Sharpen Critical Thinking Skills

What intellectuals say

Mahatma Gandhi. It is unwise to be sure of one's wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest weaken and wisest err.

Carl von Clausewitz. Military strategist says critical thinking is ability to keep one's head at times of exceptional stress and violent emotion.

Sherlock Holmes. Problems may be solved in the study which have baffled all those who have sought a solution by the aid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest pitch, it is necessary that the reasoner should be able to utilize all the facts which have come to his knowledge, and this in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment.

Sir Francis Bacon. A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.

Dr Abdul Kalam. The three teachers in my life; what did they give me? In an integrated way it can be said, that any enlightened human being can be created by three unique characteristics. One is moral value system. That I got from my father the hard way. Secondly, the teacher becoming a role model. Not only does the student learn, but the teacher shapes his life with great dreams and aims. Finally, the education and learning process has to culminate in the creation of professional capability leading to confidence and will power to make a design, to make a product, to make a system, bravely combating many problems. What a fortune and blessing I had from my three teachers.

Are you a crictical thinker. Do you......?

ask pertinent questions

assesses statements and arguments

admit a lack of understanding or information

have a sense of curiosity

lack interest in finding new solutions

clearly define or spell out a set of criteria for analyzing ideas

examine beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts

listen carefully to others and is able to give feedback

see that critical thinking is a lifelong process of self-assessment

suspend judgment until all facts have been gathered and considered

look for evidence to support assumption and beliefs

adjust to opinions when new facts are found

look for proof

examine problems closely

reject information that is incorrect or irrelevant