We explain what critical thinking is and what are the steps to achieve it. Advantages and requirements. Questioning what is established.
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is a process that helps organize or order concepts, ideas and knowledge. This type of thinking is used to arrive in the most objective way at the correct position that one should have on a topic.
the word I will thinkcoming from Latin, means to think, and the word krienin from Greek can be translated as separate. These two terms will be what will help us with our definition of critical thinking, which is a rational and reflective cognitive process, and which involves analyzing reality separately from our feelings and prejudices as for example happens with all those statements that society (or even ourselves) labels as absolute truths, or those topics that are always under debate, such as equal marriage or abortion.
Have critical thinking It implies that we be objective when analyzing. The evaluation of reality through critical thinking can be carried out by various methods such as observation, experience, scientific method, etc.
As we already said, we seek to generate objective statements that, at the same time, are ethically correct and true. So, for that you have to gather evidence, precise information and be fair, leaving aside personal impressions, since these, lies and skepticism would nullify critical thinking.
Experts recommend that to reach this goal you should adopt a thinker's stance:
- Identify the arguments for and against the topic
- Recognize which of them are prejudices,
- Evaluate and verify information sources and, finally,
- Start with the analysis.
See also: Divergent thinking
Advantages of critical thinking
This type of thinking must be stimulated, immersing ourselves in rich cultural environments, reading a variety of books, watching arthouse films, informing ourselves, forming our own thinking instead of simply accepting what society says. critical thinking will allow us to open our minds change as people and make our brain grow.
At the same time, it will allow the subject to make the correct decisions and solve problems in situations that are considered extreme. Following this path, critical thinking helps you decide how to act at a given moment where our morals and ethics torment us with thousands of questions.
Questioning the established
One of the characteristics of someone who has natural inclinations toward critical thinking is the fact of questioning everything that is established and curiosity. This is why a person begins to question everything and reflect on the results they obtain in their search for knowledge.
For a person to be curious, there must have been stimulation since childhood, where they are taught that it is not wrong to ask or have an inquisitive nature, and they are pushed to read and constantly inform themselves.
Regarding the questioning of everything that is established, we can give as an example someone who looks for other solutions to what is already resolved, as can happen with some State policy: This is done, but why couldn't it be done in another way? ? Isn't there a more complete or simpler solution?
This second named characteristic is the one that makes society progress as well as human thought since it helps us reflect on what we have already done and see if, socially, it is a benefit or not. And why not, we could affirm that even for technology critical thinking is beneficial as it turns out to be an analysis of the reality of each thing. We could bring the case of an inventor who creates software and year after year reflects on his invention and makes modifications.
Critical thinking requirements
It could never be said that casual thinking is critical, since it implies a time of maturation, reflection and is not something that arises from nowhere. On the other hand, a thought will not be considered critical if it does not meet the characteristics already mentioned: true, ethically fair and correct.
It is worth clarifying that for there to be critical thinking there must be clarity of thought By this we mean that a person who has consumed drugs or alcohol in large quantities and claims to be at another level of consciousness can argue all they want, but they will not obtain this type of thinking as a result, because mental clarity does not exist, since these products can alter the senses.
Continue with: Creative thinking
