Docencia de las habilidades integradas

Summary: Definition and characteristics of Critical Thinking.

Student: Justo Mejia Marin.

One of our most special and unique abilities as human beings is the ability to think. The
ability to use the perfection of our brains to create thoughts. Without thinking, humankind
as we have understood it since ages ago and now in the present, could never be the same.
But how abstract can thinking be? how does it happen? when does it happen? why does it
happen? and what is the purpose of it? “Thinking” left to itself gets prejudiced, biased,
distorted, partial and uninformed.
Giving answers to those questions can only (sometimes and in many cases) raise even more
questions, like the one concerning this summary, which is: What is critical thinking? I
understood and formed my understanding and definition of it as a type of thinking that in
the most general way improves the quality of what we produce, make or build which is
directly and absolutely related to the quality of our thought itself.
It is an intellectually disciplined process, based on universal intellectual values, where the
examination of elements of thought (clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance,
good reasons and depth) vary according to the motivation underlying it. It is directly
dependent on the quality and depth of experience in a given domain or field of knowledge.
Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined, self-directed, self-monitored, and self-
corrective thinking. The development of such thinking and all the skills and dispositions it
requires is a life-long and probably never-ending learning experience, since it attempts to
reason at the highest level of quality.
What kind of a person would be apt to use their critical thinking skills then? The experts
poetically describe such a person as having “a critical spirit.” Having a critical spirit does not
mean that the person is always negative and hypercritical of everyone and everything. It
means the opposite of illogical, irrational thinking and for that reason a critical thinker needs
to consider and be able to use the following cognitive skills and dispositions: interpretation,
analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation.
When a critical thinker fires up interpretation he might be asking himself this sort of
questions:

 what does this mean?

 why is this happening?
 how should I understand this?
 what is the best way to characterize, categorize or classify this?
When a critical thinker analyses:

 what is your conclusion?

 what is your claim?
Docencia de las habilidades integradas
Summary: Definition and characteristics of Critical Thinking.
Student: Justo Mejia Marin.
 why do you think that?
 what assumptions can we make to accept that conclusion?
when a critical thinker evaluates?

 how credible is that?

 how strong are those arguments?

 how confident can we be in our conclusions?

When a critical thinker infers:

 what does this evidence imply?
 if we abandoned or accepted that conclusion how would things change?
 what are the consequences of doing this in that way?
 what are some alternatives we haven’t yet explored?
When a critical thinker explains:
 what are the specific findings and result of thinking that way?
 how did you come to that interpretation?
 why do you think that was the right answer or solution?
 how did you conduct that analysis?
When a critical thinker regulates himself:
 Is there a way we reconcile these apparently conflicting conclusions?
 how good is our evidence?
 MY position is still too vague. Can I be more precise?
 What am I missing?
Critical thinking is about how you approach problems, questions, issues. It is the best way
we know to get to the truth. The ideal critical thinker can be characterized not merely by
her or his cognitive skills but also by how she or he approaches life and living in general.
The approaches to life and living which characterize critical thinking include:
* inquisitiveness with regard to a wide range of issues,
* concern to become and remain well-informed,
* alertness to opportunities to use critical thinking,
* trust in the processes of reasoned inquiry,
Docencia de las habilidades integradas
Summary: Definition and characteristics of Critical Thinking.
Student: Justo Mejia Marin.

* self-confidence in one’s own abilities to reason,

* open-mindedness regarding divergent world views,
* flexibility in considering alternatives and opinions
* understanding of the opinions of other people,
* fair-mindedness in appraising reasoning,
* honesty in facing one’s own biases, prejudices, stereotypes, or egocentric tendencies,
* prudence in suspending, making or altering judgments,
* willingness to reconsider and revise views where honest reflection suggests that change
is warranted.
Strong critical thinking has nothing to do with any given set of cultural beliefs, religious
tenants, ethical values, social mores, political orientations, or orthodoxies of any kind.
Rather, the commitment one makes as a strong critical thinker is to always seek the truth
with objectivity, integrity, and fair-mindedness. The majority of experts maintain that
critical thinking conceived of as we have described it above, is, regrettably, not inconsistent
with abusing one’s knowledge, skills, or power.
References:
(Edward M. Glaser, An Experiment in the Development of Critical Thinking, Teacher’s
College, Columbia University, 1941)
http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/define_critical_thinking.cfm
American Philosophical Association, Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for
Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction. "The Delphi Report," Committee on
Pre-College Philosophy. (ERIC Doc. No. ED 315 423). 1990

Brookfield, Stephen D.: Developing Critical Thinkers: Challenging Adults to Explore

Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting. Joey- Bass Publishers. San-Francisco, CA. 1987.