We present to your attention the abstracts of an article by Nikita Nepryakhin on Forbes, dedicated to critical thinking - a key skill for distinguishing truth from lies.
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Article Editor: Mark Beygelzimer, PhD, systems analyst, head of the Trust but Verify project.
Reference: Nikita Nepryakhin is the head of the School of Critical Thinking, co-author of the book “Critical Thinking”, author of monographs on public speaking, argumentation and countering manipulation. Chief methodologist at the Business Speech Science Research laboratory.
Abstract of the article
Modern reality requires a new approach to thinking. It is necessary to move away from a linear and one-sided perception to a more flexible, rational and critical one. Without such an approach, a person risks getting lost in a sea of dubious, unverified and unreliable information, making hasty conclusions and incorrect generalizations, making erroneous decisions and superficially perceiving world processes and phenomena.
Research from the World Economic Forum has shown that the following skills will be in demand in the near future: complex problem solving, critical thinking , creativity, people management, communication, emotional intelligence, decision making, customer focus, negotiation and cognitive flexibility.
An association Partnership, which included representatives from the US Department of Education, NEA and other organizations, as well as Microsoft, Apple, Cisco and Dell, developed the “4 Cs” Concept, which includes four key skills for learning in the 21st century: critical thinking , creativity, communication and work in a team. These key skills are now integrated into the US educational system.
What does it mean to think critically? For example, when reading an article or watching the news you need to:
- Clarify information: determine the main and secondary, cause and effect, the relationship of facts.
- Critically analyze the information received: make sure you understand the subject of discussion, check arguments for veracity and logical errors.
- Explain the results of the analysis to your opponent: argue your position based on evidence, and not on unfounded statements.
- Apply analysis results: use findings to solve practical problems.
Thus, critical thinking is the ability to analyze information, question it, compare it with facts, formulate conclusions and make decisions. This is a skill that requires development and constant practice.
Critical thinking is not about criticism. This is about how to navigate a huge information flow, about how to question incoming information. You need to doubt and ask questions, different and many. It is important to double-check information and not be afraid to look for primary sources and compare several sources. You can't trust anything categorically. And this article as well.
The cover image is taken from Francesca Marina Bosco's Lab page on ReserchGate
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