While the term “critical thinking” is a relatively new one that developed in the last few decades, the concept of critical thinking has been around for hundreds of years. Critical thinking involves going beyond the basic acquisition and retention of information to taking those facts and using a variety of tools to actively analyze, conceptualize and apply them to your own life to influence thinking and behavior. It incorporates an evaluation of the information, rather than a mere acceptance of it. While critical thinking varies based on the information and the individual involved in the process, there are some fundamental features of critical thinking that we will explore here.
Fact, Opinion and Inference
Critical thinking distinguishes between fact, opinion and inference in the information that is received. These three terms can be defined in the following ways:
-
Fact – A statement of truth that has been indisputably proven and can be easily checked for accuracy. “Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968″ is considered a fact.
-
Opinion – A statement of value based on an individual’s beliefs or judgment. “Martin Luther King Jr. was the most significant historical figure in the 20th century” is an opinion. While there is little argument that Dr. King had a significant impact on history, other individuals could arguably be considered equally or more significant throughout history.
-
Inference – A logical conclusion derived from the facts presented. “Martin Luther King Jr. had significant impact on the Civil Rights Movement” is a logical conclusion when one considers the number of followers Dr. King had and the causes he supported.
When using critical thinking to process information, the first step is to determine which category the information falls into. At that point, you can decide what your reaction to the information will be.
Sources
Another aspect of critical thinking is to determine the source of the information, rather than simply accepting it at face value. The accuracy of facts is directly related to the source from which they originate. There are two types of sources that generally provide information; primary sources and secondary sources:
-
Primary Sources – Primary sources offer information directly, without using another person to interpret or report the information. Primary sources might include eyewitnesses to events, court records or government documents.
-
Secondary Sources – Like the game “Telephone,” secondary sources provide information that has come from another origin. In many cases, secondary sources collect their information from a variety of primary ones to ensure accurate interpretation of the data. Examples of secondary sources might include news reports, magazine articles or history books.
To determine the accuracy of information, it is important to identify the source of the material. If you cannot easily find the original source, the information you gather must be carefully analyzed for accuracy and absence of bias or value judgments placed on the facts.
Making Arguments
Critical thinkers do not accept information at face value; instead they formulate arguments for every assertion to help them determine the logic, credibility and impact of the material in question. Arguments have two basic features; the claim and the support for the claim:
-
Claim – A piece of information that includes the opinion, judgment or idea from the source.
-
Support – The evidence and reasons that support the source’s claims.
When the claim and support are consistent with one another, the information is usually easier to accept. When this does not happen, critical thinkers will evaluate alternatives and reasons why the alternatives might be more accurate.
Deceptive Arguments
In some cases, writers use emotional appeals to sway the recipients of their information to their point of view. There are a variety of techniques used for this purpose, including:
-
Scare tactics to create fear in the reader so he turns to the writer’s point of view
-
The idea that “everyone is doing it,” implying this is the only right viewpoint
-
Exaggerating or attacking the opposing idea to make the writer’s view more realistic
-
Testimonials from others who support the writer’s view
-
Using inflammatory words rather than facts to sway the reader
- Using general information or statistics to support an argument rather than specifics to the topic at hand
An established critical thinker will easily recognize such tactics and disregard information presented in this way until further sources can be found to support the information accurately.
Critical thinking moves us beyond the basic acceptance of information to delving into the facts to determine their accuracy and authenticity for ourselves. Whether you are reading a history book or the latest news, critical thinking is necessary to accurately process information and find the truths that may or may not be nestled within.
