Critical Thinking

1
Critical Thinking

• Eight essential guidelines to critical and
  creative thinking.

2
Eight guidelines Ask questions be
willing to wonder. Define your terms. Examine
the evidence. Analyze assumptions and biases.
Avoid emotional reasoning. Dont
oversimplify. Consider other interpretations.
Tolerate uncertainty.
3
Factors that enhance critical thinking.

• Simply observe and promote guidelines as outlined
  on the previous slide, e.g., ask questions,
  clearly define your terms, examine all of the
  evidence, look at your assumptions and biases,
  try not to reason with emotion, dont
  oversimplify problems, consider alternative
  explanations, and try to tolerate uncertainty.

4
Barriers to critical thinking

• Conformity
• Diffusion or not taking responsibility
• Groupthink
• Coercive persuasion
• Prejudice and ethnocentric thinking
• Stereotyping
• Pre-existing mindset
• And, the absence of awareness of the eight
  essential guidelines as outlined earlier.