Few are guilty but all are responsible. –A. J. Heschel
I concluded PART IV with a question: What are some of the components of thinking critically? This morning, as I conclude our brief exploration of ‘Critical Thinking,’ I will continue to respond to this question.
Challenging Context. We must seek to become aware of how ‘context’ forms, informs, supports, hinders and blocks our ability to think critically. We can help ourselves by striving to emerge, name and evaluate our uncritically integrated deep tacit assumptions. These assumptions shape our habitual perceptions, our ability to ‘seek to understand,’ and our capacity to interpret ‘input.’ Those who think critically become aware that practices, structures, and actions (by us or by the other) are never context-free (nor value free). Context, Culture and Sub-Cultures influence, for good or ill, our ability to think critically. Sub-Cultures are particularly powerful when it comes to forming and informing contexts.
In our country we are in an ‘off-year election cycle.’ The importance of context and sub-cultures is blatantly revealed to us during this time. It is not our critical thinking capacity that is appealed to during this time. What is appealed to, is our emotional connection to our sub-cultures, to our ‘Tribe’ and to the contexts that frame them. Thus, ‘attack’ ads rule and appear in every context imaginable.
Alternatives. Critical thinkers develop the capacity to imagine and explore alternatives. In order to do this we must, at minimum, hold an attitude that reflects that ‘I am open to the possibility of being influenced.’ If I am rooted in ‘surety’ then I will not be open to imagining or exploring alternatives.
Critical thinkers seek to become aware of the context and how it shapes (forms-informs) what our sub-culture(s) deem to be ‘normal.’ The sub-culture(s) and the contexts that support the sub-culture(s) are approached skeptically. This capacity to emerge alternatives is challenging for the simple reason that our sub-culture(s) might shun us in response to our seeking and searching.
Reflection. Exploring context and emerging alternatives requires us to develop our capacity for reflective skepticism. When I am emerged in reflective skepticism I am seeking, searching, inquiring, challenging, imagining alternatives while holding an attitude that I might be influenced by what emerges. I seek to ‘consider.’ This means that I strive not to immediately accept nor immediately reject. In order to engage in reflective skepticism I must have the support of another person or two or three.
I remember having a number of conversations with a business owner. He had approached me with the intention of developing more fully his capacity for thinking critically. We spent many hours together over a number of months. As we began what turned out to be our final conversation he told me that he could not continue. He was visibly shaken. He had become aware that if he continued to think critically that he could imagine himself making decisions that his ‘peers’ would find offensive (he then named three of these decisions). He could not imagine surviving the shunning and criticism that would rain down upon him from his ‘peers.’ With great sadness he thanked me. We concluded our session and I never saw him again. The power of the sub-culture was truly demonstrated that morning.
Conclusion. ‘Critical Thinking’ is a ‘lived-activity.’ We all engage in this activity AND we can all develop more fully our capacity to engage in thinking critically. Consider, that today, more than ever before in history, thinking critically is at the heart of what it means to be a ‘mature person;’ especially a mature person who is a citizen in a democracy. ‘Critical Thinking,’ then, is also a ‘crucial-activity.’
The enemy of life is indifference. –Elie Wiesel
Searcher-Seeker 