As a discipline, critical thinking is generally believed to have originated from the concept of "reflective thinking" put forward by Dewey, an American philosopher and educator. Then in the 1920s, the American Association for Progressive Education launched a critical thinking movement in primary and secondary education, the most famous of which was "eight-year study".
Its main achievements are in two aspects. One is that the word "critical thinking" has officially replaced Dewey's "reflective thinking". The other is to develop a set of critical thinking test questions, "Watson-Glazer critical thinking assessment", which is still in use today.
Since 1970s and 1980s, experts have put forward various definitions of critical thinking. I roughly divide these definitions into two categories. The first category I call "reactive definition", that is, its focus is on evaluating existing intellectual achievements. Its key word is "query and evaluation". The second definition, which I call "constructive definition", focuses on making judgments and decisions in complex situations, and its key word is "judgment and decision".
For example, anyone who knows a little about critical thinking will probably have heard of Ennis's definition, which is a typical constructive definition. "Critical thinking is a reasonable reflective thinking for deciding what to believe or do." In other words, its ultimate goal is how to use critical thinking to make comprehensive decisions on complex issues, not just to evaluate what others say or demonstrate. Ennis's definition is widely quoted and has far-reaching influence. It is broad enough to cover situations that require critical thinking to the greatest extent. But such critical thinking is almost the same as "good thinking".
Critical thinking also has a definition, which comes from Richard Paul, another leading figure in critical thinking. He believes that the goal of critical thinking is based on well-founded judgment, which determines the true value of things by using appropriate evaluation criteria. Critical thinking has three dimensions: analysis, evaluation and creation. This definition gives some standards and is more operable.
In the final analysis, critical thinking is a tool, and it is a tool that is effective for you and kind to the other party. We encourage you to use this tool to discover the truth of the world, and don't stop you from discovering the beauty of your faith because of your own prejudice.
Critical thinking is reflective thinking, which has three key words: persistent questioning, pluralistic views and rational judgment. The refinement of these three words comes from the sharing of Professor Wu Zhihong and is also based on the study of western critical thinking.
1.？ Persistent questioning: No matter what other people's views are, no matter what your own views are, you should have a sense of questioning. We should recognize and admit our limitations and be curious and patient about complex problems. But I don't question for questioning, I don't fall into doubt, I don't believe anything anymore. Questioning is to better believe.
2.？ Multiple viewpoints: recognize that many problems are complex. Treat different views equally with an open mind. Be interested in other people's opinions, not just thinking about how to convince others. Don't think that your opinion is the best, but it doesn't mean that you must fully accept others' opinions.
3.？ Rational judgment: rationality means not being manipulated by feelings, but being able to make wise judgments after careful consideration and evidence. On the basis of rational judgment, make decisions, solve problems and take actions.
There are different Chinese translations of critical thinking. Critical thinking is the earliest and most widely spread translation, and there is a corresponding relationship between criticism and judgment. Only in the past few decades, China society has misunderstood the word criticism, thinking that criticism is negation.
The Hong Kong Board of Education once used the word "critical thinking", which was later translated as "critical thinking", which is useful for debate or discrimination. In fact, everyone is talking about critical thinking in English. Which translation is used is not the most important in itself, but more important is to understand its connotation.
Critical thinking is a way of thinking that can question a certain point of view and give reasonable basis and arguments to support this question. Critical thinking contributes to individual rational thinking and objective decision-making, and plays a positive role for us as individuals and even enterprises.
Critical thinking is an important starting point for enterprises to make rational decisions. Generally speaking, the decision-making of enterprises needs to comprehensively consider multiple factors such as internal and external environment, and faces greater complexity, uncertainty and risk.
Critical thinking is an effective help to promote individual rational thinking. With the advent of the information age, people receive more and more information, and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between true and false. Critical thinking can help individuals to establish the consciousness of rational analysis, optimize the way of looking at problems, and improve their ability to distinguish, analyze and extract information. On the one hand, it helps to improve the individual's independent thinking ability and not fall into a herd state; On the other hand, it also enables us to use information more effectively to assist our own decision-making.
Education is to hope that students can succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Should our education also regard critical thinking as the core competence of human beings? I have always believed that critical thinking ability is really just needed, but most people don't realize it.
People live in a way shaped by society, but never think about other possibilities of life. Many people are used to the present situation of this society and never think about what kind of better society our children might live in. Change can start with changing your own thinking.