“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.” (Michael Scriven & Richard Paul) It is based on values that go above and beyond for clarity, precision, consistency, relevance. good reasons etc…It examines all reasoning and purpose. Questioning leads to clearer and well thought out conclusions less consequences and allows you to view things from alternative viewpoints. Critical thinking can allow someone to process a situation, and guide you to a better decision. Critical thinking guides a persons behavior and actions towards different situations These actions vary according to the motivation behind it. Critical thinking of any kind is never the same in any person.
Everyone is subject to irrational thought. Its depth, among other things, in a given situation will determine the level of thought someone will put in the situation. No one is a critical thinker at all times but only with time and self awareness one would be more likely to change there behaviors. This is a self-guided and self motivating trait. You will see it more in someone trying to live more reasonably. It allows you to think more clearly and rationally. Critical thinking can help us acquire knowledge, and improve our theories. We use critical thinking to enhance work processes and improve social interactions. By using this method you are looking at the big picture and not just focusing on what is right in front of you. “ Critical thinking operates on a higher level processing information, conseeding alternative points of view or reasonable objectives and arriving at a decision or making a conclusion.” (Abitheira)
The Essay on Critical Thinking 22
Todays school system in junior high and high school are based on memorization. Teachers restate information from textbooks trying to get information passed into the students mind. This routine learning might have worked in the past, but todays information age requires more than just memorization. The learning process called critical thinking needs to come into play, where students are required to ...
“Active, persistent and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it, and the further conclusions to which it tends.” (John Dewey, 1909)
References
Michael Scriven & Richard Paul for the
National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking Instruction Criticalthinking.org Copyright ©2013 Foundation for Critical Thinking
21st Century Skills GCU Library
