The earliest records of ‘critical thinking’ are the teachings of Socrates. Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher and was coined as being the first moral philosopher of the Western ethical tradition of thought. He was born in 470 BC and died in 399 BC.
On the website, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking, it says, “Socrates maintained that for an individual to have a good life or to have one that is worth living, he must be a critical questioner and possess an interrogative soul. He established the importance of asking deep questions that probe profoundly into thinking before we accept ideas as worthy of belief.”
In an article read recently at https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/321660 it says that becoming a critical thinker is “not just about the accumulation of facts and knowledge but shaped by our points of view, our life experiences and our perspectives”. Because of this, it’s impossible for people to remain completely objective.
We begin early in our childhood as we observe and perceive to understand the world around us. Observations are collected through data that will help us to form a deeper understanding of the world.
Being an inquisitive person that mulls over thoughts, it is often hard for a curious person to take everything at face value.
“Curiosity forces [oneself] to keep an open mind and propels towards gaining deeper knowledge…and also fundamental to being a lifelong learner,” the article states.
Analysis relies on observation as we gather and evaluate the evidence to come to a conclusion. Being aware of our biases and removing ourselves from a situation allows us to examine ourselves leading to greater insight.
“Critical thinkers challenge themselves to identify the evidence that forms their beliefs and assess whether or not those sources are credible.” It’s figuring out what information is “the most relevant, meaningful and important” that doesn’t necessarily come with a summary that lays out a path to a conclusion.
“Without compassion, we would view all information and situations from the viewpoint of cold, heartless scientific facts and data. But to be a good critical thinker, we must always take into account the human element. Not everything we do is about detached data and information -- it’s also about people.”
It takes humility to acknowledge our shortcomings and be aware of our flaws. When we have intellectual humility, the article says we “are open to other people’s viewpoints, to recognize when we are wrong and when we are willing to challenge our own beliefs when necessary.”
“Critical thinking means questioning long-established business practices and refusing to adhere to traditional methods simply because that’s the way it’s always been done. Critical thinkers are looking for smart, thoughtful answers and methods that take into account all the current and relevant information and practices available. Their willingness to challenge the status quo may seem controversial, but it’s an essential part of the creative and innovative mind of a critical thinker.”
Critical thinkers want to hear all perspectives and approach a question or situation with an open mind in an effort to see things possibly another way.
Many professions regard critical thinking as a necessary part of their calling.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
