Google the definition of critical thinking, and you will get “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.” I like that definition. To me, the key components are “objective” and logical reasoning.
You see, anybody can think. But to think objectively in a fair minded and structured way devoid of human biases is something else. Because to make a sound judgement, our left and right brains are constantly in a tug-of-war.
The left brain represents logic and the right, emotions. And nine out of ten times, our emotions win out. We tend to stick with our gut feel when making decisions. That’s why emotional appeal is such powerful technique.
So how to stay objective and think critically? Not an easy task given our own biases, self interests, and social norms – the baggage we acquired over time. To be aware our biases and balancing two halves of the brain takes skills.
To be continued.
Running with Buddha 