33 Critical Reasoning
Critical Reasoning
Do you agree that many of the problems we face in our lives result from a lack of clarity in our thinking about what is real, true and essential? In our opinion, it is rare to find a person who takes the time to think clearly about things. In our fast-paced, overstimulated, I-want-it-quickly society, our response to something is often based on preconceived ideas.
Issues in the Human and Social Sciences rarely yield single clear right/wrong answers: usually only less or more convincing arguments. One of the main benefits of critical thinking is that it allows you to reach independent conclusions about the world and about yourself.
What is Critical Reasoning?
Critical reasoning involves the ability to actively and skillfully conceptualize, analyze, question and evaluate ideas and beliefs. Critical reasoning is the opposite of dogma. Dogma is unquestioned information — information that is embraced without the intervention of active thought or criticism. To reason critically is to question the ideas and beliefs of others and oneself and to challenge dogma and authority.
When we start to question the ideas and beliefs we live by, we start to think for ourselves. To think for ourselves involves a critical attitude of reflecting upon how we think and act. To think critically is to question the world and thus to engage critically with the possibilities and alternatives which the world offers.
Please note that the terms “critical reasoning”, “critical thinking” and “clear thinking” are used interchangeably in this discussion. In other words, critical reasoning implies critical thinking or clear thinking.
We think critical reasoning involves three important components of reasoning. These components are as follows:
- Critical reasoning is thinking for yourself.
- Critical reasoning is informed reasoning.
- Critical reasoning is critical self-reflection.
Critical reasoning is about arguments: their construction, analysis and evaluation. It is therefore important to understand what we mean by the term “argument”. The term “argument” can be used in three different senses:
- a quarrel or fight between two or more people
- a group of statements intended to establish the truth or acceptability of a claim
- an exchange between two or more people who disagree with each other, in which each person gives reasons to support his or her position.
To bring out the different senses of the term “argument”, consider the sentence:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument.
If we use sense (1) above, the sentence might continue as follows:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument with a sociology lecturer in the local bar and was taken to hospital.
If we use sense (2) above, the sentence might continue as follows:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument which, he claimed, established the truth of the proposition “God exists”.
If we use sense (3) above, the sentence might continue as follows:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument with his colleagues after they disputed his claim that God exists.
When we talk about an argument in critical reasoning, we do not use it in sense (1). That is, we do not mean a quarrel between two persons. In critical reasoning, the term “argument” is used in senses (2) and (3) only.
- The President is of the opinion that all citizens should have the opportunity to go to college. However, he did not go to college.
- How can we weaken this argument?
- How can we strengthen this argument?
Feedback
- We could say that the President’s personal background is not related to his suggestion.
- We could say that the President’s personal background is related to his suggestion.
- Two hours ago Brian had a splitting headache, so he took two headache tablets. Brian still has a headache. Therefore, headache tablets are useless.
- How can we weaken this argument?
- How can we strengthen this argument?
Feedback
- We could say that Brian’s results will not necessarily be the same as the results of other people.
- We could say that Brian’s results will be the same as the results of other people.
Becoming a Critical Thinker
Critical reasoning or critical thinking is a basic skill that all humans are born with, but which can be sharpened with practice. The better your ability to think critically, the better you will be at making good decisions in your life. The skills involved in critical reasoning will assist you in every area of life and study, whether it is deciding which political candidate to vote for or which job to take.
Keep in mind that the foundation for this is already embedded in you.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Thinking for Yourself
If you think for yourself, you question the world and offer alternative viewpoints about the way the world is perceived by other people. When we say think for yourself, we don’t mean ‘think selfishly for yourself’. We mean ‘think independently’. A person who thinks for herself or himself has to have a sense of humility, and of modesty, and of relativity because you have to realise that other people are also thinking for themselves and you’re bound to come out with something a little different from what they are thinking. In order to become a critical thinker, you have to have the ability to listen and the modesty to adjust your point of view as you gather more insights.
Thinking in an Informed Way
As you would have seen from your review of the recommended resources, informed reasoning is based on claims that can be substantiated. In other words, your opinion is based on fact and not on personal opinion. In today’s world where we become ever more involved in using technology as a resource for information, it is crucial that we have the ability to think in an informed way in order to be able to decipher the barrage of information available to us.
The ability to form and articulate opinions is extremely important in all facets of life. As citizens, people need to form opinions about political issues and leaders in order to vote responsibly. We must form opinions about social issues, and we form opinions about the people we work and interact with on a daily basis. However, simply having an opinion about a given topic is not enough. In this age of information, if we want to effectively share our opinions with others, we must be educated about the topics we are discussing.
Whether writing a letter to the editor about a local issue or trying to convince your boss that you’ve developed a great business strategy or convincing your parents that you should have a specific privilege, presenting an informed, educated opinion is much more effective than sharing one based on emotion or personal experience alone.
Critical Self-Reflection
In our opinion critical self-reflection entails the ability to reflect critically on your own assumptions, and to critically evaluate your own prejudicial attitudes and biases. Critical self-reflection relates to self-knowledge and self-awareness. Furthermore, the enterprise of critical self-reflection is liberating in that it allows us to think for ourselves instead of being indoctrinated and manipulated by stereotypical beliefs.
As a starting point for developing your competence at critical self-reflection, it would be useful to express your views on the following issues. Use your journal to write down a paragraph or two on each of the following controversial topics. In each case, ask yourself why you hold this particular view.
- Marriage
- Single parenting
- Racial differences
- Gender differences
- Homosexuality
- Heterosexuality
- What am I?
- Who am I?
- How do other people see me?
Becoming a Critical Thinker
The following is an experiment in psychology. Read the experiment carefully and then, in your journal, capture your answer to the questions that follow:
Select a topic that is of interest to you. The topic should inspire at least two points of view. For example – “Prostitution should be legalized.”
Thinking in an Informed Way – Part 1
- Learn as much as you can about your topic through research.
- Utilize a wide variety of resources and make sure that you read information that expresses a number of different points of view relating to your topic.
- Ask pertinent questions as you learn about the topic and look for the answers in your research.
- Assess the content – Are statements and arguments supported with facts, specific examples and clearly defined reasons?
- Form your opinion based on the facts you have learned. Combine those facts with your own emotions and personal experiences. Be able to utilize these facts as your key arguments when you try to convince others to see your point of view.
Thinking in an Informed Way – Part 2
Ask yourself the following questions: When you first selected your topic for the project, did you have a preconceived opinion about the subject? If so, how was your opinion altered by doing research and looking for facts about the subject?
- Do you believe your opinion would have been different if it had not been based on facts? If so, why and how?
- Based on your experience with researching, do you think most people base their opinions about important issues on facts or do they use emotions, personal experience, preconceived ideas and media to shape their ideas?
- In the future, do you think you will be more inclined to support your opinions with facts? Why?
- In future conversations with people of differing opinions, do you think you will press them to substantiate their opinions with facts and clearly defined reasons as a means of convincing you to change your thoughts? Why?
Write a short paragraph analyzing each of the following statement. Be sure your answer includes and demonstrates your understanding of critical reasoning.
- Critical reasoning is concerned with the truth of a statement.
- Critical reasoning implies that thinking is flexible and can be improved.
- Assumptions must be questioned.
- Critical reasoning requires listening to others.
- Something is true if my family taught it to me.
- Something is true if I believe it strongly.
- Something is true if the Pope has pronounced it.
- Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Answer Key – Quiz 1
Critical Reasoning Quiz
This open course is licensed under a Creative Commons BY Attribution 3.0 license and adapted from the University of South Africa’s Critical Reasoning Course. It can be viewed in its original format here.
