Critical Thinking article by Dan Kurland including embedded mini quiz: Fal14 PHSC 002 #2491 SCIENTIFIC METHOD AS CRITICAL -Online
Critical Thinking article by Dan Kurland including embedded mini quiz
What is Critical Thinking? by Dan Kurland (used here with author permission)
No one always acts purely objectively and rationally. We connive for selfish interests. We gossip, boast, exaggerate, and equivocate. It is "only human" to wish to validate our prior knowledge, to vindicate our prior decisions, or to sustain our earlier beliefs. In the process of satisfying our ego, however, we can often deny ourselves intellectual growth and opportunity. We may not always want to apply critical thinking skills, but we should have those skills available to be employed when needed.
Critical thinking includes a complex combination of skills. Among the main characteristics are the following:
Rationality
We are thinking critically when we rely on reason rather than emotion, require evidence, ignore no known evidence, and follow evidence where it leads, and are concerned more with finding the best explanation than being right analyzing apparent confusion and asking questions.
https://canvas.pasadena.edu/courses/898804/pages/critical-thinking
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Critical Thinking article by Dan Kurland including embedded mini quiz: Fal14 PHSC 002 #2491 SCIENTIFIC METHOD AS CRITICAL -Online
Self-awareness
We are thinking critically when we weigh the influences of motives and bias, and recognize our own assumptions, prejudices, biases, or point of view.
Honesty
We are thinking critically when we recognize emotional impulses, selfish motives, nefarious purposes, or other modes of self-deception.
Open-mindedness
We are thinking critically when we evaluate all reasonable inferences consider a variety of possible viewpoints or perspectives, remain open to alternative interpretations accept a new explanation, model, or paradigm