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Your enormous reply: What is critical thinking? How do the two speakers define it? Why, according to the speakers, is it important? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Replies to classmates: Respond to at least one of your classmates. Some ideas: Do you agree with your classmates? Why or why not? Do you have any questions?
11 thoughts on “Conversation 1: Critical Thinking”
The answer to the following questions regarding critical thinking is that critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view of improving it. But what does this mean exactly, Gary Meegan describes critical thinking as art and just like art, critical thinking takes time to master. As for Jesse Richardson, a Ted Talker, he sees critical thinking as a design, not just as art due to the fact that art is just an expression and designs can solve problems. Critical thinking helps understand what people are thinking and how others may see the world. Evaluate thinking in the process to critical thinking, analyze what a person thinks about another, and getting into anyone’s mind are things that we can do with the power of critical thinking. The more we find ourselves practicing critical thinking the more we get good at it and the more we get good at it, it becomes a habit, we learn to make better decisions. with critical thinking we can become better people, understand ours and other people’s place in the world and figure out ways to improve it. Jesse Richardson states that kids should be taught how to think and not what to think. He gives examples on how back in the day if a kid was sick, we would give them heroine-based cough serum and no one would question it. That word “questioning” is important because we need to show others to question things. Being involved in a topic is important, with more involvement other than pushing ideas into someone the more they will want to learn and not feel like they are being forced to. he also says that we should teach innovation and adaptability to help us react in situations we feel unsure of, but to be careful of having biased opinions when one is in critical thinking because that makes us seem Flawed, Ignorant and Deluded. With Critical thinking we can take this away and know that its ok to be wrong. Critical thinking helps us become self-aware and it makes learning fun. Carl Sagan was a poet but also taught us about the cosmos. He is an example of what it is t diversify the mind. I completely agree with these points of view. Manly with Jesse Richardson’s, I agree that we as a community should show kids how to think. this will help them in so many ways which I previously stated but I also think that other than help them develop new mental skills, I feel like it will prepare them for new real-world experiences. In today’s age people seem to have lost their sense of thinking and it really is sad to see that people don’t analyze more than what is shown to us. The more people start to question things the more things and information people can discover. Not everything is set in stone and the way we can find out what truly works for one another is to use critical thinking skills.
Hey Carlo,
I agree with what you’re saying. I wanted to highlight when you stated:
“With Critical thinking we can take this away and know that its ok to be wrong. Critical thinking helps us become self-aware and it makes learning fun”
This is very true. I also believe that an essential skill for critical thinking that wasn’t mentioned in the videos is the removal of ego. Pride can blind us when we aren’t open and receptive to a perspective that isn’t our own. People who are removed from ego, and as you stated it- “find learning fun” are open to expanding their thinking.
– Mya
Critical thinking is a thought process that involves analyzing and questioning things to achieve an accurate, objective, and comprehensive understanding of them. Critical thinking involves purposefully raising questions, analyzing and questioning those questions, attempting to solve problems, and arriving at new perspectives. Both speakers believe that critical thinking is the art of solving problems and mastering it takes time. According to the two speakers, critical thinking is important because it encourages children to question issues, leading to self-directed learning, an understanding of how to think, and the development of innovative abilities. Possessing critical thinking skills enables individuals to adapt better to new environments and become better people. I wholeheartedly agree with their viewpoints. Critical thinking indeed helps us analyze and solve problems more objectively and rationally, thereby avoiding being led astray by others and enabling us to make wiser decisions. People with critical thinking skills typically have independent perspectives, can make objective judgments, possess empathy, and often demonstrate the ability to discover and innovate. These are highly valuable skills that can be immensely beneficial in various contexts.
Hey Minna,
I wanted to emphasize when you stated, “People with critical thinking skills typically have independent perspectives, can make objective judgments, possess empathy, and often demonstrate the ability to discover and innovate” which I certainly agree with. People who are closed minded and avoid putting their selves in the shoes of others- I’ve found, tend to have to learn the hard way. In an age where advancements in technology are rapid, leaving many people feeling outdated- our ability to continue expanding our knowledge is ceaseless and imperative for us to thrive with the other beings on this planet, and as you said “possess empathy”.
Critical thinking is the art of rigorously analyzing and evaluating thinking so that one may reach sound reasoning.
Jesse Richardson defines critical thinking as the use of creative thinking and self awareness to filter through social fallacies.
Gary Meegan interprets critical thinking as “looking for artifacts of reasoning” through the way a person writes, talks, and acts. According to Richardson and Meegan, critical thinking is imperative. I agree because we owe many thanks to philosophers, scientists, and great thinkers alike for the advancements we’ve made in medicine, technology, entertainment, and other essential pillars in our day to day lives. Critical thinking allows us to surpass what we already know and advance as a society through higher thinking.
Hi Mya, I agree with your opinion on the matter. Philosophers helped shaped the ways of thinking that get us through the toughest of situations and problems. Critical thinking absolutely helps us create a breakthrough when it comes to the knowledge already imbedded in our minds and displayed to us. It allows to ask questions and advance our society through a higher thinking just as you said.
Hi Carlo, I completely agree with your points of how critical thinking diversifies the mind. Especially with how you brought up Carl Sagan, who can be considered a “critical thinker”, a poet who taught us of the cosmos. I did not know this and this was an interesting fact that gave us an example on what critical thinking really is.
Hi Minna, I agree with your points of critical thinking being a skill that is mastered with time. I think it is vital to know that this is not an overnight thing and I love how you related to the speakers by associating critical thinking with children.
To me, critical thinking is looking at a situation, and making the decision that will lead to the best outcome. The first speaker defines critical thinking as “the art of analyzing thinking with a view of improving it” which is something I agree with a lot. I think that processing your thoughts clearly and making sure you have no biases so that you can create the best outcome for yourself without sabotaging your decision making process due to a closed mind in a specific matter can improve the quality of your life and experiences. In life we will be faced with many decisions to make, ultimatums, and obstacles that will stump our heads. It’s important to know what the right decision to make is by weighing out your options and picking the smartest one regardless if it was the hardest route to take. The other speaker, Jesse Richardson, defined critical thinking as “how to think, not what to think”. He brought up a great point, school, we are taught what to learn, what to think, and what to study. But never taught the how’s. If you look back on life, we realize that we made many mistakes and though not everything is your fault, in almost each tribulation we have went through , led to us making the wrong decision. Which we learn from, we learn the how through our life experiences but imagine how much we could avoid if we were taught how to think the same way we were taught history and math.
Layza Hiciano
Conversation 1
To answer the following question regarding critical thinking, critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it. Based on Gary Meegan’s video, Critical thinking is a form of art just like any other form of art, one has to keep practicing to get good. It helps us analyze the world and how other people see the world by the way they think. Critical Thinking helps us as humans evaluate our thoughts and the thoughts of others. Helping us make better decisions. which helps us become better people. Gary Meegan’s Definition Of Critical thinking is different from Jesse Richardson’s Definition of Critical Thinking because Jesse Richardson doesn’t describe critical thinking or/ creative thinking as art because art is more expressive. He describes it as a design because it is more problem-solving. ” What Critical Thinking teaches us is how to question things rigorously, how to form sound, well-reasoned coherent thoughts and arguments, and critically how to identify nonsense. but the most important thing it teaches us that it’s good to be wrong” Jesse Richardson. As an artist, I agree with both speakers. Critical Thinking is something that as adults we should be implementing in our daily lives. The more we practice it the more we get better, and not only do we gain more understanding of others and the world, but we also gain the capacity to understand how to problem solve and be clear-minded in any situation. In conclusion, Critical thinking is a skill we all should possess and use on a daily basis. Critical Thinking helps us think and act more coherently which also helps us understand the world and others more.
Critical thinking is a cognitive skill that involves analyzing and evaluating information that allows people to make reasonable judgments along with solving problems and making effective decisions. To think critically you should question things deeply to get a better understanding of how and why etc.Gary Meegan defines critical thinking as the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improve it where jesse richardson defines it as learning how to think and not so much as what to think. Jesse sees critical thinking as a design where Gary sees it as art. I do agree that critical thinking is important. You should think critically as much as you can, especially when it comes to making decisions and making sure you solve things as effectively as possible.