Since critical thinking is a mindset, you must always step back, and re-center. Once you remove emotion away from the situation, you can follow this exercise toward Critical Thinking.
The following questions should be asked after we step back and remove our emotional bond.
- Who said it?
- What did they say?
- Where did they say it?
- When did they say it?
- How did they say it?
Each of these will put the information or content into perspective. This critical thinking exercise will help you recenter. The goal is to review the information, which may provide an application to a decision or reaction. Remember, as the stoic said, we cannot control external factors, only internal actions.
“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own…”
Epictetus, Discourses, 2.5.4–5
It is our response to external stimuli that will ultimately rule where we go. However, implementing the decisions made arising from critical thinking must take into account an assessment of possible outcomes and ways of avoiding potentially negative outcomes, or at least lessening their impact.
Your decisions not only effect you but those closest to you. Also check out my ‘Choices are they real‘, post.
Matt Cole has high regard for knowledge share. He has a desire to share critical thinking and information. With a Masters in Information Technology and a wide array of certifications, while not working full-time, he wishes to knowledge share through providing insight, information organization, and critical thinking skills.
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