Simply disabling specific critical thinking skills is all that is necessary for the god virus to take control of a person. –Darrel Ray
As a reminder, Gentle Reader, in PART II, I offered us two questions; this morning we will continue with our exploration. Here are the two questions: How do we go about recognizing critical thinking? What characteristics might we look for; characteristics, if present, reveal to us a critical thinker?
Context-Focused. Context is crucial. Because ‘contexts’ vary, the indicators that reveal whether or not a person is thinking critically varies; minimally or enormously. For some, the process appears to be almost exclusively rooted in an internal process. For example, more often than not, I process internally. I reveal my internal process via my writing or via deep searching-conversations. For others critical thinking will manifest itself externally. For example, my daughter, Rebecca, processes externally via a combination of actions and verbal engagement.
The ‘context’ helps to frame – or powerfully frames – the critical thinking process. The ‘tension’ occurs when the ‘internal processor’ has to work with the ‘external processor.’ I liken it to a ‘dance’ where at times one ‘takes the lead’ and at other times the other ‘takes the lead,’ The ‘Dance’ is a simple, not simplistic metaphor.
Triggering Events. Positive and Negative Events can be the ‘triggers.’ An event, from ‘important’ to ‘traumatic’ often opens a pathway to critical thinking. The person begins to question, for example, his/her previously trusted assumptions about how the world works. The person might well begin to care-fully scrutinize his/her previously unquestioned ways of thinking and living.
This awareness does not bring comfort or solace; one indicator that a person is thinking critically is that he/she is disturbed by what is revealed. Two years ago in June, my son-in-law, Gregg had a massive heart attack. As he was recovering we had a few conversations about the opportunities a ‘second bite of the apple’ was presenting him. The journey – inward and external – has been challenging. And Gregg continues to heal in a number of ways.
The triggering event might also be a ‘peak experience event’ – think: falling in love, graduating, achieving a long sought goal. We begin to wonder if our old assumptions about our roles, personalities, and abilities were completely accurate. I remember my son Nathan calling me after he had been accepted in a graduate degree program (this graduate school took only one graduate student a year in Nathan’s discipline; he had applied four years in a row). I did my undergraduate work at this university. Nathan wanted to know if I had done anything to help him get accepted. I assured him that I had not done a thing. There was a pause and Nathan began to cry. After a short time he said, ‘Dad, do you mean that I did this on my own?’ I replied, ‘Absolutely son, YOU did it.’ The following three years were truly life-changing for him. His often stated, ‘I don’ know if I can do this’ became, ‘This is a challenge AND I can do this.’ He spent three years exploring and developing his critical thinking skills and capacities.
Emotive & Rational. [To be continued…]
The most fundamental attack on freedom and democracy is the attack on critical thinking skills. –Travis Nichols
Searcher-Seeker 