Critical Thinking An education’s central mission

The Big Question Everywhere we look, someone is making some claim or other about our behavior and experience, trying to make money and influence us. Everywhere we look, someone is making some claim or other about our behavior and experience, trying to make money and influence us. How can we tell the difference between what is legitimate and beneficial and what is merely puffed-up advertising or just plain wrong? How can we tell the difference between what is legitimate and beneficial and what is merely puffed-up advertising or just plain wrong?

Critical Thinking Making crucial decisions on carefully accumulated evidence and well supported reasons Making crucial decisions on carefully accumulated evidence and well supported reasons Not based on emotion or misplaced belief on isolated occurances Not based on emotion or misplaced belief on isolated occurances

Shouldn’t we be open-minded? Sure, everyone should carefully evaluate new claims, ideas, and perspectives. Sure, everyone should carefully evaluate new claims, ideas, and perspectives. But they must be assessed by the long- standing, tried and true, standards and methods of science that have separated the helpful from the bogus for centuries. But they must be assessed by the long- standing, tried and true, standards and methods of science that have separated the helpful from the bogus for centuries.

Hallmarks of Critical Thinking Ask questions Ask questions Much is undiscovered, uncertain, unsolved Much is undiscovered, uncertain, unsolved We must first ask the questions before we can find the answers We must first ask the questions before we can find the answers A child-like sense of wonder will open our eyes and spark our creativity A child-like sense of wonder will open our eyes and spark our creativity

Define terms precisely Before we can productively anything we must first establish exactly what we are talking about Before we can productively anything we must first establish exactly what we are talking about Imprecision leads to confusion and unnecessary arguments Imprecision leads to confusion and unnecessary arguments

Examine evidence Look carefully to assess a claim’s foundation Look carefully to assess a claim’s foundation Based upon mere opinion? Based upon mere opinion? A few intriguing but isolated occurrences or anecdotes? A few intriguing but isolated occurrences or anecdotes? Careful observation? Careful observation? Sweeping analyses of relationships? Sweeping analyses of relationships? Experimentation subjected to peer review? Experimentation subjected to peer review?

Look behind assumptions Do we start our inquiry already leaning to a particular outcome? Do we start our inquiry already leaning to a particular outcome? Bias – an assumption or belief that unfairly influences our appraisal of the evidence Bias – an assumption or belief that unfairly influences our appraisal of the evidence We attack a position before considering it objectively because we just know that it is wrong We attack a position before considering it objectively because we just know that it is wrong Many biases are hidden or subtle. Many biases are hidden or subtle.

The peril of oversimplification Human behavior is complicated and influenced by dozens of factors Human behavior is complicated and influenced by dozens of factors Anecdotes are compelling but often are controlled by hidden factors Anecdotes are compelling but often are controlled by hidden factors Worse yet, they might not reflect the views or behaviors of large groups as a whole. Worse yet, they might not reflect the views or behaviors of large groups as a whole.

Tolerating uncertainty Easy to say – hard to do. Easy to say – hard to do. We want clear, definite answers. We want clear, definite answers. We rarely get them. We rarely get them. Sometimes we lack enough evidence, sometimes what we have is confusing or frustratingly complex Sometimes we lack enough evidence, sometimes what we have is confusing or frustratingly complex We must be patient, open-minded and hopeful. We must be patient, open-minded and hopeful.

An unending quest To make the best decisions possible, we must use these methods and skills To make the best decisions possible, we must use these methods and skills We never stop needing them. We never stop needing them. It isn’t easy. It isn’t easy. But, if we keep these basic principles in mind, we will make fewer mistakes and spend our time, money, and energy more effectively. But, if we keep these basic principles in mind, we will make fewer mistakes and spend our time, money, and energy more effectively.