Clearing up “Critical Thinking”: Its Four Formidable Features
Author(s)
Merinda Bermingham
ABSTRACT
In this article, I identify four key features of critical thinking that draw together threads of research in this area for clarification for teachers. These four features comprise skills and dispositions required to operate in combination to achieve critical thought. In light of their challenging nature—challenging to develop and challenging to perform—I have called them formidable. I argue that we need a significant emphasis on the dispositions encompassed by genuinely critical thought, since a skills-based understanding neglects the importance of its inherent critical dimension. I seek to emphasize the importance of students’ ability and willingness to: reflect metacognitively, become increasingly aware of socio-cultural power structures at play on their thinking, and contribute to the common good, in addition to the higher order thinking and logical reasoning involved. These skills and dispositions are required in the development of students capable of, and likely to engage in, critical thinking within and beyond their formal education.
In this article, I identify four key features of critical thinking that draw together threads of research in this area for clarification for teachers. These four features comprise skills and dispositions required to operate in combination to achieve critical thought. In light of their challenging nature—challenging to develop and challenging to perform—I have called them formidable. I argue that we need a significant emphasis on the dispositions encompassed by genuinely critical thought, since a skills-based understanding neglects the importance of its inherent critical dimension. I seek to emphasize the importance of students’ ability and willingness to: reflect metacognitively, become increasingly aware of socio-cultural power structures at play on their thinking, and contribute to the common good, in addition to the higher order thinking and logical reasoning involved. These skills and dispositions are required in the development of students capable of, and likely to engage in, critical thinking within and beyond their formal education.
KEYWORDS
Critical Thinking, Thinking Critically, Thinking Skills, Dispositions, Moral Issues in Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking, Thinking Critically, Thinking Skills, Dispositions, Moral Issues in Critical Thinking
Cite this paper
Bermingham, M. (2015) Clearing up “Critical Thinking”: Its Four Formidable Features. Creative Education, 6, 421-427. doi: 10.4236/ce.2015.64042.
Bermingham, M. (2015) Clearing up “Critical Thinking”: Its Four Formidable Features. Creative Education, 6, 421-427. doi: 10.4236/ce.2015.64042.
References
[1] Association of American Colleges & Universities (2015). What Is a 21st Century Liberal Education?
http://www.aacu.org/leap/what-is-a-liberal-education [2] Bassham, G., Irwin, W., Nardone, H., & Wallace, J. (2005). Critical Thinking: A Student’s Introduction. Massachusetts: McGraw Hill. [3] Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, the Classification of Educational Goals—Handbook 1: Cognitive Domain. New York: McKay. [4] Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. London: Cambridge University Press.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511812507 [5] Bourdieu, P. (1980). Questions de Sociologie. Paris: Editions de Minuit. [6] Ennis, R. (1996). Critical Thinking. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. [7] Facione, P. (2013). Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts. The California Academic Press.
http://www.insightassessment.com/CT-Resources/
Critical-Thinking-What-It-Is-and-Why-It-Counts [8] Facione. P. (1990). The Delphi Report: Executive Summary; Critical thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction. California: The California Academic Press. [9] Facione. P., Sanchez, C. A., Facione, N. C., & Gainen, J. (1995). The Disposition toward Critical Thinking. The Journal of General Education, 44, 1-25. [10] Foucault, J. (1972-7). Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings 1972-1977. In C. Gordon (Ed.). New York: Pantheon Books. [11] Lipman, M. (1984). The Cultivation of Reasoning through Philosophy. Educational Leadership, 42, 51-56. [12] Lipman, M. (1988). Critical Thinking—What Can It Be? Educational Leadership, 46, 38-44. [13] Mason, M. (2007). Critical Thinking and Learning. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 39, 339-349.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2007.00343.x [14] Mill, J. S. (1873). Moral Influences in Early Youth. My Father’s Character and Opinions. In J. S. Mill (Ed.), Autobiography (iBook) (pp. 52-85). London: Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer. [15] Paul, R. (1982). Critical Thinking in the ‘Strong’ Sense: A Focus on Self-Deception, World Views, and a Dialectical Mode of Analysis.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/data/pages/99/579d6b9722ed
3418d0b4a7514f0a9f1d513655794857b.pdf [16] Paul, R. W., & Binkler, J. A. (1990). Critical Thinking: What Every Person Needs to Survive in a Rapidly Changing World. Rohnert Park, CA: Center for Critical Thinking and Moral Critique. [17] Robinson, R. S. (2011). Teaching Logic and Teaching Critical Thinking: Revisiting McPeck. Higher Education Research & Development, 30, 275-287.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.500656 [18] Ruminski, H. J., & Hanks, W. E. (1995). Critical Thinking Lacks Definition and Uniform Evaluation Criteria. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 50, 4-11.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107769589505000302 [19] Sumner, W. G. (1906). Education, History. In W. G. Sumner (Ed.), Folkways: A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners Customs, Mores, and Morals (iBook) (pp. 1553-1578). Boston, MA: The Athenaeum Press. [20] Swartz, D. (1997). Culture and Power: The Sociology of Pierre Bourdieu. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. [21] The Center for Critical Thinking (2013). Our Mission.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-mission/405 [22] Verlinden, J. (2005). Critical Thinking and Everyday Argument. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
[1] Association of American Colleges & Universities (2015). What Is a 21st Century Liberal Education?
http://www.aacu.org/leap/what-is-a-liberal-education [2] Bassham, G., Irwin, W., Nardone, H., & Wallace, J. (2005). Critical Thinking: A Student’s Introduction. Massachusetts: McGraw Hill. [3] Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, the Classification of Educational Goals—Handbook 1: Cognitive Domain. New York: McKay. [4] Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. London: Cambridge University Press.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511812507 [5] Bourdieu, P. (1980). Questions de Sociologie. Paris: Editions de Minuit. [6] Ennis, R. (1996). Critical Thinking. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. [7] Facione, P. (2013). Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts. The California Academic Press.
http://www.insightassessment.com/CT-Resources/
Critical-Thinking-What-It-Is-and-Why-It-Counts [8] Facione. P. (1990). The Delphi Report: Executive Summary; Critical thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction. California: The California Academic Press. [9] Facione. P., Sanchez, C. A., Facione, N. C., & Gainen, J. (1995). The Disposition toward Critical Thinking. The Journal of General Education, 44, 1-25. [10] Foucault, J. (1972-7). Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings 1972-1977. In C. Gordon (Ed.). New York: Pantheon Books. [11] Lipman, M. (1984). The Cultivation of Reasoning through Philosophy. Educational Leadership, 42, 51-56. [12] Lipman, M. (1988). Critical Thinking—What Can It Be? Educational Leadership, 46, 38-44. [13] Mason, M. (2007). Critical Thinking and Learning. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 39, 339-349.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2007.00343.x [14] Mill, J. S. (1873). Moral Influences in Early Youth. My Father’s Character and Opinions. In J. S. Mill (Ed.), Autobiography (iBook) (pp. 52-85). London: Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer. [15] Paul, R. (1982). Critical Thinking in the ‘Strong’ Sense: A Focus on Self-Deception, World Views, and a Dialectical Mode of Analysis.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/data/pages/99/579d6b9722ed
3418d0b4a7514f0a9f1d513655794857b.pdf [16] Paul, R. W., & Binkler, J. A. (1990). Critical Thinking: What Every Person Needs to Survive in a Rapidly Changing World. Rohnert Park, CA: Center for Critical Thinking and Moral Critique. [17] Robinson, R. S. (2011). Teaching Logic and Teaching Critical Thinking: Revisiting McPeck. Higher Education Research & Development, 30, 275-287.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.500656 [18] Ruminski, H. J., & Hanks, W. E. (1995). Critical Thinking Lacks Definition and Uniform Evaluation Criteria. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 50, 4-11.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107769589505000302 [19] Sumner, W. G. (1906). Education, History. In W. G. Sumner (Ed.), Folkways: A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners Customs, Mores, and Morals (iBook) (pp. 1553-1578). Boston, MA: The Athenaeum Press. [20] Swartz, D. (1997). Culture and Power: The Sociology of Pierre Bourdieu. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. [21] The Center for Critical Thinking (2013). Our Mission.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-mission/405 [22] Verlinden, J. (2005). Critical Thinking and Everyday Argument. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.