CRITICAL THINKING

The nature of critical thinking

The nature of critical thinking

Introduction

Critical thinking is applied rationality. It is a way of thinking that based on principles of rationality. Critical thinking been conceptualized as a set of skills that people can learn and apply in their everyday or professional lives. In fact, critical thinking and rationality are terms that sometimes used interchangeably. Critical thinking is the ability and willingness to assess claims and make objective judgments on the basis of well-supported reasons and evidence rather than emotion or anecdote. Critical thinkers are able to look for flaws in arguments and claims that have no support. They realize that criticizing an argument is not the same as criticizing the person making it, and they are willing to engage in vigorous debate about the validity of an idea. Critical thinking, however, is not merely negative thinking. It includes the ability to be creative and constructive—the ability to come up with alternative explanations for events, think of implications of research findings, and apply new knowledge to social and problems.

Discussion

Interlocking Parts in Nature of Critical Thinking

The nature of critical thinking involves three interlocking parts, which are, Asking Questions, Reasoning out the answers to those questions and testing the answers that are developed. Critical thinking takes forms in the social psychology that have proven effective in evaluating the validity of propositions (Sherry, 2008).

Asking Questions

From the reviewed article, following five questions can be developed.

What does the article assert?

What will be the consequences if politicians fail to reach agreements?

What other than mentioned consequences might there?

To what circumstances do the argument valid?

Are the circumstances currently of interest?

Reasoning out the answers to these questions

Like definitions of critical thinking, the cognitive skills that comprise critical thinking vary depending on the theoretician's framework. Nonetheless, there are three sets of skills discernable across most approaches, ...