Critical Thinking

Definitions

There are many definitions of critical thinking. Read a few. Memorize at least one that makes sense to you.

  • Evaluate and analyze.

  • Thinking about thinking to improve thinking.

  • Recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments, draw conclusions.

  • "Critical thinking is 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." - criticalthinking.org

Models

Elder Paul

RED

Techniques


General Advice

    • Listen more than you talk (2 ears, 1 mouth)

    • Avoid quick decisions. Get all the facts first.

    • "I would need to learn more before forming an opinion." is a great thing to say

Concepts

    • Bias - "inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair"

    • Agenda - "underlying intentions or motives of a particular person or group"

    • Arguments - "In everyday life, people often use "argument" to mean a quarrel between people. But in logic and critical thinking, an argument is a list of statements, one of which is the conclusion and the others are the premises or assumptions of the argument."

    • Objectivity - "lack of favoritism toward one side or another : freedom from bias"

    • Bloom's Taxonomy and Lower Order Thinking Skills (LOTS) vs Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)

Additional Resources

  • Intellectual curiosity

  • Anticipate the good and the bad potential consequences