Elder and Paul (2011) posit, “There are predictable stages through which every person who develops as a critical thinker passes” (p. 1). I agree with this assertion. If we assume that the premise learning is a process holds true, then that process offers great insights of Elder and Paul’s argument. The later premise for learning as a process shows that a thinker must move from regions of familiarity to unfamiliar one. Critical thinking requires that the person understand the basic concept of a theory if s/he is to think critically about that theory. The converse ideation, where critical thinking precedes basic understanding, is fallacious. This makes critical thinking process to be predictable. Paul and Elder (2002) highlight the next stage of critical thinking as the need to expand basic understanding. This can be acquired through domain of knowledge that is “explained, illustrated, analyzed, applied, evaluated, organized, learned, or transformed” (Paul & Elder, 2002, p. 160). The thinker then synthesizes these simplistic applications to acquire an intricate perspective. This shows a consistent and highly predictable process of critical thinking that every thinker must undergo in analyzing a situation.
Elder and Paul (2011) posit, “passage from one stage to the next is dependent upon a necessary level of commitment on the part of an individual to develop as a critical thinker, is not automatic, and is unlikely to take place subconsciously” (p. 1). I agree with Elder and Paul’s assumption. As established from the previous section, thinking is a process. The process involves an individualized genuine desire to progress rudimentary thought pattern through further exploration, whether by reading in depth or through critical reflection. A person has to make that critical conscious decision to seek further understanding. In a clinical setting, nurses are required to make judgment calls based on a patient’s condition and other prevailing factors (Benner, Hughes & Sutphen, 2008). A nurse must make a conscious decision to ask radical question on the implication of an intervention strategy, the challenges of the strategy, whether the approach is the best intervention strategy for her as the nurse or for the patient and other similar questions. Thinking in such a scenario shifts from mere speculations to thinking rationally by widening the scope of thinking. Nevertheless, this is a decision that the nurse makes rather than the policies and guidelines established to govern nursing practice. The nurse moves from basic reasoning to “critical reasoning through active reflection and subsequent judgment” (Benner, Hughes, & Sutphen, 2008, p. 3). This cannot take place automatically. The nurse has to be conscious or aware that s/he is thinking critically about a situation or an intervention strategy.
If I am to develop my personal critical thinking ability, I must first make a conscious choice to understand the basic concept of a premise, and then make critical reflection of this basic concept by expanding my thinking approach. To achieve this, I must ask radical questions that will enhance the scope of analysis and judgment. I must move from the region of subconscious thinking to one of conscious thinking because, in so doing, I become aware that I am actually thinking. This awareness will allow me to think beyond rudimentary concepts through critical reasoning and critical reflection to decipher underlying issues that are concealed in the concept under investigation. By understanding the predictable process of critical thinking, I will be able to formulate a sound thinking strategy that will revolutionize the outcome of my thought process.
References
Benner, P., Hughes, R. G., & Sutphen, M. (2008). Chapter 6. Clinical reasoning, decision-making, and action: Thinking critically and clinically. In Patient Safety and Quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses. U.S.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 1-23.
Elder, L., & Paul, R. (2011). Critical thinking development: A stage theory. Tomales, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.
Paul, R. W., & Elder, L. (2002). Critical Thinking: Tools for taking charge of your professional and personal life. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Financial Times Prentice Hall.
