Critical thinking is the process of analyzing available facts, evidence, observations and arguments in order to reach sound conclusions or informed choices, rather than accepting claims at face value. It involves examining underlying assumptions, testing the rationality of an argument and weighing different perspectives and their consequences. The practice is not automatic; it must be deliberately cultivated through self-directed, self-monitored habits of mind. Its roots trace to the questioning method Socrates used to challenge claims to knowledge, and the term itself is associated with the philosopher and educator John Dewey, who argued that curricula built around thinking skills benefit the individual learner, the community and democratic life. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Core ClaimCritical thinking holds that conclusions and choices should be reached by analyzing available facts, evidence, observations and arguments rather than by accepting a claim at face value. 1 FAQs
Who first used the phrase critical thinking?
Sources differ: John Dewey is credited in modern usage, but the Oxford English Dictionary records the term in 1815.
Accounts differ. One account holds that the phrase was coined by the Pragmatist philosopher John Dewey in his book How We Think. The Oxford English Dictionary, however, records the exact term critical thinking first appearing in 1815, in the British literary journal The Critical Review, where it referred to critical analysis in a literary context. The practice itself is traced much further back, since Plato indicated that the teachings of Socrates are the earliest records of what is now called critical thinking.
Connections
Associated With
Source Critical Thinking (Wikipedia)
Developed By
John Dewey, Thinkers Modern term coined by Dewey; the practice of critical thinking itself is far older (Socratic questioning), a nuance this edge does not claim to resolve.
Source Critical Thinking (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Critical Thinking (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section (cites Dewey, 1910)
In modern times, the phrase critical thinking was coined by Pragmatist philosopher John Dewey in his book How We Think.
Lead paragraph, education-level
Critical thinking is the process of analyzing available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to reach sound conclusions or informed choices.
Associated With: Socrates, History section
Plato (428-347 BC) indicated that the teachings of Socrates (470-399 BC) are the earliest records of what today is called critical thinking.
In Group: Critical Thinking and Contemplative Learning, Lead
Critical thinking is the process of analyzing available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to reach sound conclusions or informed choices.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.