Knowledge, skills and attitude

A short definition of critical thinking is: ‘the art of being right’. This briefly-worded definition may not be immediately and easily understood and, therefore, needs some further explanation. What critical thinking actually is may best be explained by describing the characteristics of the critical thinker. For, he – and ‘he’ also refers to ‘she’ – is equipped with knowledge, skills and an attitude, typical of the critical thinker.

Since the critical thinker is capable of actively and skillfully applying general principles and procedures of thought, as described in Topic 3, his judgments will prove to be most sound and accurate. To put it simply: he knows the principles and procedures of critical thinking, and is capable of applying them.

A critical thinker does not state a contention without due consideration, that is to say, not without founding it on sound reasons based on reliable sources; he evaluates the underpinning of claims; he is not blind to possible objections against his contention, and is capable of refuting them. Equipped with this knowledge, he is able to form a sound judgment on what to believe and what action to take.

The critical thinker is skilled in analyzing other people’s claims. He is able to recognize arguments in a text and spot those that are deficient. He is able to indicate flaws in an argument, to reveal hidden premises, and to recognize fallacies.

The critical thinker is characterized by an open and inquiring attitude – also with regard to his own opinions – and takes nothing for granted; he is focused on the truth, and weighs up pros and cons, both in structuring his own argument and in judging other people’s arguments. He is curious, is aware of the fact that things are often not what they seem to be at first sight, and is receptive to new information, even if it proves to be contradictory to his own opinions. His opinions are tentative, and may be adjusted over and over again. He knows that he, just like anyone else, has blind spots and takes them into account.

In short: a critical thinker is someone who is both willing and able to sharpen his mind, and who is willing and able to form a sound judgment.