(In
other words, left versus right. 😉)
Critical thinking. What is it? I’m sure to the MAGA mob mentality it’s some kind of insidious form of Marxism or "wokism". They would be wrong, as usual. Look at a Trump rally, where the Criminal President declares, “I love the poorly educated”. Their malevolent mendacious messiah can tell them any lie and they will believe it, regurgitate it, and even enforce it with violence.
Unfortunately they are not the only group that has never been concerned with critical thinking. It takes curiosity and effort to practice it. Many people have neither the time nor inclination to bother with it. To the functionally illiterate, intellectually lazy, and incurious masses it’s something completely off their radar. This is one of humanity’s gravest flaws. Without critical thinking humans are as easily herded as sheep. And, indeed they are. They will believe and follow authoritarian leaders, which has NEVER resulted in a more just, equal, prosperous, and stable democratic society.
Rational and civil discourse becomes impossible with cults and the willfully ignorant.
And the problem is it isn’t always just them. People with higher intelligence, or average intelligence like myself, can slip into authoritarian prejudice and bigotry, snap judgments, unconsidered impressions, and impulsive actions. It’s very easy to forget to use an important tool for our own well-being, or survival.
Before further any discussion on critical thinking, let's have a look at stupidity.
Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed – in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical – and when facts are irrefutable, they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack. For that reason, greater caution is called for when dealing with a stupid person than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer was a German Christian theologian executed by the Nazis just days
before the end of WWII for his participation in a plot to assassinate Hitler.
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Back to the original question. What is critical thinking? Here are some definitions and insight.
Merriam-Webster defines it as, “the act or practice of thinking critically (as by applying reason and questioning assumptions) in order to solve problems, evaluate information, discern biases, etc.”
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Critical Thinking as Defined by the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, 1987
A statement by Michael Scriven & Richard Paul, presented at the 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform, Summer 1987:
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. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.
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7 Steps For Critical Thinking
By Brendon Burchard
1. Identify the problem or question: Define the exact issue or goal clearly and write out a precise problem statement.
2. Gather relevant information: Collect data, facts, and insights from multiple credible sources while avoiding gut reactions.
3. Analyze and evaluate the data: Test the information for accuracy, relevance, and reliability to filter out noise.
4. Consider alternative viewpoints: Look at the issue from different perspectives and actively check for personal biases or hidden assumptions.
5, Draw logical conclusions: Connect causes and effects based purely on the evidence to formulate potential solutions.
6. Communicate the solution: Share your decision and the factual rationale clearly with others involved.
7. Reflect and learn: Review the results after implementation to see what worked and improve future reasoning.
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Inter-American Development Bank
Why Is Critical Thinking Important?
Critical thinking is a skill that has applications in practically all aspects of daily life. It can help you make better decisions, improve employability, and better understand the world. In other words, critical thinking is a fundamental skill for being a 21st-century citizen.
What Is Critical Thinking Used For?
Critical thinking has various functionalities in everyday life, whether in fulfilling professional obligations or carrying out personal activities. Thinking critically is used to:
Make good decisions: it is important as an exercise to analyze and evaluate sources of information based on their truthfulness, relevance, and reasoning, which leads to better decision-making. Ask or question before blindly accepting things as they appear, and form your judgment based on the facts, information, and knowledge available.
Solve problems: use logic and reasoning to
analyze and deconstruct problems and choose the best solutions considering the
weaknesses and strengths of each alternative solution.
Promote creativity: this is one of the main characteristics of critical thinking and is associated with the previous point, by questioning facts, theories, or concepts, space is also opened up which is very useful for developing new solutions to problems.
Improve employability: especially in the digital age, where many jobs are being automated, there is consensus that critical thinking and creativity are two fundamental skills for improving people's employment prospects.
Digital and global citizenship: Critical
thinking plays a role in individual well-being, but above all, it is considered
an essential pillar of the functioning of modern democracies. The
ability to voice an independent and well-founded opinion to vote and weigh the
quality of arguments presented in the media and other sources of information.
In addition, when misinformation, fallacies, and fake news can be a problem for
democratic systems, critical thinking helps prevent the spread of false
information. It contributes verified, respectful, and ethical content to
digital communities and social networks.
~~~~~~~~
Richard Feynman famously said, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” Science is how we correct for this tendency toward self-deception. That’s why I spend the first third of the semester exploring how we come to our beliefs, the limits of our perception and memory, the importance of skepticism, the cognitive biases that can lead our thinking astray, and the logical fallacies we use to convince ourselves (and others) that our conclusions are justified.
Influential voices in the skeptical community played a crucial role in shaping the ingredients of critical thinking I use in Science for Life and Thinking Is Power, which include the following:
Being aware of our limitations: Understanding that our perception and memory are flawed, and the biases and heuristics our brains rely on to make fast and easy decisions can lead us astray.
Arguing with evidence and logic: Using arguments that are well-structured and supported by evidence. This includes understanding how the different types of arguments work (i.e., deductive, inductive, and abductive) and avoiding logical fallacies.
Thinking about our thinking (metacognition): Actively examining and questioning our own thought processes—including the source of our knowledge, assumptions, intuitions, motivations, emotions, and biases—and how they might influence our judgments.
Embracing nuance and uncertainty: Avoiding the black-or-white thinking that can lead to oversimplified conclusions and accepting that our knowledge is never perfect or complete.
Seeking objectivity: Actively working to counter the limitations that prevent us from accurately understanding the world. This includes seeking diverse perspectives, separating our identity from our beliefs, and prioritizing accuracy over ego.
Having curiosity and open-mindedness: Possessing a desire to learn and understand by asking questions and seeking out information, even if it contradicts what we want to believe.
Maintaining healthy skepticism: Balancing gullibility and doubt and proportioning our beliefs to the available evidence. And remembering that claims made without evidence can be dismissed without evidence and extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Exhibiting intellectual humility: Recognizing the limitations of our knowledge, being open to the expertise of others, and being willing to change our minds with evidence.
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We finally arrive at the "prime directive" and core value of critical thinking.
"Willing to change our minds with evidence". This is the unattainable basic requirement for critical thinking that eludes the authoritarian personality and MAGA mindset. I'd wager that not one Trumpist has read this far, yet will dump their willful ignorance, hate, and stupidity in response.
Any takers?
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