Alan Durndell

Critical thinking is defined as the process of actively and skillfully analyzing facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to arrive at reasoned conclusions. It involves identifying assumptions, justifying ideas, evaluating them from various perspectives, and assessing their rationality and consequences. The ultimate aim is to form judgments through unbiased, skeptical, and logical evaluation. While the phrase "critical thinking" is attributed to John Dewey, its roots can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato, who emphasized the importance of questioning authority and seeking evidence for knowledge. The term itself, derived from the Greek "kritikos" meaning "critic" or "judge," highlights the analytical and discerning nature of this intellectual skill. It is considered a learnable competency that requires self-discipline, self-monitoring, and a commitment to overcoming egocentrism and sociocentrism to achieve effective communication and problem-solving.

The foundations of critical thinking can be observed in the dialogues of ancient Greece, particularly in the methods of Socrates as recorded by Plato. Socrates' approach involved persistent questioning to expose the unreliability of assumed knowledge and authorities, urging individuals to critically examine their beliefs and seek evidence. Plato himself noted Socrates' practice of questioning the ethics of escaping prison, ultimately concluding that adherence to Athenian law and an inner guiding voice superseded personal freedom. This Socratic method, a form of cooperative argumentation, necessitated comparative judgment of facts and revealed irrational thinking. In modern times, the term "critical thinking" was popularized by philosopher John Dewey, who linked it to "reflective thinking." The concept evolved to encompass a disciplined intellectual process of analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to guide beliefs and actions, with formal definitions emerging in the late 20th century.

Critical thinking is understood as an "intellectually disciplined process" of conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information from various sources like observation, experience, and reasoning. It is characterized by clear, rational, and open-minded thinking, informed by evidence. Key features include inquisitiveness, open-mindedness, systematic analysis, persistence in seeking truth, and confidence in the process. It involves a commitment to using reason and self-regulation to form judgments, with an emphasis on understanding the evidential, conceptual, and contextual underpinnings of those judgments. Some contemporary interpretations expand this to include creativity, imagination, and empathy, while others focus strictly on logical and objective analysis.

The study of logic and rationality is integral to critical thinking, focusing on the appraisal of arguments and the differentiation between true and false statements. Early approaches, termed "First wave" thinking, emphasized an objective, detached analysis of concepts, free from bias, aligning with formal logic procedures. This perspective suggests that legitimate thinking must conform to logical structures, aiming for analytical, abstract, and objective examination. Such principles often correlate with a quantitative view of the world. The evolution of critical thinking acknowledges the need for self-directed, self-monitored, and self-corrected habits of mind, moving beyond mere logical adherence to encompass a broader, more nuanced approach to understanding and problem-solving.