What is Critical Thinking?

What is critical thinking and why is it important for everyone to learn and be able to use it? I attempt to answer these and other points about critical thinking here.

There are some great resources where you can learn a lot more about critical thinking and how to do it:

[bgbbft]

Oh man, that audio. I want to watch this but I just.. can't. I can't.

On the other hand, the closed captioning is so wrong it's glorious.

[sandras]

The reasons you listed is why I try to consistently try to ask those 6 critical question all the time. I admit I don't always succeed but I find it help me think and to a certain degree analyze the world with a semi-open mind.

[anon]

Critical thinking means asking yourself "How do I know?" when you believe something is true. It's carefully examining the reasons for why you believe something to be true, and whether those reasons are valid ones.

It involves being able to admit you don't know whether something is true, and changing your mind when you discover new evidence or when you re-examine your reasons for a belief. It's especially important for examining beliefs you hold that have an emotional impact so that you avoid falling into the trap of believing something because it makes you feel good. Some truths are unpleasant, or even unbearable, and it can be difficult to accept them when they make us feel bad.

[Martypants]

I still dig the content, but oh man, the reverb!!!

[yomenow]

Thank you Chris Shelton. I learn so much from you videos.

[spikeoramathon]

Chris, you're wonderful! and what a valuable lesson about not using critical thinking to tear each other down. There's too much of that.

Once again, you amaze and inform! Applause!

[DreamingCatStudio]

Thank you for this, love hearing your thoughts--so cogent! I hope you make a series of critical thinking teaching videos, with methods and examples!

[transparentzwindows]

Enjoying your exploration of epistemology.

[allidock]

Great video, Chris. I've thought for a long time now that abandoning one's critical faculties is essentially abandoning one's humanity. It's abandoning the wonderful ability to change one's mind - a scary (at times) but very rewarding and necessary thing. 

[christinehaigh]

I love your videos and your valuable information to interested viewers.

[mdesm]

Practice makes perfect. If this is your start in a new direction, I would recommend a do over to fix the audio.  Then you would have I nice base from which to build a critical thinking edifice.

[nhprman]

A very interesting, informative anlysis of critical thinking, especially when you explain anger and emotion and how it plays a part in it. Interesting since Scientology seems to degrade and dismiss both as some kind of illegitimate emotions that must be surpressed competely in a Spock-like manner (since they were allegedly left over from the alien beings within us, or something.) I suspect that kind of thinking can be damaging when emotions arise and one doesn't know how to properly channel and use them effectively, such as in the case of Righteous Anger towards injustice. Is this a problem in long-time Scientologists? Anyway, keep up the great videos!

[el-mehdibenchaib]

I like when you say that we are humans and we do mistakes, I think that to get a critical thinking it's need a hard training and practice, I started using it when I compare the history of two nations to see why one of them is strong and one of those who leads the world and the other one is weak and condemn to be slave to another nations. Not only in that subject but I use it in everything that encounter me in my life, it's a way to understand the movement of life and that what I'm seeking for?

[charlesbenedetti]

A very sure way to evaluate the value of what critical thinking brings forth is to examine it with your heart, and when you follow your heart you can't ever be wrong.

[George]

Good video, Chris. The school of LRH (also referred to as Scientology) never allowed critical thinking--it was Ron's way or the highway.

[dawnschaeffer]

Hello Chris. I really enjoy all your videos yet I have a hard time understanding why people have not been taught critical thinking in school. I know I was and it started in 8th grade; maybe I am a little longer in the tooth :-) than some. Do you have any research that indicates when this type of teaching was done away with?I was recently at the coffeehouse of a local (very expensive) private university in my fair city and a female student was absolutely beside herself because her professor had wanted her to use critical thinking in a paper she had written. "Who ever heard of requiring THAT!" she complained.

[jamesd]

Most important question to ask yourself is Cui Bono?

[thomasschmitz]

great video yet again chris and yes makes you think! however, what about tom cruise? he was passionate about learning  where he would  seek knowledge from everywhere and everyone to make a wise informed decision, but yet he ditched the critical thinking in regards to scientology, since OBVIOUSLY he didn't look into everything and everyone before he got involved in scientology! however, your last point about anyone using critical thinking to  "poke holes" in other's and to think they are superior and prove how right they are, and are using critical thinking the wrong way and not understanding it really, well if that isn't tom cruise, they i don't know what/who!

[socalnewwaver]

i am incredibly amused that tom cruise's latest movie is the ad i skip right before this video

[hydrogenroar]

First ask, "IS THIS TRUE?"  that gets you pointed in the right direction from the start.