Quick Guide to Critical Thinking

In today's digital age, we are inundated with information from various sources. Add to this the fact that we are now crossing over from a post-modernist world (truth is relative) to a post-truth world where truth, logic, facts, and common sense are unimportant and feelings rule. We are swimming in a sea of (mis)information. Sorting through this whirlwind of information and determining what is reliable and relevant let alone what is true or false, fact or fiction, can be a daunting task. Critical thinking becomes even more important to differentiate truth from lies, fact from fiction. Critical thinking refers to the process of analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing information in order to make reasoned judgments and decisions. It involves using skills such as logic, reasoning, and reflection to assess information, identify biases, and develop informed opinions. Volumes have been written about it, but I thought I would provide a quick and easy guide to make it a little easier to tackle this extensive topic. These are just some of the benefits of critical thinking:

1. Improved problem-solving skills: Critical thinking helps individuals to approach problems in a systematic and logical manner, leading to better problem-solving skills.

2. Better decision-making: By evaluating different options and considering multiple perspectives, critical thinking can lead to better decision-making in both personal and professional contexts.

3. Increased creativity: Critical thinking can also foster creativity by encouraging individuals to consider unconventional approaches and ideas.

4. Enhanced communication skills: Critical thinking involves analyzing information and communicating ideas effectively, leading to better communication skills.

5. Greater self-awareness: Critical thinking requires individuals to reflect on their own beliefs and biases, leading to greater self-awareness and personal growth.

Overall, critical thinking is a valuable skill that can benefit everyone in both their personal and professional lives. While critical thinking is an essential skill, critical thinkers have historically been in short supply. Being a critical thinker can be challenging for several reasons:

1. Cognitive biases: Our brains are wired to take shortcuts and make quick decisions based on limited information. As a result, we may be prone to cognitive biases that can lead us to overlook important information or make flawed judgments.

2. Lack of training: Critical thinking is a skill that must be developed over time. Unfortunately, many educational systems do not explicitly teach critical thinking, leaving individuals without the necessary tools to engage in this type of thinking.

3. Emotional attachment to beliefs: We may be emotionally attached to certain beliefs or ideas, which can make it difficult to objectively evaluate information that challenges those beliefs. Facts rarely change people’s minds.

4. Information overload: In today's digital age, we are inundated with information from various sources. We are swimming in a sea of (mis)information. Sorting through this information and determining what is reliable and relevant can be a daunting task.

5. Time constraints: Critical thinking requires time and effort, which can be challenging to prioritize in a fast-paced society where there are constant demands on our attention.

Despite these challenges, it is possible to develop critical thinking skills with practice and a willingness to engage with information in a thoughtful and reflective way.

To have rational dialogue, we must assume that there are absolute truths. objective truths are true whether you know them or not, understand them or not, like them or not. In contrast to objective truth, subjective truth refers to statements that are dependent on personal feelings, experiences, or beliefs. These truths can vary from person to person and may not be universally valid or applicable.

We cannot have rational dialogue without presupposing logical absolutes.

If there were no logical absolutes, everything would be relative, and no truth could be established. The three Laws of Logic are logical absolutes.

1. Law of Identity: A is A
2. Law of Non-Contradiction: A cannot be both A and not A at the same time.
3. Law of the Excluded Middle: A is either true or false.

To be a critical thinker at a minimum you must have these seven skills:

1. Don’t assume.

2. Don’t be judgmental.

3. Be aware of other people’s biases.

4. Be aware of your own biases.

5. Gather facts from multiple trusted sources.

6. Present your arguments in a logical manner.

7. Avoid logical fallacies.

DON’T ASSUME.
It is very hard to do because our brains are wired to jump to quick conclusions. Not assuming has several benefits, including:

1. Increased accuracy: By not assuming, you are more likely to gather and consider all the relevant information before coming to a conclusion. This can lead to more accurate assessments and decisions.

2. Improved communication: Assuming can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications, which can damage relationships. By not assuming and instead seeking clarification, you can avoid misunderstandings and improve communication.

3. Better problem-solving: When you don't assume, you are more likely to identify the root cause of a problem and develop more effective solutions.

4. Enhanced creativity: Not assuming can also foster creativity by encouraging you to consider multiple perspectives and potential solutions.

5. Increased open-mindedness: Not assuming requires an open mind and a willingness to consider different possibilities. This can lead to increased empathy and understanding of others.

6. Avoidance of bias: Assumptions can be based on biases or preconceived notions, leading to flawed conclusions. By not assuming, you can avoid these biases and make more objective judgments.

Overall, not assuming can lead to better decision-making, improved relationships, and increased personal growth.

DON’T BE JUDGEMENTAL
It is very difficult to do because we are wired to jump to conclusions. When primitive man was faced with a ferocious animal, it was a good thing to not waste any time wondering if they were hungry or not. Today, not being judgmental has several benefits, including:

1. Improved relationships: When you are not judgmental, you are more likely to approach others with empathy and understanding. This can help build stronger and more positive relationships.

2. Increased open-mindedness: Not being judgmental requires an open mind and a willingness to consider different perspectives. This can lead to increased creativity and problem-solving abilities.

3. Greater self-awareness: When you are not judgmental, you are more likely to reflect on your own biases and beliefs. This can lead to greater self-awareness and personal growth.

4. Enhanced communication: When you are not judgmental, you are more likely to listen actively and communicate effectively with others. This can lead to better communication and fewer misunderstandings.

5. Improved mental health: Being judgmental can lead to negative emotions such as anger, resentment, and frustration. Not being judgmental can help promote positive emotions and improve mental health.

6. Increased respect for diversity: Not being judgmental can help promote respect for diversity and a greater appreciation for different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles.

Overall, not being judgmental can lead to more positive relationships, improved communication, and personal growth. It can also help promote empathy, understanding, and respect for others.

BE AWARE OF OTHER PEOPLES BIASES
Being aware of other people's biases can help you to communicate more effectively, solve problems more efficiently, and work better in teams. It can also help you to view information more objectively and avoid misunderstandings or conflict. It is difficult to recognize biases if one is not trained to spot them. Being aware of other people's biases can have several benefits, including:

1. Improved communication: When you are aware of someone's biases, you can communicate with them in a way that takes those biases into account. This can help you to avoid misunderstandings and foster more productive conversations.

2. Greater empathy: Understanding someone's biases can help you to empathize with their perspective, even if you don't agree with it. This can lead to greater understanding and respect for others.

3. Improved problem-solving: When you understand someone's biases, you can work with them more effectively to find solutions to problems. This can lead to better problem-solving outcomes.

4. Increased objectivity: Being aware of someone's biases can help you to view their opinions and decisions more objectively. This can help you to evaluate information more critically and make more informed judgments.

5. Enhanced teamwork: When you understand and respect someone's biases, you are more likely to work effectively with them as part of a team. This can lead to better collaboration and teamwork.

6. Avoidance of conflict: Understanding someone's biases can help you to avoid conflict by recognizing when certain topics or viewpoints may be particularly sensitive for them.
   

BE AWARE OF YOUR OWN BIASES
Being aware of your own biases can help you to make better decisions, improve your relationships, and foster personal growth. It can also help you to think more creatively and avoid errors that could be caused by biased thinking. It is even more difficult to spot our own biases as we are reluctant to self-examine or be critical of ourselves (introspection). Being aware of your own biases can have several benefits, including:

1. Improved decision-making: When you are aware of your own biases, you can take steps to mitigate their influence on your decision-making. This can lead to better, more informed decisions.

2. Increased objectivity: By recognizing your own biases, you can view information and situations more objectively. This can help you to evaluate evidence and arguments more critically.

3. Improved self-awareness: Being aware of your biases can help you to better understand your own thought processes and beliefs. This can lead to increased self-awareness and personal growth.

4. Better relationships: By recognizing your own biases, you can be more open-minded and empathetic towards others. This can help to foster more positive relationships.

5. Enhanced creativity: Being aware of your biases can help you to think more creatively by encouraging you to consider alternative perspectives and solutions.

6. Avoidance of errors: By being aware of your biases, you can avoid making errors in judgment or decision-making that could be caused by those biases.

The study of biases is a deep scholarly dive into Philosophy, but just being aware of them  is a step in the right direction.

GATHER FACTS FROM REPUTABLE SOURCES
Wherever possible there must be independent confirmation of the “facts.” Encourage substantive debate on the evidence by knowledgeable proponents of all points of view. Arguments from authority carry little weight as “authorities” have made mistakes in the past. They will do so again in the future. Perhaps a better way to say it is that in science there are no authorities; at most, there are experts. Gathering your own facts from multiple trusted sources and comparing them side by side can have several benefits, including:

1. Increased accuracy: By gathering facts from multiple sources, you are more likely to get a complete and accurate picture of the situation. This can help you to make more informed decisions and judgments.

2. Improved critical thinking: Gathering facts from multiple sources requires critical thinking and evaluation of evidence. This can help to improve your critical thinking skills and ability to assess information objectively.

3. Enhanced credibility: By gathering facts from multiple sources, you are more likely to be seen as credible and trustworthy. This can help to build trust with others and increase your reputation.

4. Greater confidence: By having a solid understanding of the facts, you can approach situations with greater confidence and assertiveness.

5. Better problem-solving: By gathering facts from multiple sources, you are more likely to identify the root cause of a problem and develop more effective solutions.

6. Increased open-mindedness: Gathering facts from multiple sources requires an open mind and a willingness to consider different perspectives. This can lead to increased empathy and understanding of others.

Overall, gathering your own facts from multiple trusted sources can help you to make more informed decisions, improve your critical thinking skills, and increase your credibility and confidence. It can also help you to solve problems more effectively and approach situations with greater openness and understanding. It’s very important to start with true verifiable facts. We now live in a world where we are swimming in an ocean of (mis)information, most of it slanted, untrue, or downright false and most people are happy to go along with it and propagate it without verifying anything.

PRESENT YOUR ARGUMENTS IN A LOGICAL MANNER
Spin more than one hypothesis. If there’s something to be explained, think of all the different ways in which it could be explained. Then think of tests by which you might systematically disprove each of the alternatives. What survives, the hypothesis that resists disproof in this Darwinian selection among “multiple working hypotheses,” has a much better chance of being the right answer than if you had simply run with the first idea that caught your fancy. Try not to get overly attached to a hypothesis just because it’s yours. It’s only a way station in the pursuit of knowledge. Ask yourself why you like the idea. Compare it fairly with the alternatives. See if you can find reasons for rejecting it. If you don’t, others will.

Quantify measures in your hypothesis. If whatever it is you’re explaining has some measure, some numerical quantity attached to it, you’ll be much better able to discriminate among competing hypotheses. What is vague and qualitative is open to many explanations. Of course, there are truths to be sought in the many qualitative issues we are obliged to confront but finding them is more challenging.

If there’s a chain of arguments, every link in the chain must work (including the premise) — not just most of them. Use Occam’s razor. When faced with two hypotheses that explain the data equally well, choose the simpler.

Always ask whether the hypothesis can be, at least in principle, falsified. Propositions that are untestable, unfalsifiable are not worth much. Consider the grand idea that our Universe and everything in it is just an elementary particle, an electron, say in a much bigger Cosmos.  But if we can never acquire information from outside our Universe, is not the idea incapable of disproof? You must be able to check assertions out. Inveterate skeptics must be given the chance to follow your reasoning, to duplicate your experiments and see if they get the same result.

Presenting arguments in a logical manner can have several benefits, including:

1. Increased persuasiveness: When you present arguments in a logical and well-structured manner, you are more likely to convince others of your point of view.

2. Improved critical thinking: Presenting arguments in a logical manner requires critical thinking and analysis of evidence. This can help to improve your critical thinking skills and ability to assess information objectively.

3. Enhanced clarity: A logical argument is easier to understand and follow than a disorganized or confusing argument. This can help to ensure that your audience understands your perspective and reasoning.

4. Better decision-making: A logical argument can help you to make better decisions by providing a clear and structured framework for evaluating evidence and arguments.

5. Increased credibility: Presenting a logical argument can increase your credibility and reputation as a clear and rational thinker.

6. More effective problem-solving: A logical argument can help you to identify the root cause of a problem and develop more effective solutions.

Presenting arguments in a logical manner can take the form of deductive or inductive reasoning. Reasoning from “all things” to “some things” is deductive reasoning. Example of a deductive reasoning:

a)     All men are mortal.
b)     Socrates is a man.
c)     Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Reasoning outward from “some things” to “all things” is called inductive reasoning. Examples of inductive reasoning:

a)     All the men I know are mortal.
b)     Therefore, all men are mortal.
a)     When I let go of objects, they fall.
b)     Therefore, all objects that are not held by something will fall.

Notice that when you move from the smaller circle to the larger circle, you must make assumptions that you cannot 100% prove. For example, you cannot prove gravity will always be consistent. You can only observe that it’s consistently true every time here on earth near you. Nearly all scientific laws are based on inductive reasoning. All science rests on an assumption that the universe is orderly, logical, and mathematically based on fixed discoverable laws. You cannot prove this. (You can’t prove that the sun will come up tomorrow morning either.) You literally must take it on faith. In fact, most people don’t know that outside the science circle is a philosophy circle and outside the philosophy circle is a religion circle. Science is based on philosophical assumptions that you cannot scientifically prove. The scientific method cannot prove, it can only infer. Science originally came from the idea that God made an orderly universe which obeys fixed, discoverable laws - and because of those laws, He would not have to constantly tinker with it for it to operate. If you are an atheist, you can choose to disregard the religion circle but that is an argument for another time.

AVOID LOGICAL FALLACIES
Overall, presenting arguments in a logical manner can help you to be more persuasive, improve your critical thinking skills, enhance clarity, make better decisions, increase credibility, and solve problems more effectively. Be mindful that you don’t fall into a false argument. There are many false arguments that people use to make a point, but here are some of the most common ones:

1. Ad Hominem: attacking the person instead of the argument. For example, saying that someone's argument is invalid because they are stupid, uneducated, or biased.

2. Strawman: misrepresenting an opponent's argument in order to make it easier to attack. For example, distorting someone's position to make it seem more extreme or ridiculous than it actually is.

3. Red Herring: Avoiding or sidestepping the central topic of discussion. Focusing on some different but related topic to sidetrack the opponent. A very common form of redirection.

4. False Dichotomy: presenting only two options as if they are the only possibilities, when in reality there are other alternatives. For example, saying that you are either with us or against us, when there may be many other positions that could be taken.

5. Appeal to Authority: citing an authority figure or expert as evidence for an argument, even when the authority or expert may not have expertise in the relevant area.

6. Slippery Slope: arguing that if one thing happens, it will inevitably lead to a series of increasingly worse outcomes, without providing evidence to support this claim.

7. Confirmation Bias: selectively interpreting evidence in a way that supports one's preconceptions or beliefs and ignoring evidence that contradicts them.

8. False Cause: assuming that just because one event happens after another, the first event caused the second event, without providing evidence to support this claim.

It's important to be aware of these false arguments and to strive for logical and evidence-based reasoning when making a point. Avoid circular arguments at all costs (where A is true because B is true, and B is true because A is true) a logical fallacy that doesn’t actually provide evidence

CONCLUSION

Critical thinking is a fundamental skill that enriches our decision-making, creativity, communication, and self-awareness. It enables us to navigate a complex world of information, biases, and emotional influences with clarity and insight. Although developing critical thinking can be difficult due to cognitive biases, emotional attachments, and the overwhelming volume of information we face, the rewards are immense. By consciously practicing the skills of logical reasoning, self-reflection, and open-minded analysis, we can better understand ourselves and the world around us. In an age where misinformation is rampant and assumptions are easily made, critical thinking stands as an essential tool for achieving accuracy, fairness, and thoughtful engagement with others. The pursuit of these skills not only sharpens our intellect but also fosters a deeper, more empathetic connection to the diversity of human experiences. It is my hope that with some introspection we will all work towards that.