Discussion Board 1

Summary

In the first video, according to Dr. Paul, critical thinking is the mechanism via which we analyze and assess your thinking with the objective of improving our thinking process. According to Meegan, someone’s thinking reflects how they see the world, and our assessment of our critical thinking can also reveal to us how we view the world and any errors in the manner in which we view the world. Meegan explains that the process of critical thinking is akin to what an archeologist does, with regard to piecing apart our thinking process and learning how our thinking process works. As Meegan explains, after we deconstruct how a person thinks we then have the ability to evaluate if the person’s thinking is correct and of a high quality or if it is faulty thinking, and by evaluating our thinking we can improve it, and improve ourselves in turn.

I agree with the first video especially with regard to Meegan’s view that the manner in which we engage in thinking reveals our own worldview. What I don’t agree with is Meegan’s view that critical thinking is an art. Characterizing something as an art, signifies that while a person can perfect their art, it cannot be taught methodically, and that the level of critical thinking someone attains cannot be taught but is attained inherently, in the manner of art. While we can teach someone to paint we cannot teach everyone to become a Picasso, because of the element of art that requires something beyond that which can be taught. I do not think that the faculty of critical thinking is an art, because I believe that anyone can be taught critical thinking.

The second video defines critical thinking as creativity or creative thinking, which in turn defines us. It defines creative thinking as making new connections. It also warns us that merely making new connections is not necessarily critical thinking as we have to take into account our biases and prejudices that cause flaws in our reasoning, and that we should not be open to all connections due to this reason. The second video tells us that critical thinking entails how to question things and separate the wheat from the chaff, which in turn helps us become adaptive and solve problems. Via critical thinking we become self aware. The second video also differs from the first video in that it characterizes critical thinking as not an art but a design that can be taught.

While I agree with the second video that critical thinking is not an art but a design, and thus can be taught, I am not sure that I entirely agree with the assertion that critical thinking can be defined as creativity. While I agree that creativity defines us as humans, I do not think that creativity is as straight forward as merely being critical thinking, even though critical thinking is necessary to creative thinking. Creativity requires something more than critical thinking; while critical thinking is something that can be taught by design, creative thinking cannot be entirely taught by design even though people can be trained to think creatively. However, there is a limitation to how much a person can be trained to think creatively. While we can train people to become physicists, we cannot train everyone to think creatively to the level where they all become an Einstein and come up with Einstein’s theory of relativity. I believe that creativity requires an extra element that goes beyond critical thinking.