An Evaluation of some Critical Thinking Definitions
Defining critical
thinking is not an easy task. Here are just 4 attempts at defining it. Evaluations
of some of the definitions have been provided.
1. Michael
Scriven & Richard Paul - National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking
http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univclass/Defining.nclk
Michael Scriven and Richard Paul in a draft statement for the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking have tried to summarize critical thinking, coming up with the following definition:
Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and
skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating
information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection,
reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univclass/Defining.nclk
(Michael Scriven and Richard Paul)
They go on to identify two components of critical thinking:
1. a set of skills to process
and generate information and beliefs, and
2. the habit, based on intellectual commitment, of using those skills to guide
behaviour.
Thus to be contrasted with:
1. the mere acquisition and
retention of information alone, (because it involves a particular way in which
information is sought and treated,)
2. the mere possession of a set of skills, (because it involves the continual
use of them,) and
3. the mere use of those skills ("as an exercise") without acceptance
of their results.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univclass/Defining.nclk
(Michael Scriven and Richard Paul)
This definition does however have some key fundamentals, which I would find disagreement with.
Firstly '…as a guide to belief and action.' critical thinking by its very nature does not require either belief or action. Belief in the information as a pre-requisite to the critical thinking process is creating the bias which critical thinking itself is trying to uncover and avoid. Requiring action is assuming that the process of observation, reasoning, reflection or communication have provided grounds for that action. Non-action may in some cases be the required result.
The point about the mere use of critical thinking skills as an exercise is a valid one, however, I do not believe that one has to accept the results of this critical thinking. Moreover, one should be able to critically analyze those results as with any other information one is presented with, and also to recognize ones own bias in relation to the application of the critical thinking process.
Foundation for Critical Thinking
http://www.criticalthinking.org/eventsisc/seminars.html
Critical thinking is not an isolated goal unrelated to other important
goals in education. Rather, it is a seminal goal which, done well, simultaneously
facilitates a rainbow of other ends. It is best conceived, therefore, as the
hub around which all other educational ends cluster.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/eventsisc/seminars.html
This is a good definition as far as it goes, the concept that critical thinking plays or should play, an integral part of the education process is one that should be supported. The implication that use of critical thinking provides endless scope, or a rainbow of opportunity is a key point in critical thinking.
In my view however, this definition does not show the full spectrum of ideas that critical thinking has to offer. It is more a definition of its use rather than the concept itself. It does not identify any process or method, although perhaps this is right in that the definition of critical thinking should not be clouded by rules and methods.
Simon and Kapplan, 1989.
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/ctac/definitions.htm
From a collection of definitions compiled by Barbara Fowler, Longview
Community College
Critical thinking is the formation
of logical inferences.
Simon and Kapplan, 1989.
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/ctac/definitions.htm
Does critical thinking have to be logical? Does this not dismiss a whole range of valid conceptualization, not based on logical inferences, but thinking round the problem rather than through it enabling the thinking in multiple dimensions.
Michael J. Veschio
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/users/Mahoney/class/michael/define.html
Critical Thinking: An active,
purposeful, organized cognitive process we use to carefully examine our thinking
and the thinking of others, in order to clarify and improve our understanding.
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/users/Mahoney/class/michael/define.html
A good definition. However, the question which the author also raises further in the website is that this may not be an active process, but more a process that is done without conscious decisions. This definition also looks at the personal critical thinking process. However, one must not forget that this process is used to advance science on an everyday basis, and is therefore not only a personal process but one which is shared throughout the academic community of ones particular field.