2nd April, 2011.
Critical thinking
Critical thinking refers to assessments of statements correctly. It can basically refer to thinking about thoughts. In a wider sense, it refers to an intellectual process of active and conceptual application and analysis of information. This can be summarized as the process of evaluation of information that is generated through reasoning, experience, observation, reflections, reasoning etc.
Generally the purpose of critical thinking is to deeply examine assumptions and bring forth the hidden meanings of statements, assess their evidences and also their conclusions.
The occurrence of critical thinking takes place whenever judgment, decisions or problems are solved. Critical thinking is basically essential for those who are aspiring to be good writers.
In it, critical thinking is made up of skills that enable one to take the whole process of decision making and problem solving. Some of these skills include interpretation, inferences, evaluation, analysis, observation, meta-cognition and explanation. Despite having these skills in critical thinking analysis, one has to employ logics, credibility precision among other intellectual criteria.
Creative thinking and creativity are also skills used in critical thinking. These two terms have been used interchangeably and have brought confusions to people. Critical thinking involves scientific assessment while creativity refers to the innovativeness. These as re important in psychology because the students are evaluate the information in terms of its quality. This will include the differentiation of empirical evidence. From this skills, it is possible to identify and at the same time evaluate the context, the source and the credibility of the information used. It is also possible to recognize at the same time defend the society at large against fallacies. This skill helps in evaluation of the information that the media poses for the psychological research.
In the respect to the creative thinking, it helps to pursue approaches that are unusual intentionally. It also helps in recognizing and encouraging behavior in others and creative thinking in people. From this skill people are able to evaluate new ideas with open mindedness.
Skeptical inquiry as a skill of critical thinking skill refers to the method of investigation with an aim of guiding the evaluation which claims facts. It precisely involves proving what one claims to be or not true.
This skill draws its judgment values in the empirical evidence that the claims justify. This skill tries to identify and articulate the assumptions .basically, skepticism is based on the evidences that are drawn from empiricism and fallibility.
From this skill psychologists are able to recognize and develop, to defend and criticize persuasive appeals and arguments. From this they are able to identify the components of arguments and distinguish the assumptions. Thus they can make sound judgments.
Scientific method on the other hand refers a collection of tools or rather techniques that are used in investigating phenomena, the acquisition of new knowledge.
For a method to be termed as scientific, it be based on observable, measurable and empirical evidences that are used to specify the principles of reasoning.
Scientific method insists on the proposal of hypotheses. These act as explanations for the occurrence of the phenomena. After this method designs an experimental studies which are used to test these hypotheses. For future results to be predicted the steps have to be repeated and theories developed. These theories are used in wider fields of inquiry and may be bound
Scientific inquiry method is generally to be as very objective as possible. This is purposefully to minimize the chances of biasness in interpretations of results.
In psychological point of view, this method helps recognize all ill defined as well as well defined knowledge. People are therefore able to articulate on problems with a clear mind thus able to generate possible goals and the solutions.
