Critical
Thinking
(2)
“Critical”
–
“Critically”
Critically
Emphasise
analytical
‐
Emphasise
‐
Serious
analytical
‐
Thorough
/
‐
Salient
g /
thoroughness
‐
Brainstorming
I d
th
i ti
‐
Rigour /
rigorous
Attention to detail
‐
In
‐
depth
examination
‐
Detail
‐
Attention
to
detail
Detail
‐
Evidence
‐
Analysis
/
analyse /
Thinking
…
•
Finding
g
things
g
out
implications
•
Noticing
connections
•
Working
things
out
•
Deciding
p
•
Analysing
•
Summarising
g
•
Realising
underpinnings
N ti i
•
Solving
•
Justifying
•
Remembering
•
Hypothesising
•
Evaluating
•
Sequencing
•
Noticing
assumptions
•
Testing
•
Remembering
•
Planning
•
Arguing
•
Sequencing
•
Ordering
•
Sorting
g
• (Adapted from McGuinness, 1999)
• McGuinness, C. (1999). From
Thinking Skills to Thinking
Classrooms: A Review and
g
g
•
Identifying
•
Speculating
g
•
Classifying
•
Grouping
Classrooms: A Review and
Evaluation of Approaches for
Developing Pupils' Thinking.
Nottingham: DfEE Publications.
•
Calculating
•
Comparing
•
Deducing
•
Predicting
•
Concluding
•
Distinguishing
•
Deducing
•
Realising
•
Distinguishing
•
Noticing
exceptions
What
kind
of
Thinker are you? (1)
Thinker
are
you?
(1)
•
“I
hate
talk
shows
where
p
people
p
shout
their
opinions
p
but
never
give
any
reasons
at
all.”
•
“Figuring
out
what
people
really
mean
is
important
to
me."
“I l
d b
i j b
h
I'
d
hi k hi
•
“I
always
do
better
in
jobs
where
I'm
expected
to
think
things
out
for
myself.”
•
“I hold off making decisions until I have thought through my
I
hold
off
making
decisions
until
I
have
thought
through
my
options.”
•
“Rather
than
relying
on
someone
else's
notes,
I
prefer
to
read
the
t i l
lf ”
material
myself.”
•
“I
try
to
see
the
merit
in
another’s
opinion,
even
if
I
reject
it
later.”
•
“Even if a problem is tougher than I expected I will keep working
Even
if
a
problem
is
tougher
than
I
expected,
I
will
keep
working
on
it.”
•
“Making
intelligent
decisions
is
more
important
than
winning
”
arguments.”
What
kind
of
Thi k
? (2)
Thinker
are
you?
(2)
“I
f
j b
h
th
i
tl
•
“I
prefer
jobs
where
the
supervisor
says
exactly
what
to
do
and
exactly
how
to
do
it.”
“N
tt
h
l
th
bl
b t
•
“No
matter
how
complex
the
problem,
you
can
bet
there
will
be
a
simple
solution.”
“I d
't
t ti
l
ki
thi
”
•
“I
don't
waste
time
looking
things
up.”
•
“I
hate
when
teachers
discuss
problems
instead
of
j
i i
h
”
just
giving
the
answers.”
•
“If
my
belief
is
truly
sincere,
evidence
to
the
contrary
is
irrelevant.”
•
“Selling
an
idea
is
like
selling
cars,
you
say
whatever
works.”
We
Human
Beings
are
S’times
Poor Thinkers Because We
Poor
Thinkers
Because
We
…
• jump to conclusions
f il t thi k th h i li ti
• miss key ideas i l t id
• fail to think‐through implications
• focus on the trivial
• fail to notice contradictions
• accept inaccurate information
• use irrelevant ideas
• form superficial concepts
• misuse words
• ignore relevant viewpoints
• accept inaccurate information
• ask vague / irrelevant questions
• give / accept vague / irrelevant answers
• ask loaded questions
• ignore relevant viewpoints
• cannot see issues from other points of view
• are unaware of our own prejudices
• think narrowly
• ask loaded questions
• answer questions we are not competent to
answer
• come to conclusions based on inaccurate or
• think narrowly
• think imprecisely
• think illogically
• think one‐sidedly irrelevant information
• ignore information that does not support
our view
• make unjustified inferences
think one sidedly
• think simplistically
• think hypocritically
• think superficially
• make unjustified inferences
• distort data and state it inaccurately
• fail to notice the inferences we make
• come to unreasonable conclusions
p y
• think ethnocentrically
• think egocentrically
• communicate our thinking poorly
• come to unreasonable conclusions
• fail to notice our assumptions
• often make unjustified assumptions
• have little insight into our own ignorance
More
Reasons
for
Bad Thinking (1)
Bad
Thinking
(1)
…
•
In what ways are our minds influenced by factors
•
In
what
ways
are
our
minds
influenced
by
factors
‘within’
ourselves?
Psychologically
(our personality and ego)
–
Psychologically
(our personality and ego)
–
Philosophically
(our personal philosophy)
Ethi ll
(
thi l h
t )
–
Ethically
(our ethical character)
–
Biologically
(our biology and neurology)
•
Are
these
factors
static
or
dynamic?
•
Are
these
factors
innate
or
learned?
•
Are
we
in
control
of
these
factors?
To
what
extent?
[Are
[
they
y
really
y
‘within’
ourselves?!]
]
More
Reasons
for
Bad Thinking (2)
Bad
Thinking
(2)
…
•
In what ways are our minds influenced by factors
•
In
what
ways
are
our
minds
influenced
by
factors
beyond
ourselves?
•
Sociologically
g
y
(the
(
social
groups
g
p
to
which
we
belong)
g)
•
Intellectually
(the
ideas
we
hold,
how
we
reason)
•
Anthropologically
(our
cultural
practices,
mores,
and
b
)
taboos)
•
Ideologically
&
politically
(the
structure
of
power
and
its
use by interest groups around us)
use
by
interest
groups
around
us)
•
Economically
(the
economic
conditions
under
which
we
live)
•
Historically
(our
history
and
how
we
recountit)
•
Theologically
(our
religious
beliefs)
•
Are
we
in
control
of
these
factors?
To
what
extent?
[Are
h
ll ‘b
d’
l
?!]
they
really
‘beyond’
ourselves?!]
What
is
“Critical Thinking”?
Critical
Thinking ?
•
“ a composite of attitudes knowledge and
...
a
composite
of
attitudes,
knowledge
and
skills.
This
composite
includes:
(1)
attitudes
of
inquiry that involve an ability to recognize the
inquiry
that
involve
an
ability
to
recognize
the
existence
of
problems
and
an
acceptance
of
the
general
need
for
evidence
in
support
of
what
is
g
pp
asserted
to
be
true;
(2)
knowledge
of
the
nature
of
valid
inferences,
abstractions,
and
generalizations
in
which
the
weight
or
accuracy
of
different
kinds
of
evidence
are
logically
d
i
d
d (3) kill i
l i
d
determined;
and
(3)
skills
in
employing
and
applying
the
above
attitudes
and
knowledge”.
What
is
“Critical Thinking”?
Critical
Thinking ?
• “We understand critical thinking to be purposeful, self‐regulatory judgment
which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as
explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or
contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based. CT is essential as
a tool of inquiry As such CT is a liberating force in education and a powerful a tool of inquiry. As such, CT is a liberating force in education and a powerful
resource in one's personal and civic life. While not synonymous with good
thinking, CT is a pervasive and self‐rectifying human phenomenon. The ideal
critical thinker is habitually inquisitive well‐informed trustful of reason open‐
critical thinker is habitually inquisitive, well informed, trustful of reason, open minded, flexible, fairminded in evaluation, honest in facing personal biases,
prudent in making judgments, willing to reconsider, clear about issues, orderly
in complex matters, diligent in seeking relevant information, reasonable in the
selection of criteria, focused in inquiry, and persistent in seeking results which
are as precise as the subject and the circumstances of inquiry permit. Thus,
educating good critical thinkers means working toward this ideal. It combines
developing CT skills with nurturing those dispositions which consistently yield developing CT skills with nurturing those dispositions which consistently yield
useful insights and which are the basis of a rational and democratic society.”
• Facione, A. (1990) "Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of EducationalFacione, A. (1990) Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational
What
is
“Critical Thinking”?
Critical
Thinking ?
•
“Critical
thinking
g
is
the
intellectually
y
disciplined
p
p
process
of
actively
y
and
skilfully
conceptualizing,
applying,
analyzing,
synthesizing,
and/or
evaluating
information
gathered
from,
or
generated
by,
observation experience reflection reasoning or communication
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
divisions:
clarity,
accuracy,
precision,
consistency,
relevance,
sound
evidence,
good
reasons,
depth,
breadth,
and
fairness.
It
entails
the
examination
of
those
structures
or
elements
of
thought
implicit
in
ll
i
bl
ti
t i
all
reasoning:
purpose,
problem,
or
question
‐
at
‐
issue,
assumptions,
concepts,
empirical
grounding;
reasoning
leading
to
conclusions,
implications
and
consequences,
objections
from
f
f
f
”
alternative
viewpoints,
and
frame
of
reference”.
• Michael Scriven and Richard Paul National Council for Excellence in Critical
• Michael Scriven and Richard Paul, National Council for Excellence in Critical
What
is
“Critical Thinking”?
Critical
Thinking ?
•
“Critical
thinking
g
is
a
desire
to
seek,
, p
patience
to
doubt,
fondness
to
meditate,
slowness
to
t
di
t
id
f l
t
assert,
readiness
to
consider,
carefulness
to
dispose
p
and
set
in
order;
and
hatred
for
every
y
kind
of
imposture”.
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
Intellectual Humility
•
Intellectual Humility
•
Intellectual Courage
I
ll
l E
h
•
Intellectual Empathy
•
Intellectual Integrity
•
Intellectual Perseverance
•
Faith In Reason
•
Fairmindedness
•
Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking.“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
As you read the ideas beneath consider
•
As
you
read
the
ideas
beneath,
consider
what
the
various
definitions
and
understandings
imply.
»
Human nature
Human
nature
»
Human
capacities
»
Rationality
»
Rationality
•
What
underlying
ideologies,
assumptions
etc
does
the
author
himself
hold
/
make?
•
To what extent do you dis/agree with the
•
To
what
extent
do
you
dis/agree
with
the
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
• Intellectual Humility: Having a consciousness of the limits of one's knowledge, including a sensitivity to circumstances in which one's native egocentrism is likely to function self‐deceptively; sensitivity to bias, prejudice and limitations of one's viewpoint.
• Intellectual Courage: Having a consciousness of the need to face and fairly address ideas, beliefs or viewpoints toward which we have strong negative emotions and to which we have not given a serious hearing. This courage is connected with the recognition that ideas considered dangerous or absurd are connected with the recognition that ideas considered dangerous or absurd are sometimes rationally justified (in whole or in part) and that conclusions and beliefs inculcated in us are sometimes false or misleading.
• Intellectual Empathy: Having a consciousness of the need to imaginatively put
• Intellectual Empathy: Having a consciousness of the need to imaginatively put oneself in the place of others in order to genuinely understand them, which requires the consciousness of our egocentric tendency to identify truth with our immediate perceptions of longp p g‐standing thought or belief.g g
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking.
• http://www criticalthinking org/articles/valuable intellectual traits cfm
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
• Intellectual Integrity: Recognition of the need to be true to one's own thinking; to be consistent in the intellectual standards one applies; and to honestly admit discrepancies and inconsistencies in one's own thought and action.
• Intellectual Perseverance: Having a consciousness of the need to use intellectual insights and truths in spite of difficulties, obstacles, and frustrations; firm adherence to rational principles despite the irrational opposition of others;.
F i h I R C fid h i h l ' hi h i
• Faith In Reason: Confidence that, in the long run, one's own higher interests and those of humankind at large will be best served by giving the freest play to reason, by encouraging people to come to their own conclusions by developing their own rational faculties
their own rational faculties.
• Fairmindedness: Having a consciousness of the need to treat all viewpoints alike, without reference to one's own feelings or vested interests, or the feelings or vested interests of one's friends community or nation
feelings or vested interests of one s friends, community or nation.
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking.
htt // iti lthi ki / ti l / l bl i t ll t l t it f
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
Intellectual Humility
: Having a consciousness of the limits of
•
Intellectual
Humility
:
Having
a
consciousness
of
the
limits
of
one's
knowledge,
including
a
sensitivity
to
circumstances
in
which
one's
native
egocentrism
is
likely
to
function
self
‐
d
i l
i i i
bi
j di
d li i
i
f
deceptively;
sensitivity
to
bias,
prejudice
and
limitations
of
one's
viewpoint.
Intellectual
humility
depends
on
recognizing
that one should not claim more than one actually knows. It
that
one
should
not
claim
more
than
one
actually
knows.
It
does
not
imply
spinelessness
or
submissiveness.
It
implies
the
lack
of
intellectual
pretentiousness,
boastfulness,
or
conceit,
combined with insight into the logical foundations or lack of
combined
with
insight
into
the
logical
foundations,
or
lack
of
such
foundations,
of
one's
beliefs.
•
Valuable
Intellectual
Virtues
(June
1996).
Foundation
For
Critical
Thinking
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
Intellectual Courage
: Having a consciousness of the need to face
•
Intellectual
Courage
:
Having
a
consciousness
of
the
need
to
face
and
fairly
address
ideas,
beliefs
or
viewpoints
toward
which
we
have
strong
negative
emotions
and
to
which
we
have
not
given
a
i
h
i
Thi
i
d i h h
i i
serious
hearing.
This
courage
is
connected
with
the
recognition
that
ideas
considered
dangerous
or
absurd
are
sometimes
rationally
justified
(in
whole
or
in
part)
and
that
conclusions
and
beliefs
inculcated
in
us
are
sometimes
false
or
misleading.
To
determine
for
ourselves
which
is
which,
we
must
not
passively
and
uncritically
"accept"
what
we
have
"learned."
Intellectual
courage
u c t ca y accept
at e a e ea ed
te ectua cou age
comes
into
play
here,
because
inevitably
we
will
come
to
see
some
truth
in
some
ideas
considered
dangerous
and
absurd,
and
distortion or falsity in some ideas strongly held in our social group
distortion
or
falsity
in
some
ideas
strongly
held
in
our
social
group.
We
need
courage
to
be
true
to
our
own
thinking
in
such
circumstances.
The
penalties
for
non
‐
conformity
can
be
severe.
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
Intellectual Empathy
Intellectual
Empathy
: Having a consciousness of the need to
:
Having
a
consciousness
of
the
need
to
imaginatively
put
oneself
in
the
place
of
others
in
order
to
genuinely
understand
them,
which
requires
the
consciousness
of
our egocentric tendency to identify truth with our immediate
our
egocentric
tendency
to
identify
truth
with
our
immediate
perceptions
of
long
‐
standing
thought
or
belief.
This
trait
correlates
with
the
ability
to
reconstruct
accurately
the
viewpoints
and
i
f th
d t
f
i
ti
reasoning
of
others
and
to
reason
from
premises,
assumptions,
and
ideas
other
than
our
own.
This
trait
also
correlates
with
the
willingness
to
remember
occasions
when
we
were
wrong
in
the
past
despite
an
intense
conviction
that
we
were
right,
and
with
the
ability
to
imagine
our
being
similarly
deceived
in
a
case
‐
at
‐
hand.
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
Intellectual Integrity
: Recognition of the need to
•
Intellectual
Integrity
:
Recognition
of
the
need
to
be
true
to
one's
own
thinking;
to
be
consistent
in
th i t ll t
l t d d
li
t h ld
the
intellectual
standards
one
applies;
to
hold
one's
self
to
the
same
rigorous
standards
of
id
d
f
hi h
h ld
'
evidence
and
proof
to
which
one
holds
one's
antagonists;
to
practice
what
one
advocates
for
others;
and
to
honestly
admit
discrepancies
and
inconsistencies
in
one's
own
thought
and
action.
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinkingg
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
Intellectual Perseverance
Having a consciousness of the
•
Intellectual
Perseverance
:
Having
a
consciousness
of
the
need
to
use
intellectual
insights
and
truths
in
spite
of
difficulties obstacles and frustrations firm adherence to
difficulties,
obstacles,
and
frustrations;
firm
adherence
to
rational
principles
despite
the
irrational
opposition
of
others; a sense of the need to struggle with confusion and
others;
a
sense
of
the
need
to
struggle
with
confusion
and
unsettled
questions
over
an
extended
period
of
time
to
achieve deeper understanding or insight
achieve
deeper
understanding
or
insight.
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical ThinkingValuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
•
Faith In Reason
: Confidence that in the long run one's
•
Faith
In
Reason
:
Confidence
that,
in
the
long
run,
one s
own
higher
interests
and
those
of
humankind
at
large
will
be
best
served
by
giving
the
freest
play
to
reason,
by
encouraging
people
to
come
to
their
own
conclusions
by
developing
their
own
rational
faculties;
faith
that,
with
proper encouragement and cultivation people can learn to
proper
encouragement
and
cultivation,
people
can
learn
to
think
for
themselves,
to
form
rational
viewpoints,
draw
reasonable
conclusions,
think
coherently
and
logically,
persuade
each
other
by
reason
and
become
reasonable
persons,
despite
the
deep
‐
seated
obstacles
in
the
native
character of the human mind and in society as we know it
character
of
the
human
mind
and
in
society
as
we
know
it.
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking
“Critical
Thinking”
as an Ethical Philosophy
as
an
Ethical
Philosophy
F i
i d d
H i
i
f th
•
Fairmindedness
:
Having
a
consciousness
of
the
need
to
treat
all
viewpoints
alike,
without
reference
to
one's
own
feelings
or
vested
interests,
or
the
feelings
g
or
vested
interests
of
one's
friends,
,
community
or
nation;
implies
adherence
to
intellectual standards without reference to one's
intellectual
standards
without
reference
to
one s
own
advantage
or
the
advantage
of
one's
group.
• Valuable Intellectual Virtues (June 1996). Foundation For Critical Thinking
Critical
Thinking
Requires
Requires
…
•
LOGIC
•
DEPTH
•
BREADTH
•
LOGIC
•
EMPATHY
•
BREADTH
•
RIGOUR
•
SELF
‐
AWARENESS
•
ACCURACY
• Based on Elder, L. & Paul, R. (1996). Universal IntellectualStandards. Available at