WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING? Critical thinking is about evaluating beliefs. It
is not about where your beliefs come from. It’s about which beliefs are worth
And it’s more likely to be true if there are good reasons to believe it.
Why is critical thinking rational? Rational standers and how well they are
supported by reasons.
Critical thinking can complement creative thinking because it helps the mind to find
more ways to think and explore.
“Critical thinking is the systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs, or
statements, by rational standards.”
It’s systematic because it involves distinct procedures and methods (not
just gut feelings).
It’s used to evaluate existing beliefs and formulate new ones.
It evaluates beliefs in terms of how well they are supported by reasons.
W HY SHOULD WE THINK CRITICALLY ?
Because who we are is in large part determined by our actions and choices and our
actions and choices are in turn determined by our thoughts and belief