subject: Critical Thinking Skills: Why And How To Improve Them? [print this page] Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some sense to know how to lie well, said Samuel Butler, a famous novelist. Let us continue his thought and add the following: it requires even a more strong effort to make out truth and lies. Critical thinking skills are very important: they help to evaluate information, form appropriate opinion and make right decisions.
Critical thinking is important for all fields of ones life:
1. Everyday life. Have you ever faced being told lies? Being manipulated, provided with distorted or inaccurate information? Critical thinking works as a guide when it seems that you have lost a way.
2. Social life. Just remember newspaper articles, debates of politicians, TV programs Information they provide can be very controversial. It is very important for any citizen to form own point of view and to be able to discern manipulation.
3. Professional life. Any profession implies decision making. In turn, decision making requires correct evaluation of current situation. Dealing with colleagues opposite opinions and suggestions requires switching critical thinking on.
Here are the hints on improving critical thinking skills. Use them any time you get a portion of information:
1. Mind cause and effect connection. Distorting it is a popular way of manipulation, for example, it is said that A causes B, but:
a. A and B are not connected
b. They both are caused by C.
c. B causes A.
2. Evaluate sources. When you hear a fact or a figure, always find out where it is taken from and whether this source is reliable.
3. Do not submit to catchy phrases. If a statement is decorated with the phrase it is obvious that or the only right decision is to, it does not become right automatically.
4. Consider peoples motives. When someone says something, think about why he/she says this and what intents he/she has in this situation.
