Critical Thinking Matters
“Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts”
(Peter A. Facione)
- summary –
The article starts with emphasizing the importance of making good decisions and practicing fair judgments comparing with enduring the consequences of uninformed and bad choices. Next topic is defining “critical thinking”, which is based on rhetorical questions that can help each of us deducing by ourselves what it means and why it is important. Whenever you are in the position to choose, you have to analyze all the options you have, find logical and rational reasons for one or another alternative. This way of defining a concept by challenging the reader to think and find answers to the questions raised is much more useful than a complex definition written …show more content…
A central investigator organizes the group and gives them a first task/question to answer; after receiving the responses, he/she summarizes them and sends back to the whole group for reactions, without mentioning the respondents’ names. Once the consensus appears to be reached, the central investigator proposes it and asks for feedback. If they do not agree, then each point of disagreement is registered. Being a critical thinker is something positive, this doesn’t necessary mean that one is hypercritical or negativist, this is the best way to get the truth and it is important to use the skills you have (actually it is a pervasive “law”, you cannot decide not to think). Human beings are more than “thinking machines”, this is why they can have different attitudes towards critical thinking: systematic, analytical, open-minded, confident in reasoning, truth-seeking, judicious or
(Peter A. Facione)
- summary –
The article starts with emphasizing the importance of making good decisions and practicing fair judgments comparing with enduring the consequences of uninformed and bad choices. Next topic is defining “critical thinking”, which is based on rhetorical questions that can help each of us deducing by ourselves what it means and why it is important. Whenever you are in the position to choose, you have to analyze all the options you have, find logical and rational reasons for one or another alternative. This way of defining a concept by challenging the reader to think and find answers to the questions raised is much more useful than a complex definition written …show more content…
A central investigator organizes the group and gives them a first task/question to answer; after receiving the responses, he/she summarizes them and sends back to the whole group for reactions, without mentioning the respondents’ names. Once the consensus appears to be reached, the central investigator proposes it and asks for feedback. If they do not agree, then each point of disagreement is registered. Being a critical thinker is something positive, this doesn’t necessary mean that one is hypercritical or negativist, this is the best way to get the truth and it is important to use the skills you have (actually it is a pervasive “law”, you cannot decide not to think). Human beings are more than “thinking machines”, this is why they can have different attitudes towards critical thinking: systematic, analytical, open-minded, confident in reasoning, truth-seeking, judicious or