User:Arson McFire/sandbox

Background
In the west (Eurocpean centric) the origins of the critical thinking process are traced back to the Socratic method. Questions asked about an argument or a claim are defended by answering those questions. The purpose is to find common (agreed) truth that is used to form an opinion. In the east (Asian centric)the Buddhist tradition of the Kalama Sutta emphazizes direct knowledge or experience and uses the Question and Answer process to test claims of truth.

Skepticism uses critical thinking as a tool to test arguments for evidence, accuracy, and truth Scientific skepticism adds the requirement for reproducible results and independent verification of claims and arguments.

Description
Critical thinking is a process of evaluating information. Improve the understanding of a subject and minimize or eliminate bias, distortion, and inaccuracy. Identify the relevant issue, information, assumptions, implications, and point of view. Making fact based data driven decisions on what we produce, make, build, or manage depends on the accurate analysis of information.

People get information from multiple sources, internet, broadcast media, and other people. Many of these sources are rewarded for getting as much information to the public as fast as possible for example:


 * Surveys, polls, statistics
 * Economic actions, opinions, recommendations
 * Theories (scientific, religious, economic, social, and conspiracy theories)
 * Stories and opinions from traditional broadcast media, and internet based social media
 * Political statements
 * Conventional wisdom
 * General assumptions
 * Pronouncements of authority
 * Personal comments (e.g. gossip)

This speed and volume of information for or against a subject can and does cause conflict, and even damage if it is inaccurate. The individual needs tools to asses that information.

Do an internet search, “Socrates triple filter test”. The anecdote is an efficient way to understand the objective of critical thinking
 * Truth. Is the information is true, accurate, relevant?
 * Benefit (goodness). Is the information beneficial?
 * Usefulness. Is the information useful?

Critical thinking employs not only logic but broad intellectual criteria such as clarity, credibility, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, significance, and fairness.

Various definitions
==Skills==
 * "A persistent effort to examine any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the evidence that supports it and the further conclusions to which it tends."
 * "the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion" [18]
 * "disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence" [19]
 * "reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do"[20]
 * "purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based"[21]
 * "includes a commitment to using reason in the formulation of our beliefs"[22]
 * in critical social theory: commitment to the social and political practice of participatory democracy, willingness to imagine or remain open to considering alternative perspectives, willingness to integrate new or revised perspectives into our ways of thinking and acting, and willingness to foster criticality in others.[23]

Truth = fact = reality is an assumption an element of Logic. The reason this assumption is needed is that critical thinking skills are be taught and practiced (look at the reference and external link

Process

 * Recognize
 * A claim is being made.
 * An ideological claim

Everything falls at a rate of 32ft/sec/sec: A scientific claim


 * Indented line

Different people disagree
 * Understand the importance of prioritization and order of precedence in problem solving
 * Gather and marshal pertinent (relevant) information
 * Recognize unstated assumptions and values
 * Comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discernment
 * Interpret data, to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments
 * Recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between propositions
 * Draw warranted conclusions and generalizations
 * Put to test the conclusions and generalizations at which one arrives
 * Reconstruct one's patterns of beliefs on the basis of wider experience
 * Render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life

In sum:

The list of core critical thinking skills includes observation, interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, explanation, and metacognition. There is a reasonable level of consensus that an individual or group engaged in strong way of critical thinking gives due consideration to establish:
 * Evidence through observation
 * Context skills
 * Relevant criteria for making the judgment well
 * Applicable methods or techniques for forming the judgment
 * Applicable theoretical constructs for understanding the problem and the question at hand

Competence
Critical thinking employs not only logic (either formal or, much more often, informal) but also broad intellectual criteria such as clarity, credibility, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, significance and fairness.