What is critical thinking and why is it important?

Critical thinking is a great skill to develop. It’s helpful in any situation where you need to make a decision, whether that’s in school, work, or everyday life. To help you understand what critical thinking actually is, why it’s important, and how to develop it, check out our guide below.

What is critical thinking and why is it important?

Critical thinking is a great skill to develop. It’s helpful in any situation where you need to make a decision, whether that’s in school, work, or everyday life. To help you understand what critical thinking actually is, why it’s important, and how to develop it, check out our guide below.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to really think about a subject before coming to your own conclusion about it. 

In order to think critically about something, you’ll need to do things like:

• Understand the logical connections between ideas.
• Analyse the facts that you are presented with.
• Interpret data and evidence.
• Question whether what you are being told is true and accurate.
• Look at the subject from different angles and viewpoints.
• Weigh up different arguments to decide what strengths and weaknesses each one holds.

Critical thinking has been the subject of debate and study since the time of early Greek philosophers, like Socrates and Plato. 

Why is critical thinking important?

Critical thinking allows you to make better decisions since they are based on information, rational thinking and reflection. This is useful in almost every possible situation. For example, it can help you:

Understand evidence

Facts and evidence are important, but it’s equally important to be able to understand the source of the evidence and the relationship between facts. Thinking critically allows you to identify bias and manipulation, and come up with your own informed opinions.

Example: Stanislav Petrov was a member of the Soviet Air Defence Forces during the Cold War. In 1983, his computer showed that a US nuclear missile heading towards the USSR. However, Petrov knew the system wasn’t always reliable, and that this didn’t look like the start of a full-scale attack. He correctly declared it a false alarm and saved the world from nuclear war.

Exercise curiosity

Critical thinking helps you to exercise your curiosity. By analysing the information that you come across, you don’t just accept what you’re seeing or being told at face value. Instead, you question the opinion presented to you and seek out the reasons and sources behind it.

Example: The 16th-century Italian astronomer, Galileo, rejected the teachings of the Church that the Earth was the centre of the universe. Instead, he studied the skies in detail with a telescope and determined that the Earth and all the planets of the solar system revolved around the sun.

Create compelling arguments

Critical thinking allows you to create a convincing argument backed up by proof. Arguments based on opinion without evidence are often easily taken apart. This skill can be useful when writing essays, debating others on political matters...or discussing whether tea or coffee is better! It allows you to present a balanced view that considers all the angles and means you can give your own opinion based on the evidence.

Example: Simone de Beauvoir, a 20th-century French philosopher, created one of the most influential feminist works of all time. Her book, The Second Sex, argued for equality and respect for women, challenging the established patriarchy. She used examples throughout history as well as contemporary political and ethical reasoning to construct her ground-breaking argument.

How to improve your critical thinking skills

In order to become a better critical thinker, there are a few things that you can try to do as much as possible in your everyday life.

• Challenge your own thoughts and actions. You can actively challenge some of your biases and preconceived notions by asking yourself questions such as, ‘why do I believe this?’, ‘am I emotionally attached to this idea?’ and, ‘has it proven to be true or false before?’
• Evaluate evidence. This is another vital part of critical thinking. When you are presented with information, question who provided it, how they did it, and why. Do they have their own agenda and bias? Is there a reliable source that conflicts with this viewpoint?
• Question assumptions. As the saying goes, ‘when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.’ Assumptions can keep us in the same pattern of thought and action. By questioning them, you can evaluate your beliefs about what’s possible. You can also examine why others might assume and how doing so affects their actions.
• Listen actively. It’s often hard to listen in detail and think clearly at the same time. By actively listening to others without thinking about your own reaction, you’ll be able to fully appreciate their argument and see the pros and cons of it. You can then better frame your own response.

Use empathy

Another critical skill is being able to put yourself in the shoes of someone else. It allows you to understand their motivation, aspirations, and point of view. Doing so means you can understand why they hold a specific belief and think a particular way.

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