Sunday, May 12, 2013

WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?



Shared from:
http://blog.readytomanage.com/category/critical-thinking/
What is Critical Thinking?
May 7, 2012 by Dr. Jon Warner

Precious moment clip art
For many people critical thinking just means making a quick mental decision based on the presenting evidence within a relatively short time frame.  Edward Glaser an expert in the Educational field defined critical thinking as the ability to think critically that involves three things:
  1. an attitude of being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems and subjects that come within the range of one’s experiences
  2. knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning, and
  3. some skill in applying those methods
He went further saying that critical thinking:
  • generally requires ability to recognize problems
  • to find workable means for meeting those problems
  • to gather and marshal pertinent information
  • to recognize unstated assumptions and values
  • to comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discrimination
  • to interpret data
  • to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments
  • to recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between propositions
  • to draw warranted conclusions and generalizations
  • to put to test the conclusions and generalizations at which one arrives
  • to reconstruct one’s patterns of beliefs on the basis of wider experience
  • to render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life
 Precious moment clip art
We can conclude that critical thinking is a form of mental judgment that is specifically purposeful and reflective.  When using critical thinking, an individual makes a decision or solves the problem of judging what to believe or what to do.  They do so in a highly reflective or considered way.  Critical thinking also gives due consideration to the:
  • evidence
  • context of judgment
  • relevant criteria for making that judgment well
  • applicable methods or techniques for forming that judgment
  • applicable theoretical constructs for understanding the nature of the problem and the question or issue at hand

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