The Science of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of using existing knowledge from past experiences and applying it to new information being taken in through analysis and logic. Critical thinking is more complex than average processing of information. It is about making connections through analysis. Instead of having one question, “what”, multiple questions are asked to find out “how”. These questions, first proposed by Aristotle in Nicomachean Ethnics, are what, when, why, where, who, and how. The questions lead to a thought process much deeper than superficial observations, one that links old and new information and calls for reasoning. This way of thinking was the foundation for critical thinking in all subjects, physical sciences, social sciences, philosophy, and even law.

In recent years, there has been an emphasis on critical thinking in school systems. Standardized testing, such as the Common Core, test the students’ ability to think critically. However, teaching children to think critically does not begin when the child enters school. Developing critical thinking skills begins when the child starts to speak and converse. Critical thinking is done through conversations, the gathering of information and formulating adequate responses. On average, children from the age of three to the age of five ask 107 questions per hour as they hold conversations with adults. This is how they gain knowledge.

A key fact about child development and critical thinking, critical thinking skills are learnable and teachable. Teaching a child critical thinking starts the moment they are able to have conversations. The critical thinking skills they will develop are shown in the image.

Explain – This skill allows the mind to process why things happen. It amplifies reasoning skills. The mind uses past knowledge to come up with reasons for events or actions. The process consists of understanding cause and effect relationships.

Evaluate – Evaluating is all about using facts to form opinions. It is a way of responding to more open-ended questions and situations in which the child is expected to formulate a unique thought process. It is not only about forming opinions, but also being able to reason through them, defending why those opinions exist in the first place.

Predict – This skill puts into practice analyzing past situations and understanding what will happen next in a current scenario. This, again, utilizes the ability to understand cause and effect relationships.

Project – Projecting is the skill that allows a person to put themselves in others’ place. It is about learning that people have different perspectives and being able to understand those perspectives. This also means understanding and being considerate of the feelings and thoughts others have.

Problem-solving – Through creativity and imagination, along with the skills previously mentioned, the problems and situations presented to a person are easily solvable.

Using these skills to understand relationships of ideas is what enables critical thinking.

By Sarahi