The Importance of Being a Critical Thinker
Shantee Charles
M. Keith Claybrook, Jr., PhD.
AFRS 150-04 Critical Thinking in Africana Studies
11 October 2016
Introduction
A critical thinker is “ self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective ”, , they “entail effective communication and problem-solving abilities, as well as a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism” (Critical Thinking.org). Critical thinkers go beyond what information is given by pushing themselves to analyze every detail, whether or not they agree with the result. They find significance within arguments and evaluate how and why it can affect their societies for the better or for the worst. Furthermore, everyone has a worldview, or a certain conception of the world around them. Worldview is a philosophy of life that incorporates someone's experiences to help influence their comprehension of their own beliefs and morals present in their society. Critical Thinking not only allows one to think clearly and concisely about issues, but it also diminishes bias and allows one to find true understanding and meaning through their worldview.
Clear and Concise Thinking
Being able to clearly understand an issue is pertinent when it comes to critical thinking and establishing a worldview. Without research, people cannot form valid opinions. Vincent Ryan Ruggiero states that before forming an opinion, critical thinkers have to ask themselves “What is Evidence?” and “What Constitutes Sufficient Evidence?” (Ruggiero 80). Evidence are the facts that prove someone's beliefs to be true. When discovering if evidence is sufficient or not, people need to have certainty in their findings. Some ways to gain certainty are through articles, experiments, surveys, news sources, books, fact checking websites, personal experiences and experts, etc. Once all of the research is discovered, people can finally think clearly about the issue that is at hand. Therefore allowing them to successfully and responsibly form their opinions. For example, a person can believe that their favorite political nominee can do no harm just based off of their own observations and hypotheses until they are proven wrong through research . If someone wants to become an efficient critical thinker, they have to know the importance of fact checking. Even people with the highest credentials are often proven to be incorrect due to their lack of evidence. Some well known examples of experts who were wrong about their theories are scientists who thought that the world was flat, or that the sun revolved around the Earth. At the time they believed that they were correct, but after years of research done by future scientists, their theories were proven to be false. Critical thinking teaches people to diminish their underlying assumptions, distinguish them, and also allows for them to think concisely by focusing on what really needs to be said and discounting what does not. People have to open their minds to different perspectives, and listen to criticism from people who will oppose their certain beliefs or values. It is pertinent to be relevant, use evidence, and be as clear as possible when presenting an opinion to others because it displays the accuracy and the importance of your view as an individual.
Diminishing Biases
During arguments, thoughts are often ignored from others and people tend to stick with their own biases. Warren Buffett concluded that “What the human being is best at doing is interpreting all new information so that their prior conclusions remain intact”, but “critical thinking relies on the accurate processing of new and existing information to provide an answer to the current question” (Says). Efficient critical thinking requires research, but many people only look for information that strengthens their own biases. They ignore counter arguments and facts that might hinder their opinions. They settle with what is their “truth”, even though it might be mistaken because they are steadfast in their ways. Confirmation bias can actually hinder one's thinking more than someone else’s argument can hinder theirs. For example, someone who could be an opposer of gun regulation laws most likely will only look for news sources that align with the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms. As a result, they end up ignoring statistics about police brutality, mass shootings, gang violence, and all of the crime rates relating to guns present in the United States. A big part of confirmation bias is assuming something is true. Even experiences people face in their life create biases. If someone was robbed by an hispanic male, or talked down by a black woman, they will create their own truth about someone or something based off of one experience. In this case, having a bias against hispanic males or black women would be stereotyping. These stereotypes are apart of paradigms, which are concepts, or assumptions that can constitute one’s view on reality. People cannot assume that because someone looks, talks, walks etc. a certain way or has different morals, religions, beliefs, that it means that they are too different or dangerous. Biases can blind people from learning the complete truth. Through critical thinking, people are challenged to respect and listen to the perspectives of those around them even though they might disagree.
Gaining True Understanding Through World View
Societal problems like racism, police brutality, politics etc. create division within countries. People who have the ability to critically think, find different ways and solutions to issues that surround them. Like a math problem, there are usually many different ways to get to an answer. Listening to the experiences of others, and researching different cultures influence someone's understanding. In critical thinking, “Beliefs are born in experience, and experience teaches us to remain flexible in the face of an ever-changing world. This flexibility is manifested in the dynamic character of the system of representations that constitutes our conception of the world, or worldview” (webpages.uidaho.edu) . People’s worldviews have changed many times, and will continue to change with the upcoming nuances that will be present in the future. Change allows for critical thinkers to come up with more ideas and form new perspectives on problems facing the world. People who have careers in sociology, anthropology, psychology, creative writing, journalism, politics etc. are some examples of critical thinkers who continue to efficiently examine why the world works the way that it does. All of these scholars push to ask questions about why there are stereotypes, where do they come from, who is affected by them, how to initiate changes effectively from them, and why do certain privileges exist. All of the questions that are asked can illustrate worldviews productively because they try to find meaning in social structures, contexts, norms, and issues. Once people find the answers to their questions, they can begin to understand their own beliefs and philosophies more adequately than they did initially.
Conclusion
Critical thinkers think clearly, free of bias’, and look for significance in their values through the lense of worldview. It is crucial in critical thinking to research in order to form valid opinions, to listen to the perspectives of others, and continue to find solutions no matter how much the world continues to change and grow. As a result, Critical thinking is important because it allows someone to think independently without making assumptions, find relevance when analyzing, investigate their values, look for connections between different perspectives, listen to criticism from opposers, and improve the development of intellectual and cognitive skills within an individual.
Works Cited
"Appendix 1: Critical Thinking and Worldview." Appendix 1: Critical Thinking and Worldview. N.p., 17 June 2001. Web. 10 Oct. 2016. <http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/crit_think/Critical%20Spirit.htm>.
"Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking." Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016. <https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-concept-of-critical-thinking/411>.
Ruggiero, Vincent Ryan. Beyond Feelings: A Guide to Critical Thinking. Port Washington, NY: Alfred Pub., 1975. Print.
Says, Ed Michalski. "4 Common Cognitive Biases To Avoid For Crystal-Clear Critical Thinking." Dr Gs BrainWorks. N.p., 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 04 Oct. 2016. <https://drgsbrainworks.com/2014/11/cognitive-biases/>.