Critical Thinking 101

There is a measureable difference between thinking and critical thinking, just as there is a difference between general research and scientific empirical research.

In most instances, critical thinking is a daily challenge; some view critical thinking as a learned skill that should be practiced continually through one’s life-course. Ruggerior hypothesized that “critical thinking…[is]…defined as the process by which we test claims and arguments and determine which have merit and which do not. In other words, critical thinking is a search for answers, a quest” (2005, p. 17).

Ruggerior’s perspective is supported by many scholars. Moreover, the process of probing for clarity within an argument provides the framework of critical thought. Whereas, “the uncritical accept their first thoughts and other people’s statements at face value, critical thinkers challenge all ideas in this manner” (et al., p.17). Ruggerior posited that “extensive, effective training in thinking is the exception rather than the rule” (2004, p. 15).



Critical thought is a learned process that many of us can only obtain through practice. Ruggerior and others argued that “thinking is a conscious mental process performed to solve a problem, make a decision, or gain understanding, whereas feeling has no purpose beyond expressing itself, thinking aims beyond itself to knowledge or action” (2004, p.17).

In addition, Ruggerior speculated that “clear thinking is a very rare thing, but even just plain thinking is almost as rare. Most of us most of the time do not think at all. We believe and we feel, but we do not think” (2004, p. 17).  As such, the research methods process is a critical thinking process about a social phenomena.
                                                                 

Reference

Ruggiero, V. R. (2004). Beyond feelings: A guide to critical thinking (7th ed). Boston

        McGraw Hill. E-collections Books.