Practicing Critical Thinking In Life

Elsewhere in this edition, we’ve provided some ways of developing critical thinking from the academic perspective. Sometimes it’s also beneficial to apply a new habit in our personal lives as well.

There’s an old critical thinking maxim: challenge everything. While that may not be necessary (and could end up exhausting us and those around us), pushing ourselves to find alternative perspectives on what we experience every day can be a low-pressure way to start building our critical thinking faculty.

When making judgments or expressing opinions, follow up by asking: might there be another perspective on this ?

If so, what is it and who might have that perspective? Another question with the power to enlighten is: what circumstances in my own life would need to be different in order to share that perspective?

If something seems true beyond a shadow of a doubt, make the argument for why it may not be true. If you want to take it further, see if you can find evidence to back up your argument.

This daily mental habit will not only strengthen your ability to think laterally and make arguments, it will also enrich your life on a personal and academic level.