The educational system separates math and critical thinking. Critical thinking involves questioning every aspect of an argument and considering all aspects of a topic before forming an opinion. To improve critical thinking skills, use multiple sources of information and ask “why?” when examining controversial issues.
In the modern educational system there may be a clear schism between the analytical world of mathematics and the critical world of the human sciences. Some students find it easier to think analytically in a linear mathematical way than to think critically in a nonlinear literary way. One of the first ways to develop critical thinking in an academic setting is to apply the word why to the topic at hand. Thinking critically means questioning every aspect of an argument, from the credibility of the source to your own subjective conclusions and opinions.
Learning to think critically is an active and ongoing exercise for many people. One way to improve critical thinking skills is to use more than one source of information before forming a solid opinion on a news story. Compare different newspapers’ coverage of the same event, or watch different television news to see how the same story might be tilted in one direction or another. As you begin to think critically about a current event, you may become more aware of how your biases, beliefs, and opinions can affect your position on the matter.
Analyzing things critically means considering all aspects of a topic with an open mind before forming an opinion. It does not mean being unnecessarily cynical or judgmental about the validity of the facts or the source. In essence, a critical thinker is like a juror, who must weigh not only the facts of the case, but how those facts were obtained and the motivation behind them. Thinking critically means examining not only the subject in question, but also the methods used to generate the information.
That is why the question “Why?” it’s important to ask when you’re learning to think critically. Why would an author choose to assign those particular names to his characters? Why didn’t the journalist interview the opposition leader? Why did this politician vote against a bill? Critical thinking skills are learned through active practice, so you may want to spend some time each day looking into a controversial issue such as abortion, capital punishment or gun control and ask yourself why you believe this way about that issue ? By taking the time to examine both sides of a polarizing or controversial issue, you can improve your ability to think critically in general.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
