note a significant situation in which your behavior was either notably skillful or inept, that you believed was influenced by the way you were thinking. This occasion could be an argument or debate. Then simply ask yourself what was happening in your mind during that behavior. What information was being processed, or more importantly, what information was being omitted? How were you interpreting that information? What were the goals and the alternative strategies to achieve that goal? How was the time orientation? And ultimately, how was the judgment about the issue or the people involved? All this can produce some very interesting insights into oneself, and research has, in fact, shown that there is a moderate correlation between a student applying this method and a subsequent increase in their score of cognitive ability.

5. Conclusion

Critical thinking is something that is valued in every field because it is such a priceless skill. You can think of it as a way of thinking for yourself and asking the questions and finding the true answers. It is also thinking in a clear and logical way and learning to solve problems systematically (Critical thinking, n.d.). When you use critical thinking, you can take out the information given and then come to a well-reasoned conclusion. Usually, this will mean that you will have saved yourself from acting in ways that are later found to have been unwise. This is very useful when making big decisions as it will usually prevent you from making errors that you may regret. This type of thinking is long term. It is not just concerned with the issue at hand but also the root of the matter and the reasoning behind the decision. Critical thinking is an excellent tool to use for societal concerns. A good critical thinker will be aware of a situation, gather information, and evaluate it. This information will then be used to determine whether the problem or concern is valid. If it is, the critical thinker will then develop a plan of action. This will prevent the thinker from leaping directly to a solution, which can often be irrelevant. An example of how critical thinking can be useful can be a person who is trying to make a career change. If this person was to weigh the pros and cons of their past work experiences, said person could appraise any of the career paths with the information gathered from past experiences. This will give a solid decision to attempt the most positive career considering the previous experiences and the information gathered for the new path.