PHILOSOPHY OF CRITICAL THINKING

PRESENTED BY:
Dona Stanley Nik Nor Adhiyah Nik Ibrahim

Introduction
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally. o The origins of critical thinking can be traced in Western from Socratic method of Ancient Greece and in the East from Buddhist Abhidharma. o It has been described as reasonable reflective thinking focused and deciding what to believe or do
o

Cont.
Critical thinking skills can be used in exposing fallacies and bad reasoning and it can play an important role in cooperative reasoning and constructive tasks. o Critical thinking can help us acquire knowledge, improve our theory and strengthen the arguments. o We can use critical thinking to enhance work processes and improve social institutions.
o

Cont.
o

Good critical thinking might be seen as the foundation of science and a liberal democratic society. Science requires the critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The proper functioning of a liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically about social issues to inform their judgments about proper governance and to overcome biases and prejudices.

Tools of Critical Thinking

Observation - Our minds are constantly observing and collecting information about world around us. Analysis - A way to evaluate things that we observe. Inference - Your assumptions cause you to come to conclusions (inferences). Your inferences then cause you to act accordingly. Prediction - method of applying your inferences to essentially guess what will happen.

Elements of Critical Thinking

Questioning skills Observation skills Effective listening skills Exploring written sources of information Reading skills Identifying underlying assumptions Identifying underlying values

Characteristics
o

Rationality

Rely on reason Require evidence Concerned more on the finding of the best explanation Weight the influences of motives and bias Recognize our own assumptions, prejudices, biases or point of view.

Self-awareness

Characteristic
o

Honesty

recognize our emotional impulses, selfish motives, nefarious purposes or other modes of self-decepticon remain open to alternative interpretations Accept a new explaination because it explains the evidence better Do not reject unpopular view out of hand

Open-mindedness

Characteristic
o

Discipline

Precise, comprehensive and exhaustive Resist manipulation and irrational appeals Avoid snap judgments Recognize the relevance of alternative assumptions and perspectives Recognize the extent and weight of evidence

Judgement

How to be critical thinker

Critical thinking calls for the ability to: i. Recognize problems, to find workable means for meeting those problems ii. Understand the importance of prioritization and order of precedence in problem solving iii. Gather and marshal relevant information iv. Recognize unstated assumptions and values

How to be critical thinker

v. vi.
vi. vii.

Comprehend and use language with accuracy and clarity Interpret data to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments Recognize the existence and non-existence of logical relationship between propositions Draw warranted conclusions and generalizations

How to be critical thinker

ix.
vi. x.

Put to test the conclusions and generalizations at which one arrives Reconstruct ones patterns of belief on the basis of wider experience Render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life.

Cont.
In sum A persistent effort to examine any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the evidence that supports it and the further conclusions to which it tends.

Importances of critical thinking

o

It is a domain-general thinking skill

Important in the new knowledge economy

Able to think clearly and rationally in every decision Being able to think well and solve problems systematically is an asset for any career Global knowledge economy is driven by information and technology, so one has to be able to deal with changes quickly and effectively. Increasing demands on flexible intellectual skills, ability to analyze information and solves problems. Thus, critical thinker is important in such fast-changing workplace.

Importances of critical thinking

o

It enhances language and presentation skills

It promotes creativity

thinking clearly and systematically can improve the way we express our idea. In learning on how to analyze the logical structure of text, critical thinking also improves comprehension skills. To come up with a creative solution must generates a lot of new ideas. The ideas must be relevant and useful. Critical thinking need to evaluate new ideas, select the best one and modify them if necessary.

Conclusions
o

Critical thinking skills help a person solve problems and offer creative solutions.
Critical thinking also leads to reflective thinking, so each experience is an educational one. Even people who do not have strong critical thinking skills can improve those skills.

It is important to increase critical thinking skills to look at problems in a logical way.

Good critical thinking is skillful and responsible thinking in which you study the problem from all angles, and then exercise your best judgment to draw conclusions.

THANK YOU