Simply accepting things you are told without examining them, constructing thoughts based purely on emotions, jumping to conclusions without proof or evidence
Critical thinking
Involves a series of complex thought processes which allows you to make reasoned judgments, assess the way you think, and solve problems effectively
Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain
A system that classifies the levels of thinking important for learning, composed of six levels: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
Revised Bloom's Taxonomy
The levels are: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating
Asking intelligent questions leads to a better understanding of events and ideas, which is a key factor in thinking critically
Acquiring the skill of asking intelligent questions already starts with the first three levels of the revised taxonomy: remembering, understanding, and applying
Critical thinking does not stop at remembering, understanding, and applying; it also involves analyzing, evaluating, and creating, which are considered higher-order thinking skills
At the highest level of thinking, you should be able to look at things from different perspectives, decide without being manipulated by emotions, and avoid biases and fallacies
You should be able to let your imagination flourish and freely accept ideas as they flow in, distinguish facts from opinions, and link newly encountered information to previous knowledge
Qualities of a critical thinker
Inquisitive, open-minded, examines and evaluates information, does not let irrational emotions cloud judgement
In the area of reading, critical thinking enables you to analyze written works, comprehend the message they convey, and apply the message in real life
In terms of writing, critical thinking provides you with skills to create well-written texts with a clear purpose and position, using reliable and insightful content
