Components and Concepts of Critical Thinking

Components of Critical Thinking

• Critical thinking consists of two components: context of discovery and context of justification.

Critical Thinking as a Concept

By Bell

• Critical thinking is developed through debates, which involve analyzing problems, finding evidence, constructing a case, organizing information, planning, refutation, and rebuttal.

By Brookfield

• Critical thinking does not solely involve cognitive skills, but also the role of emotion.
• It is a dynamic process that questions assumptions, whether right or wrong.

Attitudes of Critical Thinkers

By Nelson Goodman

• Critical thinkers have a broad mind and work hard.

By Stuart Mill

• Both teachers and learners can become complacent when there is no challenge or opposition.

By Needleman

• Being open-minded does not mean being so receptive that one's brain falls out.

Definitions

• Dogmatic: characterized by authoritative, arrogant assertion of approved principles.
• Gullible: easily deceived or cheated.
• Open-Minded: showing a mind receptive to new ideas or arguments, unprejudiced, unbigoted, and impartial.
• Skepticism: a doubting or questioning attitude or state of mind.

Attitudes of Critical Thinkers

By Todd & Schultz

• Open-Mindedness:
  • Aware of positive and negative sides of a proposal.
  • Accept the fact of varying viewpoints.
  • Accept that one's own views may be wrong.
• Skepticism:
  • Questions raised are vital, relevant, precise, and clear.

Characteristics of Critical Thinkers

• Decisions can be explained by good reasons.
• Consider others' biases and presumptions with an open mind when answering conflicts.
• Factors that could develop solutions and analyze solutions:
  • Judgement based on cognitive and affective skills.
  • Personal intuitions.
  • Past experiences.

Conditions that Hinder Critical Thinking

• Apophenia: a mental phenomenon in which the individual sees patterns and relates them to a particular concept or principle.
• Pareidolia.
• Autokinetic Effect.
• Hypersensory perception.
• Intellectual blindness.

Intellectual Virtues

• Intellectual sense of justice: validating a claim based on evidence, not on personal opinions or feelings.
• Faith in reason: being faithful to one's cognitive skills to deliver favorable results.
• Intellectual perseverance: being patient and prepared for frustrations and discouragement.
• Intellectual integrity: judging all situations fairly, regardless of personal biases.
• Intellectual empathy: involving emotional and objective involvement.
• Intellectual courage: possessing the right attitude to accept different possibilities, such as challenges, trials, and even humiliation.