The Miniature Guide To Critical Thinking

 

The main purpose of this guide is to bring out the concepts of critical thinking and how it is or how it can be applied in our daily lives. Through critical thinking, one can develop the elements of purpose, questioning, information, interpretation, concepts, assumptions, implications and consequences, and point of view.  Basically, critical thinking means being self-directed, self-disciplined, self- monitored, and self-corrective thinking. And to achieve this it takes a lot of standards to come to the point where we put this in use. Critical thinking involves effective communication and problem-solving abilities and an obligation to overcome our innate self-centeredness and sociocentrism.

The key question that is being questioned is about critical thinking, elements of thought, checklist for reasoning, question guide for the element of thought, problems of egocentric thinking, universal intellectual standards, Template for analyzing the logic of articles and textbooks, criterial for evaluating reasoning, essential intellectual traits, three kinds of questioning, how to solve problem, analyze and assess research, stages of critical thinking development and what critical thinkers do monotonously. One must know how important is it to be critically thinking, because it states your purpose clearly, and help you be on your path to achieve your fixed target. It also helps you maintain your realistic purpose. When you are critically thinking, one even does the reasoning process. To find purpose, figure something out, assumptions, point of view, digging in data or evidence, concepts and ideas, interpretation, and implications are formed with the help of reasoning. To reason critically is to question the ideas and beliefs of others and oneself and to challenge canon and expert. When we start to question the ideas and beliefs we live by, we start to think for ourselves.

While critically thinking the author is clearly given out the set of questions one must ask before implementing it in their daily lives. For example, If I myself choose to do an MBA degree I must ask myself the right questions to prove the how judgmentally I am thinking to see if I get what I want and if that is the exact thing that I want. Most people do not ask the right questions thus end up making the wrong choices in life. This also does not mean we should just randomly ask questions to ourself, but to ask the relevant questions that will reveal what one wants and desires.

Sociocentric thinking is linked with egocentric thinking, Sociocentric thinking is egocentric thinking raised to the level of the group. And it can be even more destructive than egocentric thinking, since it carries with it the sanction of a social group. The following parallels for egocentric and sociocentric patterns of thought are:

• ·       Egocentric standard: “It’s true because I believe it.”

Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because we believe it.”

• ·       Egocentric standard: “It’s true because I want to believe it.”

Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because we want to believe it.”

• ·       Egocentric standard: “It’s true because it’s in my vested interest to believe it.”

Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because it’s in our vested interest to believe it.”

• ·       Egocentric standard: “It’s true because I have always believed it.”

Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because we have always believed it.”

One difference we find is that in the egocentric society a person's identity is independent from a group. In the sociocentric society, a person gets their identity from the group.  Universal intellectual standards, help one get the clarity, accuracy (truth), precision (being specific), relevance (connection to another subject), depth (complexities), breadth (broad view), and logic (making sense).

            One can evaluate their own reason through the elements of critical thinking. It has a major value to the process of reasoning. Where, critical thinking is followed up by reasoning. One must apply the universal standards to the elements as we develop intellectual traits. While problem solving one must be very aware of your goals, purposes, and needs. Always take problems one by one and state it as clearly as possible. Study the problem as of how it occurs, causes and what are the information on the problem. One must be very careful in analysing and interpreting the information. For example, if you have a problem with a mathematical problem, you cannot misinterpret that and dig in for answers from a science book. The situation is similar, and one must thoroughly analyse the problem to avoid unnecessary burden. Now will be the time to take action for solving the problem, so generate ideas or solutions. Always keep a few alternate solutions too. It will help you get back on track if something goes wrong. When the process of problem solving happens, observe it keenly for you might get answers from them too.

            One can achieve master thinking, but to do so one must be very keen about their routine and discipline. Without practice nothing can be achieved, be it critical thinking or any other task. The task of Critical Thinking also requires a lot of focus, and following the above points can help you achieve great heights with self- realisation. One must be determined and focused to achieve this art and savour it in daily life.