Critical thinking, as a topic, has dominated many of my recent conversations. I must admit, I welcome and love the discourse, particularly because we, as a society, seem to be losing our ability to have civil conversations on tough topics. Equally concerning is the apparent lack of critical thought that not only questions our opinions, but also informs them. We seem content to be fed our thoughts, and then willfully allow ourselves to be microphones for others’ opinions, agendas, etc., without ever deeply considering why.
So what is critical thinking? By definition, it is “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.” Let’s dig into the intended order of events:
- The objective analysis..of an issue: To properly, and maturely, come to a conclusion or opinion, based on facts, hopefully data supported, deep thought, and consideration of an issue. A quick Google search on “objective analysis” provides this result: “Subjective information or writing is based on personal opinions, interpretations, points of view, emotions, and judgment. It is often considered ill-suited for scenarios like news reporting or decision making in business or politics. Objective information or analysis is fact-based, measurable, and observable.” I suggest reading that again and allowing it to sink in.
- …and evaluation of an issue: I chose to split analysis and evaluation because they are distinct efforts, and both are required to form a judgment. Generally speaking, analysis can be summed up as the in-depth study of available material to best understand the data in question. Evaluation is the process that determines the value and importance of the data and arrives at a conclusion. Analysis and evaluation go hand in hand, and both require time, effort, and thought.
- …in order to form a judgment: Finally, we arrive at the final step, where a judgment, stance, opinion, position, etc. are formed. This is the third step, not the first! Arriving at this step without the previous steps is irresponsible and not worthy of our time. We should challenge and test our judgements with the amazing and beautiful brains God gave us, critically considering why we think and feel the way we do.
In closing, it’s always important to remember that we hold our opinions dear until we are presented with information that allows us to have better opinions. This is growth, and we should welcome conversations that challenge what we believe to be true.
Written by David Gutierrez
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