The Power Of Critical Thinking

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is a process of unbiased and independent thinking through which people can arrive at a decision through proper evaluation and analysis of information. 

It is not that critical thinking is only necessary for certain professions, or only for making important decisions.  Rather, critical thinking is necessary for every human being at all times.  The better a person can do critical thinking, use it in every task and decision making of daily life, the better his life will be. 

The most important aspect of critical thinking is the ability to ask questions. For example: The present age is the age of information. All day long we are connected to the internet through various devices and drown in the sea of ​​information. Not all information is good information.  A lot of unnecessary and negative information also keeps coming in front of us.  Now how to separate the information I need from these information, how to keep the good or positive information in my memory, thinking about it or questioning it is critical thinking. 

The more questions I can ask about why I’m doing what I’m doing right now, how it will positively impact my life, how I can do it better, etc., the better my questions are, the better I’ll be at critical thinking and  The better I can make decisions. 

This concept of critical thinking originated with the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates.  Socrates encouraged people to think through questioning, known as the “Socratic method”.  Through this people were taught to question and think deeply about their own ideas and beliefs.  Plato and Aristotle then developed and expanded Socrates’ concept of critical thinking.

Characteristics of Critical Thinking:

Analytical Ability: 

Through critical thinking one can analyze various facts and data deeply and then come to a conclusion. 

For example: When a doctor examines a patient’s symptoms, he makes a diagnosis by analyzing the results of various tests and the patient’s previous history.  He analyzes the cause and effect of each symptom and decides the right treatment plan.

Another thing is that people have a tendency to put blind faith in what they like;  It can be a favorite book, a favorite personality, an ideology etc.  This increases the tendency to make mistakes or fall into danger.  Because there is no way that my life will match the story or character found in a book, and there is no guarantee that the learning from the book will be useful in my life.  Again, it is not right that we have to blindly accept all the words of the one whom we regard as ideal, whom we follow, whom we consider to be very close. 

Because each of us has a different situation, different story, so the decision will also be different. So without being influenced by anything, I have to first ask myself if any advice or any teaching is compatible with my life, how this theory or teaching can be useful in my case.  The data should be analyzed by asking questions like this. 

The main purpose of critical thinking is to analyze everything in depth and then make a decision, and to do this, you must first focus on questioning.  And before asking questions, we should also consider whether the information we have is sufficient and gather as much information as possible on this matter, take the opinions of others.  Then they must be combined to make a decision. 

Ability to Evaluate and Rationalize Information: Any information is properly evaluated through critical thinking, the information is verified by scientific reasoning. 

For example: A researcher after determining his research topic reads numerous previous research papers on the topic, analyzes them, criticizes them, finds gaps and decides which data he will use in his research.  And for this he has to do critical thinking, verify the truth of the information in a scientific way. 

Again, an engineer while constructing a new road or bridge examines the proven capability and durability of various materials and selects the materials accordingly.  He relies on proven facts rather than mere guesswork or experience.

Creativity:

Critical thinking develops human creativity, through which it is possible to find new and innovative solutions to a problem. 

For example: An interior designer designs a variety of innovative furniture to make a small room more effectively usable, which provides more convenience in less space, such as multifunctional furniture or foldable tables, sofas, beds, etc. 

Not only interior designers have to do such creative thinking, I personally have to think about how to decorate my home, what things will look good where to put them, what color will make the room look big and beautiful, how to create a healthy environment at home, etc.  Decision making requires creativity, which can only be achieved through critical thinking.

Caution: 

Alertness is being aware of the potential risks and pitfalls of a decision or action and preparing to deal with them, which is achieved through critical thinking. 

For example: A software developer uses various testing processes to find potential bugs and errors before releasing a new piece of software.  He is vigilant and ensures that the software is error free and secure. 

A journalist has to be very careful to verify the truth of any news before publishing it  Because a wrong news can do a lot of damage to a country, ethnic group or person. 

A leader or a politician has to take any decision very carefully.  Because the good and bad of many people are involved in his decision. 

A judge has to judge a case very carefully, because his decision depends on the life and death of one or more people. 

Neutrality:

Impartiality is being free from the influence of personal bias or emotion when judging a matter or making a decision and making a decision based only on facts and reason.  This neutrality can be achieved only through critical thinking. 

Just as impartiality is important in making decisions about oneself, it also plays an important role in making decisions about others. 

For example: If a judge does not make an impartial decision, innocent people may be convicted and criminals may be encouraged to commit more crimes, which poses a serious threat to society. 

We are often influenced by the words of loved ones in making personal decisions, which can be harmful to us.  So the decision should be made by one’s unbiased judgment analysis ability, by questioning oneself, so that the possibility of making mistakes is reduced.

Curiosity: 

Curiosity is the desire to seek new knowledge and experience.  The more curious a person is, the more he can learn, the more he can improve in life.  Successful people are naturally very curious. 

Curiosity is especially important as a student.  It enhances their willingness to learn, problem solving skills, self-confidence, independent thinking and ability to collect and analyze information.  As a result, they become more successful and wise people.

Curiosity encourages students to learn about new topics and ideas.  It motivates them to read books, research and gather new information.  When a student is curious about science, he tries to learn more by reading various scientific articles, doing experiments, and questioning teachers.

Curiosity helps students think about different problems, analyze different aspects of problems and find creative solutions. 

Curiosity helps students form independent thoughts and opinions.  They collect information from various sources and make their own judgments and analyzes to express their own views.  When a student is curious about history, he analyzes various historical events from different perspectives and gives his own opinion.  When a student is curious about a science project, he analyzes various research papers and references to gather accurate information.

Curiosity is helpful in increasing students’ concentration and attention.  They try to learn by focusing on the subjects they are curious about.

Why needs Critical Thinking?  

Critical thinking is an essential skill for everyone.  Critical thinking is not required for any specific class or profession.  Rather, critical thinking is equally important for every human being.  It helps in effective decision making, problem solving, and intelligence development in various areas of life.

Critical Thinking in Everyday Life:

We have to make many decisions every day. If you want to make those decisions well, you need to do critical thinking.

Suppose a man went to the market with a pocket full of money.  As he has a lot of money in his pocket, there are also many products in the market. But he does not need all the products in the market. He has to decide how much money to spend on the market, what kind of products to buy, which products are useful and nutritious for his family, etc. 

Do you buy food considering good health and nutrition or just thinking about taste? Which products are in high demand and which are in low demand? How to plan to buy the best quality products within the budget?  etc. questions he can decide himself. 

For students:

A student needs critical thinking to decide what subject to study, which college or university to enroll in, whether to focus only on CGPA or spend time on extra-curricular activities, what subject to be proficient in, which direction to pursue a career, etc.

Which subject is most suitable for his career? Which college or university environment and curriculum is best for him? Besides studies, what kind of extracurricular activities will improve him in personal and professional life? etc. questions can be decided. 

Critical Thinking in Professional Life: Every day at work there may be different issues, such as project management, coordination with colleagues, or meeting client needs.  Critical thinking is essential to find solutions to these problems.

In what manner can the project be completed quickly and effectively? How to resolve conflicts with colleagues? What new strategies can be implemented to meet client needs? etc. questions can be decided. 

A business leader has to make numerous important decisions every day.  Critical thinking is essential for setting accurate business goals, analyzing markets, and formulating advanced strategies.

Which product is more in demand in the market and which product should be newly introduced?

Which projects can be more profitable in terms of investment? How to stay ahead of competitors? etc. questions can be decided. 

Critical Thinking in Personal Life:

Critical thinking is very important in maintaining good health and leading a healthy lifestyle.  For example: Which types of food are healthy and which should be avoided?  What type of exercise is most beneficial?  What habits can improve lifestyle? 

Critical thinking is required to build and maintain relationships. For example: What issues are creating conflict in the relationship and what can be resolved? How to improve relationships by understanding others’ feelings and perspectives? What kind of communication style is most effective? etc. questions can be decided. 

Critical Thinking in Family Formation:

Family is the most important institution of society.  Those ideal people who work for social change come from ideal families.  The role of a good family in making a good person is undeniable.  Therefore, the role of critical thinking in the formation of this good or ideal family is very high and the family whose parents or guardians encourage their children to think critically, give them the opportunity to make their own decisions by thinking freely or neutrally, we call that family a good or ideal family.  

Critical thinking is helpful in developing relationships among family members, problem solving, and ethical decision making.  When disagreements and conflicts sometimes arise between family members, critical thinking is helpful in analyzing the root cause of the problem, gathering information and finding logical solutions. 

For example, financial problems, disagreements about children’s education, choosing a good doctor or hospital when someone needs treatment, or any other family problem can be solved with critical thinking.  Critical thinking is helpful in making major family decisions, such as changing residences, selecting schools for children’s education, or making financial investments.  It helps in taking the right decision by analyzing various options and evaluating possible outcomes. Critical thinking helps family members set goals in life, and helps regulate emotions.

Critical Thinking in Governance:

Critical thinking is very important in governance, as it plays an effective role in policy making, problem solving, and long-term planning.  Critical thinking is essential at every stage of governance, especially from the policy-making level to the implementation stage.

Critical thinking helps the leaders of the state to analyze and evaluate various problems in depth. 

For example, while formulating education policy, the government should analyze the various problems of the current education system, try to use the aspects of the world’s leading countries in the education sector that are useful in our education system, and formulate effective policies for the future of students.

The government has to make various important decisions which must be informed and rational.  For example: In order to overcome the economic recession of the country, the government has to adopt effective policies by analyzing various economic models and evidence, researching how important role the production and demand of domestic products can play in this, adopting various plans with domestic products, reducing the import of luxury foreign products and  Critical thinking is required to take necessary steps to increase production and demand for alternative indigenous products.

Critical thinking helps leaders analyze potential risks and take preventive measures. For example: Natural disaster management policy requires the government to analyze the level of risk and possible impact and make appropriate preparations in advance.  Creative and robust thinking is essential in taking long-term plans in state governance.  For example: Government should adopt a long term plan for environment conservation and sustainable development.  Increasing the production and use of renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions, making people aware, is one of them. 

Critical thinking is helpful in taking integrated development plans among different sectors of the state.  Governments should coordinate transport, housing, health care and education systems in both urban and rural development.  To create equal opportunities for all, to ensure that rural people do not have to migrate to cities, to create adequate education and employment opportunities in villages. 

Critical thinking is helpful in strategic thinking and effective decision making in international relations and diplomacy. Foreign policy requires governments to use critical thinking to determine relationships and strategic partnerships with different countries.  It is helpful in international problem solving and conflict resolution.  In resolving various disputes with a country, such as political, economic, geographical, commercial, etc., the government has to solve the problem through logical thinking and strategic discussion.

Critical thinking is an essential skill for everyone, aiding in effective decision-making, problem-solving, and the development of intelligence across various areas of life. Whether in everyday life, professional settings, personal relationships, or governance, the ability to think critically enhances the quality of decisions and overall life outcomes. Therefore, fostering critical thinking from an early age and continually developing it throughout life is crucial for personal and societal progress.

Writer:

• Razib Ahmed, Former and Founder President of e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) and founder, Search English.
• Khatun A Jannat Asha Researcher, e-Commerce Development Center (EDC).