A. Thinking & Feeling: We often have experiences, thoughts, values, knowledge,
cultural habits and preconceptions and feelings that we accumulate over
time. We could be pro-life, anti-nuclear energy, pro-environment, or
supporters or opponents of the policies of the government. We will have
emotional commitments to these. These are concepts and ideas we care
about. Whenever we come across a conclusion, we come across it with all
kinds of thoughts, preconceptions, feelings, etc.These views, opinions,
feelings etc, can affect us whenever we hear the arguments and conclusions of
other people that are in opposition to what we support and hold dear.
These experiences, thoughts, values, knowledge, cultural habits and
preconceptions and feelings can cloud our thoughts when we hear opposing
views about something we support. We become defensive and close-minded to
opposing views, opinions and ideas.
Critical thinking exists in an
environment of divergent arguments and conclusions and we start to think
critically in the midst of these existing opinions. We must not dismiss
outright anything in opposition to what we already think. If we are to become
good critical thinkers we must have an open mind to opposing views, ideas,
arguments, reasons and conclusions. We must put aside our views and listen to
the thoughts of others. We should not allow ourselves to feel threatened when
we hear an opposing view nor be arrogant and dismiss another divergent view. We
should be detached and not allow ourselves to be emotionally involved in an
issue because we may fail to see the virtues or potential of another's views or
arguments. (This happened to me when I opposed the promotion of a certain
lifestyle. I was castigated outright and demeaned. My arguments, reasons and
conclusions were dismissed outright.)
Emotional involvement should not be
the primary basis of accepting or rejecting a position or argument. Ideally, it
should be only be most intense after reasoning has been completed.
We must bear in mind that an active learner is one who is willing to allow his or her mind to be changed. An active learner listens or read actively,engages in discussion, asks critical questions and has an open mind. In order to be a successful active learner, one must be willing to allow one's mind to be changed. If we are to change our minds, we must have an open mind that accepts ideas that strike us as outlandish, or dangerous or even strange.
Critical thinkers are people who care about many issues. They are humans and not machines.Their concern is shown in their willingness to engage in hard mental work. Passion for their beliefs or views are moderated by the recognition that their ideas are open to revision.
B. The Efficiency of Asking the Question, "Who Cares?": We sometimes are faced with issues that have little bearing or effect on us. It can be a problem in another country that does affect your country. It could be an issue that affects a certain section of your country's population that has little bearing on you. Hence, you will not want to spend time, energy and your intellectual faculties on them.
It will be better to spend time discussing an important issue such as the advantages of nuclear power rather then spend time on whether school children should wear ties of a particular colour.
Before we spend valuable time on an
issue, we should ask the question, "Who cares?"
C. Weak-Sense and Strong-Sense
Critical Thinking: Critical
thinking can be used to either defend or evaluate and revise our initial
beliefs. Dr Richard Paul elucidated and made the distinction between the
concepts of weak sense and string sense critical thinking as follows:
Weak-sense critical thinking is the
use of critical thinking to defend your current beliefs. Strong-sense critical
thinking is the use of the same skills to evaluate all claims and beliefs,
especially your own.
What
this means that if we think critically in a weak way, we are defensive,
close-minded and will defend our beliefs without considering that they can be
corrected or revised. If we are strong-sense critical thinkers, we will be open
minded and be ready to accept revisions of our beliefs.
Weak-sense
critical thinking is a thinking methodology which is where we defend our
initial beliefs or those that we are paid to have. By using this weak-sense
critical thinking is to be unconcerned with moving towards the truth or
virtue.The purpose of this way of thinking is to resist or annihilate opinions
and reasoning that is different from ours. The idea of seeing domination and
victory over those we disagree with as the objective of critical thinking is to
ruin the potentially humane and progressive aspects of critical thinking.
In
contrast, strong-sense critical thinking requires the application of critical
questions to all claims, including our own. Strong-sense critical thinking compels us to look critically at our initial beliefs, it helps us to protect ourselves against self-deception and conformity. it is easy to just stick with current beliefs, particularly when many people share them. But the hazard of taking this easy path, is that we run the strong risk of making mistakes we could otherwise avoid.
Strong-sense critical thinking does not necessarily force us to give up our initial beliefs. it an provide a basis for strengthening them because critical examination of those beliefs will sometimes reinforce our original commitment to them.
Links:
Links:
Weak and Strong Sense: https://schoolofdoubt.com/2017/02/12/teaching-critical-thinking-strong-vs-weak/
http://logicstudent.com/logic/shorttermhtml/Notes_11_StrongSenseCT.pdf
D. The Satisfaction of Using the Panning-for-Gold Approach: The use of the panning-for-gold is a satisfying thinking style as one knows that any idea that has been given or discovered has been thoroughly examined first. When an idea does pass the criteria for acceptability , it will make sense to agree with it until new evidence appears that dispels it.
The Sponge style of thinking is often satisfying because it permits the accumulation of information. While this style of thinking is very often productive, a great deal more satisfaction can be obtained in participating in dialogues with the writer and speaker as with the panning-for-gold style. The use of the panning-for-gold style provides a richer experience in reading and listening when we begin to see things that others have missed. As we select information and opinions systematically , we will start to have the desire to read more in a lifelong effort to decide which advice makes more sense.
E. Trying Out New Ideas: Critical thinkers should have an innate curiosity to explore new ideas and arguments. They should also be courageous in exploring new ideas and being confronted with their beliefs. Critical thinkers should always keep looking for new ideas and try out new answers.
F. Effective Communication and Critical Thinking: The objective of critical thinking is communication. As one makes progress in critical thinking, new skills are learnt. and these will lead to being able to write and speak better. It makes the critical thinker aware of the expectations careful thinkers will have. Since communication is the objective of critical thinking, the many questions thoughtful thinkers will ask in evaluating one's writing or speech, will serve as guides in one's own attempts at communicating well.
G. The Importance of Practice: Critical thinking is a skill that needs practise. Learning the theory behind critical thinking without applying it, it s an exercise in futility. Theory gives the intellectual framework behind the skill but application creates the perfection needed to be a skilled critical thinker. One technique in practising critical thinking was given by Dr Jordon Peterson of the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr Jordan Peterson prescribed writing as a method to become skilled in critical thinking.
Links:
The Sponge style of thinking is often satisfying because it permits the accumulation of information. While this style of thinking is very often productive, a great deal more satisfaction can be obtained in participating in dialogues with the writer and speaker as with the panning-for-gold style. The use of the panning-for-gold style provides a richer experience in reading and listening when we begin to see things that others have missed. As we select information and opinions systematically , we will start to have the desire to read more in a lifelong effort to decide which advice makes more sense.
E. Trying Out New Ideas: Critical thinkers should have an innate curiosity to explore new ideas and arguments. They should also be courageous in exploring new ideas and being confronted with their beliefs. Critical thinkers should always keep looking for new ideas and try out new answers.
F. Effective Communication and Critical Thinking: The objective of critical thinking is communication. As one makes progress in critical thinking, new skills are learnt. and these will lead to being able to write and speak better. It makes the critical thinker aware of the expectations careful thinkers will have. Since communication is the objective of critical thinking, the many questions thoughtful thinkers will ask in evaluating one's writing or speech, will serve as guides in one's own attempts at communicating well.
G. The Importance of Practice: Critical thinking is a skill that needs practise. Learning the theory behind critical thinking without applying it, it s an exercise in futility. Theory gives the intellectual framework behind the skill but application creates the perfection needed to be a skilled critical thinker. One technique in practising critical thinking was given by Dr Jordon Peterson of the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr Jordan Peterson prescribed writing as a method to become skilled in critical thinking.
Links:
Jordan Peterson - The
Best Way To Learn Critical Thinking :
Jordan Peterson: "You
NEED to LEARN to THINK!" - Jordan B. Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDMfqKtwYr8
Note: Below is an eclectic selection of critical thinking questions that can be used to think critically;
1. What are the issues and conclusions?
2. What are the reasons?
3.Which words and phrases are ambiguous?
4. What are the value conflicts and assumptions?
5. What are the descriptive assumptions?
6. Are there any fallacies in the reasoning?
7. How good is the evidence?
8. Are there any rival causes?
9. Are the statistics deceptive?
10. What significant information is omitted?
11. What reasonable conclusions are possible?
5. What are the descriptive assumptions?
6. Are there any fallacies in the reasoning?
7. How good is the evidence?
8. Are there any rival causes?
9. Are the statistics deceptive?
10. What significant information is omitted?
11. What reasonable conclusions are possible?
Download this critical thinking skills cheatsheet : https://www.wabisabilearning.com/blog/critical-thinking-skills-cheatsheet-infographic
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