Abstract
This article on critical thinking emphasizes its normative character. It explains what critical thinking is, why it is valuable, and why it is educationally basic. Being a critical thinker is a matter of degree. Critical thinking involves both skills and abilities of reason assessment, and the disposition to exercise those abilities; the critical thinker is both able to assess the probative strength of reasons, and is disposed to do so. Such thinking satisfies relevant criteria of reason assessment. Critical thinking is rightly regarded as a fundamental educational ideal, for reasons offered below. While there may be considerable merit in some criticisms of critical thinking, more radical challenges to it fail in that they in the end rely on the very critical thinking they aim to challenge.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | International Encyclopedia of Education |
| Publisher | Elsevier Ltd |
| Pages | 141-145 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780080448947 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2010 |
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Keywords
- Autonomy
- Criteria
- Critical spirit
- Critical thinking
- Dispositions
- Epistemology
- Justification
- Rationality
- Reasons
- Respect for students as persons
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
Cite this
Critical thinking. / Siegel, Harvey.
International Encyclopedia of Education. Elsevier Ltd, 2010. p. 141-145.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - Critical thinking
AU - Siegel, Harvey
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - This article on critical thinking emphasizes its normative character. It explains what critical thinking is, why it is valuable, and why it is educationally basic. Being a critical thinker is a matter of degree. Critical thinking involves both skills and abilities of reason assessment, and the disposition to exercise those abilities; the critical thinker is both able to assess the probative strength of reasons, and is disposed to do so. Such thinking satisfies relevant criteria of reason assessment. Critical thinking is rightly regarded as a fundamental educational ideal, for reasons offered below. While there may be considerable merit in some criticisms of critical thinking, more radical challenges to it fail in that they in the end rely on the very critical thinking they aim to challenge.
AB - This article on critical thinking emphasizes its normative character. It explains what critical thinking is, why it is valuable, and why it is educationally basic. Being a critical thinker is a matter of degree. Critical thinking involves both skills and abilities of reason assessment, and the disposition to exercise those abilities; the critical thinker is both able to assess the probative strength of reasons, and is disposed to do so. Such thinking satisfies relevant criteria of reason assessment. Critical thinking is rightly regarded as a fundamental educational ideal, for reasons offered below. While there may be considerable merit in some criticisms of critical thinking, more radical challenges to it fail in that they in the end rely on the very critical thinking they aim to challenge.
KW - Autonomy
KW - Criteria
KW - Critical spirit
KW - Critical thinking
KW - Dispositions
KW - Epistemology
KW - Justification
KW - Rationality
KW - Reasons
KW - Respect for students as persons
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862636267&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84862636267&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/B978-0-08-044894-7.00582-0
DO - 10.1016/B978-0-08-044894-7.00582-0
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9780080448947
SP - 141
EP - 145
BT - International Encyclopedia of Education
PB - Elsevier Ltd
ER -