Critical perception - perfect example that no character trait can be considered good or bad in itself: it all depends on how it is used. Thus, criticality helps to find shortcomings and, perhaps, could save the space shuttle from explosion. However, an excessive tendency to see flaws in everything has already broken up a huge number of marriages: the spouse gets tired of being a constant object of criticism and decides that this cannot continue like this. A physical indicator of increased criticality is the outer corners of the eyes, directed downward. Such people notice everything that is out of the ordinary, for example, that the load is not properly secured and can move. These are inspectors, auditors, detectives, coaches, midfielders-passers, editors, proofreaders and good shooters. Gentlemen of criticism may also notice advantages and new opportunities earlier than others; they usually strive to ensure that everything is good. They are often placed in positions where they have to be responsible for other people - because of their ability to see what needs to be done first.

Criticality - he will find a flaw in everything Lack of critical perception

They should pay attention to the fact that being overly critical interferes with interpersonal relationships: you can lose a friend if you constantly tell him that he needs to do something about his dandruff. In contrast, a person whose outer corners of the eyes are raised does not have critical perception. He cannot be called a nit-pick or someone who likes to find other people’s mistakes. It can be easy with such people, but often they face difficulties without noticing any shortcomings or, on the contrary, opening up opportunities. Keep in mind that these people usually have a heart of gold. Try to carefully handle things dear to their hearts and carry out their instructions in such a way as to avoid criticism.

As for people who are not very critical by nature, it makes sense:

1. Do not rely too much on their advice and judgment.

2. Be happy that they fail to notice your shortcomings (most of which you probably know about yourself).

3. Invite them to your parties.

Analytic skills

In people with a penchant for analysis upper eyelid slightly lowered. This trait distinguished, in particular, Alexander Hamilton, whose analytical abilities were such that the US Treasury, headed by him, still functions normally, despite all the modern financial scams. In people with a penchant for instant action, the upper eyelid is barely visible. This was, for example, Andrew Jackson, who defeated the British in the fleeting battle of New Orleans with the help of pirates. His portrait appears on the twenty dollar bill. People with analytical skills are often mistakenly considered stubborn because they don't say "yes" until they figure out what exactly it is about. we're talking about, why this should be done and why it should be done this way.

analytic skills

They can perfectly understand for themselves and explain to others possible reasons and the consequences of certain events. A person with weak analytical abilities, more impetuous, as a rule, rushes ahead, without making it too difficult for himself to think. Such people make good nurses or orderlies - they rush forward and pull a wounded person out of a car that is ready to explode, without wondering how it was possible to have an accident at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour.

How to deal with people with an analytical mind?

1. Before asking them to do something, give them all the basic information.

2. Remember that you only have to explain something to them once.

This person is not stubborn - he has an analytical mind

Weak analytical skills

With people prone to instant action, you need to behave as follows:

1. Don't irritate them with lengthy explanations.

2. Expect a quick, immediate response from them.

3. Anticipate and try to take advantage of the fact that such people will go ahead until they get what they want (although sometimes this may seem ruthless).

Seriousness

In the life of any person there is always a place for both the funny and the tragic, but serious people, with deep-set eyes, seem to see only the serious side of everything. They take themselves just as seriously. Those around them feel this and try to place responsibility on them, despite their age. Such people take life very seriously. They love to enjoy other people's humor more than to make them laugh themselves.

People whose eyes are shallow are more relaxed, lively and less focused. Almost all of them are carefree and much easier to change the everyday mood to a festive one.

If you are dealing with a serious person, then:

1. You shouldn't expect him to show humor, but know that this person may like you a lot more than he seems.
2. Give him serious tasks.
3. Rely on his sense of responsibility.

If there is someone in front of you who is not so serious, then:

1. Your jokes will resonate more clearly.
2. You can talk with such a person about not very important things.
3. You can behave more freely; the things you do won't be taken seriously.

Concern

If you notice a person has a “glassy look,” this means that something is pressing on him, that he is uncomfortable. The eyes may also be bloodshot and inflamed. The skin and eyes are dry and shiny.

Concern, “everything is wrong”

Concern

The opposite state - complete agreement with oneself and relaxation - is best seen in the clear, open look of a baby when he wakes up after a pleasant nap. The whites of his eyes are snowy white, and his eyelids are slightly moist.

The human eyes are so closely connected to the brain that any concern is immediately reflected in the gaze - for example, when you discover that you have lost your wallet. However, it can disappear as quickly as it appeared, after putting your hand in another pocket, you find your just “lost” wallet there.

If you want to watch how different people If you are concerned, then hang around near the scene of traffic accidents, in the corridors of courts, at stock exchanges or at airports, where people, standing in a long line at the ticket office, listen to the announcement of the announcer about the end of check-in of passengers for their flight. At the airport you can also see people with the so-called sore eyes - it happens to passengers who spent a sleepless night on the plane.

In any case, when you notice a glassy look, you must remember that this man, this woman or child does not own this moment situation.
What to do if someone has a worried, or “glassy” look?

1. Don't take his actions to heart. Remember that this person is under pressure and his decisions and actions may not be the best.
2. Wait with your suggestions for some time (until the problem is somehow resolved).
3. Do everything you can to help the person relax. Offer him a glass of water. Be courteous, calm, not too intrusive, and show a sense of humor.

The ability to think critically has been important at all times; in the 21st century you simply cannot do without it. For the first time in human history, there is a danger that we are capable of destroying all life on our planet. The decisions we make as individuals and as members of society will affect future generations of peoples all over the world. globe. In addition, decisions have to be made on a number of important issues of a local or private nature. Since every citizen is required to make so many important decisions, it seems natural that society should be concerned with how these decisions are made.

It is necessary to teach schoolchildren to think productively. Students are often deprived of the most important component of education - learning to think.

In the process of thinking, a consistent transition is needed from one link in the chain of reasoning to another. Sometimes, because of this, it is not possible to grasp the whole picture in one’s mind’s eye, all the reasoning from the first to the last step. In this regard, it is necessary to be very careful after any conclusion of any reasoning, especially since the student has a predisposition to conduct a long chain of reasoning.

Critical thinking allows you to choose between several hypotheses and thereby determines the further direction of the student’s thoughts.

Critical thinking dictates questions that contribute to determining rational choices.

In the context of the psychology of thinking, criticality is usually interpreted as one of the properties of the mind and is defined as conscious control over the course of a person’s intellectual activity. Here are the statements of a number of leading Soviet psychologists.

B.M. Teplov defined criticality as “the ability to strictly evaluate the work of thought, carefully weigh all the arguments for and against emerging hypotheses and subject these hypotheses to comprehensive testing.”

S.L. Rubinstein believed that testing, criticism, and control characterize thinking as a conscious process.

A.A. Smirnov associated the independence of the mind with its criticality, that is, with the ability not to succumb to the suggestive influence of other people’s thoughts, but to strictly and correctly evaluate them, to see their strengths and weak sides, reveal what is valuable in them, and the mistakes that were made in them. He also emphasized that criticality is a necessary prerequisite for creative activity.

B.V. Zeigarnik points out that criticality consists of the ability to act thoughtfully, compare, check and correct one’s actions in accordance with the expected results.

A completely different attitude to criticality is contained in the empirical studies of foreign psychologists. In the works of A. Osborne and W. Gordon, activities that reduce criticality are recommended to increase the creative and intellectual potential of students. Reducing criticality can be carried out in two ways: direct instructions (“be free, creative, original, suppress criticism of yourself and your ideas, do not be afraid of criticism from others”) and the creation of favorable external conditions, reducing criticality indirectly - sympathy, support, encouragement and approval of partners, overcoming the “fear of looking stupid” (A. Osborne).

Criticality as an activity of evaluative analysis in relation to oneself and one's hypotheses is necessary and useful at the stage of reasoning; it can be contraindicated during the work of the imagination, when putting forward new ideas and setting new goals. [ 18 ]

Assessing the impact of criticality on skill development requires a meaningful approach. It is necessary to describe and analyze the content in relation to which the subject is critical. The process of setting new original goals has a beneficial effect on reducing the subject’s criticality towards himself, towards the assessment of his personality and contributes to the success of goal setting. It is also desirable to strengthen the critical attitude towards to the outside world and other people.

The development of criticality leads to the formation of critical thinking in a person. Although experts in psychology and related sciences have offered several definitions of the term “critical thinking,” all of these definitions are quite similar in meaning, here is one of the simplest that conveys the essence of the idea: Critical thinking is the use of cognitive techniques or strategies that increase the likelihood of getting what you want. the final result. This definition characterizes thinking as something characterized by controllability, validity and purposefulness, i.e. this type of thinking that is used when solving problems, formulating conclusions, assessing probabilities and making decisions. At the same time, the thinker uses skills that are reasonable and effective for a specific situation and the type of problem being solved. [ 5 ]

Other definitions additionally indicate that critical thinking is characterized by the construction of logical inferences, the creation of mutually consistent logical models, and the making of informed decisions regarding whether to reject a judgment, agree with it, or temporarily postpone its consideration. All these definitions imply the solution of a specific mental problem.

The word critical, as used in the definition, implies an evaluative component. Sometimes this word is used to convey a negative attitude towards something. But assessment should be a constructive expression of both positive and negative attitudes. when we think critically, we evaluate the results of our thought processes - how correct the decision we made or how successfully we coped with the task. Critical thinking also involves evaluating the thought process itself—the reasoning that led to our conclusions or the factors that were considered when making a decision.

Critical thinking is sometimes also called directed thinking because it is aimed at obtaining the desired result. There are types of mental activity that do not involve the pursuit of a specific goal; such types of thinking do not belong to the category of critical thinking. For example, when solving a complex mathematical problem, performing some intermediate action, for example, the action of multiplication, thinking is focused on a specific goal, namely solving the problem, therefore, in practice, performing the action of multiplication does not imply a conscious assessment of the actions being performed. This is one example of undirected or automatic thinking.

Critical thinking implies the obligatory presence of a stage of checking and evaluating assumptions before answering the question posed in terms of their reliability and significance, as opposed to operating with ready-made phrases prompted by memory, without the participation of their creative processing.

The formation of critical thinking in mathematics lessons can be combined with the use of mathematical sophisms.

in the twentieth century, “Oh, how unlucky.” Constructivism and postmodernism, which have gained mass popularity, especially in their radical interpretation, have weaned people away from being guided by the concepts of “reality”, “reliability”, “truth”, “falsehood” and the like. The inability to think critically literally leads to the death of the individual: a person is not able to determine for himself musical preferences, taste, political, ideological, etc., to separate them from what is personally alien to him. If someone has an idea about “their” preferences, they are afraid to express them and even adhere to them: critical thinking in today’s society is itself subject to criticism. “How can you speak badly about other music!”, “You criticize a politician, but what have you done yourself?” “You are intolerant!”

But such statements reveal people who are pliable, lacking energy, lacking enthusiasm, gullible and empty. If we imagine reality as a kind of burden that puts pressure on the observer’s consciousness, then people who think uncritically demonstrate total mental and spiritual weakness - after all, they are unable to withstand pressure and prefer to be “crushed.”

At the same time, it is not critical thinking people they like to talk about some kind of “spirituality”. However, they are missing an obvious fact. The fact is that critical thinking is inherent only human consciousness, it is not even present in the so-called higher animals (perhaps chimpanzees, elephants, dolphins and some other representatives of the “intellectual” fauna have some elements of critical thinking, but these are still only hypotheses); Moreover, it is not innate for a person, but develops only over time, when the amount of information received by the child is so large that it can be compared. So those who refuse critical thinking do not demonstrate “spirituality”, but degradation. “Spirituality” in their understanding comes down to the unconscious, thoughtless performance of certain rituals, instinctive actions, complete trust and silent acceptance of current circumstances - but this is behavior characteristic of the most primitive forms of life, including plants. It is no coincidence that those who are called “vegetables” and “plant people” are usually characterized by an absolute lack of critical thinking.

Thus, this is the only property that distinguishes humans from animals. All other attributes " higher intelligence"are characteristic of many species of animals: they use tools, they have primitive languages, often with big amount structural elements (sounds, gestures, facial expressions, smells), some recognize themselves in the mirror or use it to search for objects. However, they apparently cannot be critical of reality. However, a significant part of humanity is also unable to do this.

Uncritical people

Alas, today even smart and educated people are distinguished by their inability to think critically (partially or even completely). And there is nothing to say about material and professional success: society and those in power encourage the “obedient,” loyal and trusting. It’s no wonder that abandoning one’s own opinion and flirting with one’s superiors is an indispensable attribute of corporate culture. People who express their own opinions risk joining the ranks of the marginalized and losing all the “benefits of civilization,” or even being killed.

Of course, if everything were so clear, the human race would have been destroyed fifty years ago. Many of our contemporaries realize that by receiving material benefits in exchange for abandoning personality and self-realization, they lose the meaning of life as such and become wordless consumers of goods. Some of them, without thinking twice, commit suicide (probably many have heard about the suicides of rich and “successful” people, including celebrities). And others, after thinking a little longer, decide to live and fight. And they achieve real success - they develop a critical attitude to reality, without becoming outcasts or marginalized. Such people move humanity forward, make new discoveries and inventions, and even deserve wide recognition and authority.

What is critical thinking

We are all familiar with the expressions “derogatory criticism”, “criticize”, “critical situation”, “crisis”. In accordance with this, “critical thinking” is understood by many as a constant distrust of everything, skepticism, and condemnation. This is fundamentally wrong. Of course, distrust and skepticism are integral elements of critical thinking, but that is not its essence. Such thinking is based on thoughtful, tested and double-checked decisions, supported by reliable evidence, preferably material evidence; on strict logic, consistent judgments and control of one’s feelings and emotions.

Critically thinking man not inclined to blindly carry out orders and instructions, does not give in to suggestion and influence from the outside. It is difficult to deceive and outwit him, and also to get him out of control. He does not take anything for granted and in his actions is guided by personal beliefs, independently obtained and processed information. Therefore, it is unusual for him to make rash decisions.

Criticism of oneself

An integral part of critical thinking is self-criticism. Such a person is able to realize his real capabilities, understand and correct the mistakes made. Lack of self-criticism is characteristic, in particular, of mentally ill people: for example, they are unable to distinguish hallucinations and delusional thoughts from their real state. “Castles in the air”, adventurism, pathological fantasy – these are also symptoms of a painful lack of self-criticism.

How to learn to think critically

Critical, it would seem, is a simple and even primitive process: there are unambiguous “truth” and “false”, the definition of which will be the result of reasoning; there are initial premises, consequences from them and verification of the consequences; the processing of these judgments is based on elementary . In this respect, critical thinking resembles machine logic. However, we are faced with the fact that for many people critical thinking turns into a kind of skill, and even those capable of it often get confused in their conclusions. This is probably due to difficulties " adult life": you have to think, reason and find the truth on your own, which not everyone is ready for. Many prefer the fate of big children - they rely entirely on the guidelines set by various “guardians”: political and religious, parents and simply “elders”, authorities and “godfathers”, traditions, canons. Because it's easier this way.

You have to learn critical thinking gradually, step by step.

Metacognition. This term hides nothing less than self-knowledge. This applies both to the study of our ability to reason and obtain information about the world in general, and to looking at ourselves from the outside - from the position of an outsider. It is clear that “other people” can be different, so there is a need to analyze the actions and judgments of others. Looking at ourselves from the outside, we will see which of our actions are correct and which are wrong. Every evening we can remember what we did during the day and what dictated certain decisions. The fact is that each individual “personality” is a multilateral structure. The “I” after the event is not exactly the “I” before it happened; in a calm and balanced state, a person thinks completely differently than in a state of passion (anxiety, delight, etc.). Therefore, remembering what we did during the day, to some extent we ourselves are a “stranger” to ourselves. It is clear that such self-analysis must be carried out in a calm state, temporarily detached from the hustle and bustle.

Works great when analyzing your behavior. Every decision should be made after checking all the arguments leading to it. Thus, it is necessary to look at yourself with scientific point point of view: accept self-evident axioms and, with the help of logical judgments and arguments, prove or disprove theorems - those same arguments. Judgments should be directed strictly in one direction, but when analyzing, the opposite point of view must also be taken into account.

Checking information sources. Throughout our lives, we make decisions based on what we see, hear, and read. Whether this or that source corresponds to reality, whether its author distorts the facts for his own benefit - answering these questions is not always easy, but it is necessary to answer them. You can check either by contacting a more authoritative source or in practice. The second way is more reliable, since an “authoritative source” often itself needs to be verified; however, the practice can be dangerous for the inspector: for example, trying to verify the truth of the warning “Don’t get involved - he’ll kill you!” may end in death.

Formulated conclusion it is necessary to further check, especially if it is based on purely formal reasoning. If the conclusion you made “worked” once, it is not a fact that it will “work” in another situation.

It is useful to make a list of all possible ways to solve a problem. Visual representation makes the thinking task easier. You can depict diagrams, tables, diagrams. Here we apply the methods of mathematical disciplines - statistics, algebra of sets and logic, etc. And, as is known, is the most accurate of all sciences.

The best way to train yourself to think critically is to follow a simple framework: solving a problem consists of five stages - preparation, familiarization with the problem, development of solutions, selection of the final solution, and evaluation of the result of the choice. Everyone who has received this scheme is familiar with higher education or was studying research activities, - after all, it is a standard for writing coursework, theses, dissertations and other similar documents. A structured plan allows you to solve any complex issue step by step and thoughtfully.

. Creative people easier to imagine different variants developments of events, evaluate the results of your actions in fictitious situations (which may well turn out to be real in the future).

Getting rid of fear. It is often difficult to critically assess the situation before “ higher powers» of different order:

• in religious societies there is a fear of being critical of “God’s providence”, and therefore of the events that took place and one’s behavior in them;
• V totalitarian states citizens are afraid to even think that government members may be wrong;
• in countries with an eastern control system (Japan, South Korea) subordinates are afraid to criticize their superiors, their orders and their actions in their light.

Even if the political situation changes, fear remains at a subconscious level, and a person continues to treat the world around him and himself uncritically. Overcoming these irrational fears will help you get into a “critical mood,” so to speak.

Psychoanalyst, art therapist.

"Criticism is the study and testing of propositions of any kind that are proposed for acceptance, in order to find out whether they are true or not. Critical thinking is the most important condition human well-being, this must be taught."

William Graham Sumner

The difference is that divergent thinking leads to new insights and solutions, while critical thinking has the function of testing existing ideas and solutions for flaws or errors.

Critical thinking theory

The main prerequisite for the emergence of the theory of critical thinking in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century should be considered social tension and instability associated with the revolution, the Great Depression, and the global economic crisis. These aspects of life have prompted philosophers and sociologists to search for ideas that would transform philosophy into an actionable, pragmatic process that helps people survive in a radically changing world.

One of the main reasons for the emergence of the theory of critical thinking was the crisis in education and its reforms. Thus, questions of critical thinking ceased to be a subject of interest exclusively for philosophy.

Analytical philosophy of education was important in the formation and development of the theory of the formation of critical thinking.

One of the first was the American educator and philosopher John Dewey, who drew parallels between learning conditions, interaction and reflective thinking, and also proposed the development of reflective (critical) thinking as one of the most important goals of learning in the educational system.

Sociologist and philosopher W. Sumner pointed to the deep need for critical thinking in life, in education and the need to teach critical thinking.

The development of important methodological aspects of organizing the formation of critical thinking skills is the subject of the work of American teachers who, under the influence of postmodern thinking, started talking about the need to make changes not only in educational system in general, but also the process of developing and implementing new theories and teaching methods. They emphasized that such approaches can interest students in the learning process, intensify their work to achieve their own educational goals, provide the opportunity to independently monitor and evaluate each other’s level of knowledge, and develop critical and creative thinking skills.

History of critical thinking

After Socrates, Kant is the second significant figure in the history of philosophy, to whom all prominent representatives of critical rationalism are indebted, despite their critical attitude towards his teaching. The critical rationalism of I. Kant includes questions of the theory of knowledge in the spheres of enlightenment, epistemology (epistemology), religion: “No matter where you know about God... only you can judge whether to believe in Him and whether to worship Him.”

In his teachings about space and time, Kant discovers that knowledge consists of analytical (explanatory) and synthetic (expanding) judgments, which seem to reject the rationalistic doctrine of evidence, and therefore he demands that synthetic judgments be justified a priori in the same way as empirical ones .

Kant's critical apriorism, starting from Hume's skepticism associated with the impossibility of proving the validity of the principle of induction, generalizes the "Humean problem" to the questions: how is a science possible, consisting of synthetic judgments "a priori"? How is it possible to justify synthetic judgments of the “a priori” kind?

Karl Popper is an Austrian and British sociologist, one of the most influential philosophers of science of the 20th century, being a follower of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, and played an important role in the history of the development of critical thinking. He can rightfully be considered the founder of the philosophical concept of critical rationalism. He described his position as follows: “I may be wrong, and you may be right... Let us make an effort, and we may get closer to the truth.”

Popper is known for his works on the philosophy of science, social and political philosophy, in which he criticized classical concept scientific method. He defended the principles of democracy, social criticism and proposed to adhere to them in order to make prosperity possible open society.

In his adherence to the Enlightenment tradition, Popper associated the Enlightenment with a belief in reason and truth, and in this sense he called himself a rationalist. “However,” Popper noted, “this does not mean that I believe in the omnipotence of the human mind... Reason can play human life only a very modest role. It plays the role of ... critical discussion." The peculiarity of the Enlightenment tradition, according to Popper, is a certain intellectual attitude that opposes such Enlightenment rationalistic concepts that try to give reason and the knowledge produced on its basis special authority. "There is significant difference between intellectual modesty and intellectual conceit (audacity), Popper explains the essence of this confrontation.

Intellectual modesty forms the ethical basis of the concept of critical rationality, which Popper calls “Socratic reason,” in which critical rationalism does not promote the omnipotence of reason and thereby a fanatical belief in it, not the “terror of rationalism” or an uncritical belief in the omnipotence of science. His concept of reason refers to the Socratic point of view on the limitations and fallibility of all human knowledge, and therefore does not recognize any reference point in the process of cognition or the final authority in justification that would guarantee the absoluteness of truth.

For Popper, a rationalist is a person who is willing to learn from others by allowing them to criticize his ideas and by criticizing the ideas of others.

Psychology, fundamentals of critical thinking

Psychologist Diana Halper, for example, notes in her book The Psychology of Critical Thinking:

We are talking about a type of thinking that allows you to use previously acquired knowledge to create new ones. Everything that people know - all existing knowledge - was created by someone. Created, to a greater extent, with the help of a purposeful course of reasoning with evaluative components - the main factors of critical thinking.

“What if?...” is the basic question of critical thinking. It means developing a point of view on a certain issue and the ability to defend this point of view with logical arguments. This type of thinking requires attention to the opponent’s arguments and their logical comprehension.

In the 20th century, critical thinking gained particular popularity as postmodernism and constructivism, especially due to its radical point of view. Big number people living on the planet have weaned themselves from choosing and making decisions, relying on the truth, reliability and reality of what is happening. The fact that a person does not have the ability to think critically immediately deprives him of his own character and personality in psychology.

A person ceases to independently navigate what he likes, what kind of music, politics, worldviews attracts him, and he also ceases to realize what he wants to do for himself. If someone has his own point of view and his preferences, he rarely observes them and sticks to them: critical thinking in our society is itself subject to great criticism and controversy among others. “Be tolerant!”, “How can you speak negatively about other people’s musical preferences?”, “You criticize this person, but what have you achieved yourself?”

Such words can immediately show us a person who is too pliable, unenthusiastic, empty, and also overly trusting. If you think that reality is some kind of burden that can put pressure on the consciousness of the observer, then you can notice that people who are unable to think critically show us complete spiritual as well as mental weakness, since they cannot withstand some pressure and would prefer to be morally destroyed.

Definition of critical thinking, what does it mean

Non-critical people

Unfortunately, today even people who are not stupid, but even educated, are unable to think critically (partially or completely). And it’s better not to talk about the material and political sphere at all: opinion leaders and the authorities always prefer to have obedient and loyal people with them who trust their every word. It’s not just that now a complete rejection of a personal position and attempts to please the dominant link in everything is an indispensable factor in corporate institutions. People who have their own opinions risk being misunderstood and rejected from different sides, and not so long ago, speaking against the opinion of the authorities was punishable by exile and even death.

Of course, if everything were so simple, then the human race would have been destroyed many years ago. There are people who understand that if you receive finance and material goods in exchange for your life position, then the meaning of life simply disappears, and the person himself becomes a simple consumer of goods. Some of these people, without thinking twice, commit suicide (there are many articles about the rich successful people who unexpectedly committed suicide, including some celebrities).

Others, more strong in character and spirit, decide to move on and try to deal with these problems. In the end, such people achieve truly significant success - they develop the level of their critical thinking, do not become some kind of outcasts or misunderstood by society. These individuals are capable of moving the human race forward, accomplishing general development, make new discoveries and create new devices and equipment, they should receive the main recognition and special authority.

What does critical thinking mean and how to develop it?

1. We've all heard expressions such as derogatory criticism, criticize, critical situation. Thus, many assume that critical thinking means eternal dissatisfaction with everything, condemnation, and also skepticism. This is completely untrue. Of course, the presence of mistrust and skepticism is one of the main parts of critical thinking, but its main principles are not built on this. This thinking mainly consists of thoughtful, carefully tested conclusions and decisions, which are supported by reliable facts and arguments, preferably of a material type, built on strict logic, consistent judgments and control of one’s emotions and feelings about the world around us.
2. A person who is capable thinks critically, will never blindly obey and do everything that he is told. It is difficult to get him out of control of his emotions and feelings, as well as to deceive and outwit him in any way. He does not fully believe in any belief and in his choices and actions is guided only by his processed and received information. It is for this reason that such people tend to make decisions only for themselves and never allow rash actions; they can always answer for their actions.

Criticism of yourself

Another factor in the development of critical thinking is the ability to think critically about oneself. Such a person can independently understand his real abilities, perceives well and carefully eliminates the shortcomings and mistakes made. If a person does not analyze his behavior and does not criticize himself, then this characterizes him as a mentally unhealthy person, for example, patients with schizophrenia are not able to distinguish hallucinations and strange thoughts from the state in real time. Adventurism, excessive fantasies - all this can also be a factor in a painful lack of self-criticism.

How to develop critical thinking?

Critical thinking seems to us a process that seems easy and even quite primitive: there is an unambiguous decision - truth or lie, which should be deduced; there are initial information and actions, consequences and reasoning made from them, the processing of these judgments will be based on simple logic. With such principles, critical thinking is more reminiscent of the logic of some kind of robot or machine. But we can often notice how critical thinking becomes just this action for some people, and very often these people themselves get confused in their conclusions.

This probably happens because of the adult stage of life: here you need to reason, think and look for the right solution yourself, and not every person is ready for this. Most people choose the tactics of big children - they always rely on principles that are created by various groups: political, religious, traditions, canons and simply more authoritative people. And they prefer to follow them because it is easier.

Teaching Critical Learning

Useful to analyze and compose detailed list all possible outcomes from a certain situation. Presentation on a visual background will greatly simplify this task. You can depict special diagrams, diagrams, and also special tables. Here you can use the methods of mathematical disciplines - statistics, as well as logic. It is worth remembering that mathematics is the most exact science among others.

The best method development of critical thinking in yourself will adhere to a special scheme: the solution to the problem facing you occurs through five actions - preparation, familiarization and analysis of the problem, development of the correct solution, selection of the most accurate result, as well as evaluation of the final result of the work done. All people who have received higher education or participated in any research are familiar with this method. Thus, this method is the main one for writing theses, dissertations, coursework and other documents of this type. A structured and well-thought-out plan can help a person quickly and step-by-step solve any difficult issue.