ie/objects/critical-thinking.html

Critical Thinking and the Importance of Values

Components of Critical Thinking (modified from Urbachs' version)

• intellectual skills - ability to solve problems that are posed
  • strongly related to knowledge
• knowledge (related data)
• values
  • strong effect on what you want to be engaged in with your intellect
  • weak effect of skills on values

Critical thinking and action

• When people "understand" a problem, they take actions.
• Understanding, by the definition of Perkins, includes action.
• People are drawn to particular problems by their values
• People select certain intellectual approaches because of their values

Persuading people to take different actions

• given that you might have little effect on changing an individual's values
• you might be able to change their perception of the problems (through intellectual skills)