Lesson 2 Trends

Critical Thinking
“To think incisively and to think for one’s life is very difficult. We are
prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths,
prejudices and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not
education is fulfilling its purpose. The function of education is to teach
one to think intensively and to think critically….”
-Martin Luther King, 1947
What is critical thinking?
• We all think. We have no choice but to think. But are thinking on a
higher level?
• Is thinking a skill that can be improved?
• How often to do we actually think about the way we think?

Thinking and Critical Defined
Thinking – analyzing, assessing and transforming thoughts for the
better.
Critical – quality of our own thinking (the need to continuously audit

and evaluate to sharpen it).
Critical Thinking
- Mode of thinking about any subject, content or problem in which the
thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking
charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual
standards upon them.
- Self-directed, self-disciplined, self monitored and self-corrected

thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and
mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and
problem-solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our negative
egocentrism and socio-centrism
What makes us a critical thinker?
• Raises vital questions and problems formulating them clearly and
precisely.
• Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to
interpret it effectively, comes to well reasoned conclusion and
solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards.
• Thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought,
recognizing and assessing, as need to be, their assumptions,
implications and practical consequences.
• Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solution to
complex problems.
So what seems to be the problem?
• Education system – unable to provide an education that is instructive
on the individual’s responsibility to society, and unable to provide the
students the attitude that promotes societal change.
• Community Level – unable to established and maintain the “critical

spirit.”
Common Misconceptions on Critical
Thinking
• Critical thinking is a skill.
• Critical thinking means indoctrination.
• Critical theories are uncritical theories.

Barriers to Cultivating
Thinking
To From
Self-serving egocentrism Fair-minded, emphatic reasonability
Tendency to dehumanize and distort others Considering the welfare and needs of others
Focused on getting things for ourselves and satisfying Becoming more thoughtful, considerate, generous, less
our desires selfish
Becoming greedy, acquisitive, or selfish Tendency to use intelligence in ways that are honest,
insightful and shows integrity
Unkind, domineering, mean, violent, inconsiderate, Avoiding deceiving, misleading, or deluding others,
vicious striving not to do what causes pain or suffering to
others.
Hiding our true nature from ourselves and becoming Becoming more honest, sincere and genuine, less
prejudiced, narrow-minded, chauvinistic or intolerant prejudiced, more open-minded and tolerant.
Observable Barriers to Critical Thinking
• School
• Culture/Mores
• Church
• Norms
• Discrimination
• Tradition
• Family
Barriers to Critical Thinking
• Acquisitive – exerting to pursue wealth or material possessions to an excessive
degree.
• Bias – a form of prejudice usually implying an unjustifiable mental learning in
favor of or against someone or something.
• Bully – a person who hurts, frightens or tyrannizes over those smaller or
weaker, to browbeat or hurt one weaker than oneself.
• Callous – lacking pity or mercy, insensitive to the feelings or well-being of
others.
• Chauvinistic – showing militant, unreasoning and boastful devotion to one’s
country, race, gender, etc., with contempt for other country’s race, gender etc.,
fanatic patriotism or jingoism.
• Cheat – implies dishonesty or deception in dealing with someone in
order to obtain some advantage or gain.
• Egocentricity – a tendency to view everything in relationship to
oneself; to confuse immediate perception with reality; the tendency to
be self-centered or to consider only oneself and one’s own interest;
selfishness. One’s desires, values, and beliefs are often uncritically
used as the norm of all judgement and experience.
• Ethnocentricity – a tendency to view one’s own race or culture as
privileged, based on the belief that one’s own group is superior to
others. Ethnocentrism is a form of egocentrism extended from self to
the group.
• Terrorize – implies deliberate intension to cause fear by threat or
intimidation.

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Critical Thinking

• Is thinking a skill that can be improved?

• How often to do we actually think about the way we think?

Critical – quality of our own thinking (the need to continuously audit

- Self-directed, self-disciplined, self monitored and self-corrected

• Community Level – unable to established and maintain the “critical

• Critical thinking means indoctrination.

• Critical theories are uncritical theories.

Self-serving egocentrism Fair-minded, emphatic reasonability

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