Developing Critical Thinking Essay -- Critical Thinking Reflection

A person is not born as a good critical thinker. The first thing that is needed is a level of maturity having the ability to conceptualize and understand the world (Boss, 2010). The skills that are associated with a person that has good critical thinking are: Analytical Skills: recognize and evaluate arguments to filter through to the truth. Effective Communication: ability to listen, speak, and write effectively. Research Skills: ability to gather, evaluate, and create supporting evidence. (Boss, 2010) In teaching critical thinking, Dr. Chan and Dr. Lau (n.d.) explain good critical thinking, â€Å"as the foundation of science and a liberal democratic society. Science requires the critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The proper functioning of a liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically about social issues to inform their judgments about proper governance and to overcome biases and prejudice.† A person with a level of maturity that is able to be research issues, through being analytical, and done by using good communication skills can be considered a good critical thinker. In my life, I have gone from not being a good critical thinker to getting much better as I have matured. In my younger years I used many of the resistances to critical thinking. The one that I used most often was distraction. This was especially true when I was in college for the first time. Many things were able to distract me from focusing on the tasks at hand. Now in my forties returning to school I have more clarity around the goals and this lets me accomplish the tasks more easily. I can listen, analyze, and research the issues more quickly and with more focus to accomplish the mission then in ... ...t created the universe before the big bang? God might not be just a figment created by religion but could be the ultimate creator of all that we see. Works Cited Boss, J. (2010), Think: Critical thinking and logic skills for everyday life (1st ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Chan, J. & Lau, J. (n.d.). Module: about critical thinking. Retrieved from http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php Goleman, D. (2001). Daniel Golemen: emotional intelligence. Thinkers. Charter Management Institute. Retrieved March 10, 2012 from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA85608627&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Hasan, M. (2012, January 9). God need not be the enemy of science. New Statesman [1996], 141(5087), 19. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA279138538&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Developing Critical Thinking Essay -- Critical Thinking Reflection A person is not born as a good critical thinker. The first thing that is needed is a level of maturity having the ability to conceptualize and understand the world (Boss, 2010). The skills that are associated with a person that has good critical thinking are: Analytical Skills: recognize and evaluate arguments to filter through to the truth. Effective Communication: ability to listen, speak, and write effectively. Research Skills: ability to gather, evaluate, and create supporting evidence. (Boss, 2010) In teaching critical thinking, Dr. Chan and Dr. Lau (n.d.) explain good critical thinking, â€Å"as the foundation of science and a liberal democratic society. Science requires the critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The proper functioning of a liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically about social issues to inform their judgments about proper governance and to overcome biases and prejudice.† A person with a level of maturity that is able to be research issues, through being analytical, and done by using good communication skills can be considered a good critical thinker. In my life, I have gone from not being a good critical thinker to getting much better as I have matured. In my younger years I used many of the resistances to critical thinking. The one that I used most often was distraction. This was especially true when I was in college for the first time. Many things were able to distract me from focusing on the tasks at hand. Now in my forties returning to school I have more clarity around the goals and this lets me accomplish the tasks more easily. I can listen, analyze, and research the issues more quickly and with more focus to accomplish the mission then in ... ...t created the universe before the big bang? God might not be just a figment created by religion but could be the ultimate creator of all that we see. Works Cited Boss, J. (2010), Think: Critical thinking and logic skills for everyday life (1st ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Chan, J. & Lau, J. (n.d.). Module: about critical thinking. Retrieved from http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php Goleman, D. (2001). Daniel Golemen: emotional intelligence. Thinkers. Charter Management Institute. Retrieved March 10, 2012 from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA85608627&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Hasan, M. (2012, January 9). God need not be the enemy of science. New Statesman [1996], 141(5087), 19. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA279138538&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w