Thinking about your thinking – The Art of Critical Thinking!

Picture this: You’re sipping your morning coffee, pondering life’s mysteries. Why do spoons vanish in the kitchen? Is suya sauce on pizza a crime against humanity? And most importantly, why does the snooze button have magical powers at 6 a.m.?

Welcome to the world of critical thinking! It’s like having a magnifying glass and a hat like sherlock holmes. Let’s unravel critical thinking together.

In Dr Anibaba’s words, critical thinking is the art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking for the purpose of making your thinking better. Sound like its impossible right? But it’s actually really possible.

Critical thinking isn’t about being a buzzkill at parties, dissecting jokes like a scientist. No, my friend, it’s about flexing your mental muscles. Here’s the lowdown:

1. Question Everything: Imagine you’re at a buffet. Critical thinking is that moment when you pause, fork in hand, and ask, “Why is the bone in T-bone steak shaped like T?”.
2. Spot the Fallacies: Ever met someone who argues like a squirrel? Critical thinkers spot logical fallacies faster than you can say “japa.”
3. Connect the Dots: Critical thinking is like playing detective. You gather clues (facts), analyze motives (intentions), and unveil hidden truths (like who ate the last cookie).

The three recommendations which, when applied, result in a mind practicing skilled thinking. Note that there is no magic in these specific ideas: it is important to understand them as a sampling of all the possible ways in which the mind can work to discipline itself, to think at a higher level of quality and to function better in the world. The recommendations are:

1. Clarify Your Thinking

Our own thinking usually seems clear to us, even when it is not. Vague, ambiguous, muddled, deceptive or misleading thinking is a significant problem in life. If we are to develop as thinkers, we must learn the art of clarifying our thinking, of pinning it down, spelling it out, and giving it a specific meaning.

2. Stick to the Point

When thinking is relevant, it is focused on the main task at hand. It selects what is salient, pertinent and related. It is on the alert for everything that connects to the issue, and sets aside what is immaterial, extraneous and beside the point. What is relevant directly bears upon (and helps solve) the problem you are trying to solve. When thinking drifts away from what is relevant, it needs to be brought back to what truly makes a difference.

3. Question Questions

Most of us accept the world as it is presented to us and are not skilled questioners. Good thinkers routinely ask questions in order to understand and effectively deal with the world around them. They question the status quo on a regular basis, because they know that things are often different from the way they are presented.

In Conclusion, mastering the art of critical thinking is an ongoing journey that reaps rewards in personal and professional spheres. Embrace the art of critical thinking, and unlock the door to a more informed and empowered existence.