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Is Critical Thinking Enoughto Decide Questions Such as Those

Posed in Enough?Applying a Schema of

Critical WisdomFor Deciding the “Big Questions”

Jim FaheyRensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Department of Cognitive Science

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Guess What?

• Most of you who are in this room tonight are taking a First Year Studies Course.

• What’s that?

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PERSONAL ATTENTIONSections of 25 students

maximum with ampleopportunity for one-to-one

Student-Instructor Interaction.

DIVERSITYAim to Foster an Appreciation for a Diversity of Outlooks at a deep and

fundamental level and encouragean examination of the Values

those outlooks imply.

TEAMWORKParticipation in Group Projects of both

a theoretical and practidal naturethat offer opportunities for developingleadership skills and entrepreneurial

applications at bothRensselaer and Beyond.

WRITING & SPEAKINGInvolve extensive practice in

Writing, Oral Presentation andexpression via various forms of

cutting-edge technology.

CRITICAL WISDOMAim to foster the general abilityto examine fundamental issuesin a clear, comprehensive and

critical fashion. Moreover, developthe ability to distinguish and

evaluate arguments and evidence,relate the knowledge gainedthrough such endeavors to

previous knowledge, developresearch and reading skills,

and relate theoreticalideas to everyday

experience.

TECHNOLOGYInvolve both the Use and Studyof Technology as it relates to

both the Humanities andSocial Sciences andthe World at Large.

COMMUNITYAim to Foster a Love of Learning and

Sense of Community among First YearStudents through activities such as theFirst Year Studies Lecture Series and

Class-Wide Community Service Projects.

FIRST YEAR STUDIES

WHEEL DIAGRAM

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The Center of the Wheel …

• CRITICAL WISDOM

– But formerly the center was Critical Thinking...

– What gives?

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How does critical wisdom relate to the more traditional critical

thinking?• Largely Uninformative Answer – Critical

Wisdom is a form of thinking that employs standard critical thinking but goes beyond it.

• Both critical thinking and critical wisdom, however, refer to techniques that we employ in the purposive activity of problem solving. Moreover, because these problem solving activities greatly overlap, it is helpful to study critical thinking in an effort to become clear about critical wisdom.

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Problem Solving

CriticalThinking

CriticalWisdom

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Critical Thinking (in the broad sense):What is it?

• Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction.– This is the title of the research report published in 1990

analyzing a two year research program conducted by Peter Facione, et. al. and sponsored by the American Philosophical Association. As outlined in his Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts this research was based on the discussions of a panel of 46 men and women from the USA and Canada, from many different scholarly disciplines, each of whom was a recognized authority on critical thinking.

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Critical Thinking: What is it?

• This “46 experts” divided critical thinking into two classes of features:

• 1. Six Cognitive Skills:– Interpretation– Analysis– Inference– Evaluation– Explanation– Self-Regulation

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Inference

Analysis

CRITICAL THINKING

Interpretation

Evaluation Explanation

Self-Regulation

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Critical Thinking: What is it?

• Interpretation –– Categorizing available information in a manner that is appropriate

to the problem at issue;– Decoding the significance (or irrelevancy) of the information at

hand;– Clarifying the meaning of the information presented.

• Analysis –– Examining ideas in an effort to make distinctions that will help to

clarify the problem;– Identifying and Analyzing arguments that are employed in an

effort to deal with the problem. What is the main argument? What assumptions are made?

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Inference

Analysis

CRITICAL THINKING

Interpretation

Evaluation Explanation

Self-Regulation

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Critical Thinking: What is it?

• Evaluation –– Assessing claims – Is there good reason to believe that the

assumptions made are true? … that the “expert knows his/her stuff?– Assessing arguments – Are the arguments cogent? Are they strong

or weak? If appropriate, does the conclusion “follow from” the premises? That is, is the argument a valid deductive argument?

• Explanation –– Stating results in a connected fashion that ties the results to an

appropriate process of inference. That is, giving appropriate arguments that reveal why the results are to be expected.

– Justifying procedures that produce the information necessary to arrive at the end results.

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Inference

Analysis

CRITICAL THINKING

Interpretation

Evaluation Explanation

Self-Regulation

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Critical Thinking: What is it?

• Self-Regulation –– Self examination – the self-referential employment of critical

thinking in an effort to monitor one’s attempts to “think critically.”– Self correction – correct one’s mistaken CT attempts

• Inference –– Querying evidence – Does the information given really lend

support to the stated conclusion?– Conjecturing alternatives – Might the information support an

alternative conclusion equally well?– Drawing conclusions – What conclusions may I reasonably infer

from the given information?

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Critical Thinking: What is it?

• The “46 Experts’” 2nd Class of Critical Thinking Features:

• 2. Seven Dispositional or “Action Traits:”– Inquisitive– Systematic– Open-Minded– Analytical– Judicious– Truth Seeking– Confident in Reasoning

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Inference

Analysis

Inquisitive

Interpretation

Judicious

Evaluation

Analytical

Explanation

Confidentin Reasoning

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

CRITICAL THINKING

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Is Critical Thinking All You Need to Become a “Good Thinker?”

MasterThinker

Challenged Thinker

Beginning Thinker

Practicing Thinker

AdvancedThinker

Unreflective Thinker

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A Famous Critical Thinker?

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Beyond Critical Thinking:Critical Wisdom -- What Is It?

• At least some members of Rensselaer’s First Year Studies Program advocate that we add to the “Six Cognitive Skills” and “Seven Action Traits” of

Critical Thinking the

Six Wisdom Skills & Three Moral Action Traits of

• Critical Wisdom

• Six Wisdom Skills:

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CRITICAL WISDOM

Inference

Analysis

WISDOMImagines & Considers Many

Values-Feelings-Perspectives

Inquisitive

Interpretation

Judicious

Evaluation

Analytical

Explanation

Confidentin Reasoning

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

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Six Wisdom Skills

• Imagine & Consider ManyValues-Feelings-Perspectives --– A process of “wise problem solving” requires

that one be able to imaginatively consider the problem from the standpoints of many of those who will be most greatly affected by the course of action that is chosen.

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CRITICAL WISDOM

Inference

Analysis

WISDOMImagines & Considers Many

Values-Feelings-Perspectives

Inquisitive

Interpretation

WISDOMRelates Local to Global,Immediate to Long-term

Judicious

Evaluation

Analytical

Explanation

Confidentin Reasoning

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

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Six Wisdom Skills

• Relate Local to Global,Immediate to Long-term --– A process of “wise problem solving” requires

that one consider not only the immediate and local affects of the solution chosen but also the “ripple effects” to which the solution might give rise.

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CRITICAL WISDOM

Inference

Analysis

WISDOMImagines & Considers Many

Values-Feelings-Perspectives

Inquisitive

Interpretation

WISDOMRelates Local to Global,Immediate to Long-term

WISDOMRequires Critical Reflection

on One's OwnValues-Feelings-Perspectives

Judicious

Evaluation

Analytical

Explanation

Confidentin Reasoning

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

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Six Wisdom Skills

• Engage in Critical Reflection RegardingOne’s Own Values-Feelings-Perspectives –– A process of “wise problem solving” requires

that one be willing to reflect on one’s own values-feelings-perspectives and, if necessary, change them in light of the evidence one acquires.

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CRITICAL WISDOM

Inference

Analysis

WISDOMImagines & Considers Many

Values-Feelings-Perspectives

Inquisitive

Interpretation

WISDOMRelates Local to Global,Immediate to Long-term

WISDOMRequires Critical Reflection

on One's OwnValues-Feelings-Perspectives

Judicious

Evaluation

WISDOM Acknowledges

the Imperfectionsof Both

Self & Others

Analytical

Explanation

Confidentin Reasoning

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

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Six Wisdom Skills

• Acknowledge the Imperfections ofBoth Self & Others --– A process of “wise problem solving” requires that one

understand that it is possible that “evidence” can lead both oneself and others astray and, moreover, that “new evidence” can controvert old. Thus a process of “wise problem solving” encourages a certain measure of humility and tolerance towards those with whom one disagrees -- not always, but in many instances.

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CRITICAL WISDOM

Inference

Analysis

WISDOMImagines & Considers Many

Values-Feelings-Perspectives

Inquisitive

Interpretation

WISDOMRelates Local to Global,Immediate to Long-term

WISDOMRequires Critical Reflection

on One's OwnValues-Feelings-Perspectives

Judicious

Evaluation

WISDOM Acknowledges

the Imperfectionsof Both

Self & Others

Analytical

Explanation

WISDOMPrioritizes What Is Important in

Relating Self toSociety, Environment & the World

Confidentin Reasoning

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

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Six Wisdom Skills

• Prioritize What Is Important in RelatingSelf to Society, Environment & the World –– A process of “wise problem solving” requires that one

comes to understand that since “problem solving does not take place in a vacuum,” the wise solutions to problems often have many effects -- some good some bad. Having a “wise prioritization” of these outcomes in mind is thus an important aspect of “wise problem solving.” Moreover, arriving at such a “wise prioritization” should be a matter of ‘wise problem solving” in its own right.

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CRITICAL WISDOM

Inference

Analysis

WISDOMImagines & Considers Many

Values-Feelings-Perspectives

Inquisitive

Interpretation

WISDOMRelates Local to Global,Immediate to Long-term

WISDOMRequires Critical Reflection

on One's OwnValues-Feelings-Perspectives

Judicious

Evaluation

WISDOM Acknowledges

the Imperfectionsof Both

Self & Others

Analytical

Explanation

WISDOMPrioritizes What Is Important in

Relating Self toSociety, Environment & the World

WISDOMAims At

Worthwhile Living

Confidentin Reasoning

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

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Six Wisdom Skills

• Aim at Worthwhile Living --– A process of “wise problem solving” always has as its

ultimate aim that of “worthwhile living.” What does this come to? We analyze ‘worthwhile’ as implying that something is

• Being worth the time spent; of sufficient value to the effort -- (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 5th ed.)

– Moreover, we require that if something is worthwhile, it is worthwhile in the best sense. That is, it is both “good for its consequences” and “good for its own sake.”

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Three Moral Action Traits

• Wise problem solvers are disposed to act:

• Caringly:

• Empathetically:

• Morally

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CRITICAL WISDOM

Inference

Analysis

WISDOMImagines & Considers Many

Values-Feelings-Perspectives

Inquisitive

Caring Empathetic

Interpretation

WISDOMRelates Local to Global,Immediate to Long-term

WISDOMRequires Critical Reflection

on One's OwnValues-Feelings-Perspectives

Judicious

Evaluation

WISDOM Acknowledges

the Imperfectionsof Both

Self & Others

Analytical

Explanation

WISDOMPrioritizes What Is Important in

Relating Self toSociety, Environment & the World

WISDOMAims At

Worthwhile Living

Confidentin Reasoning

Moral

Self-Regulation

SystematicOpen-Minded

Truth Seeking

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Enough?

• Bill McKibben writes:– We need to do an unlikely thing: we need to

survey the world we now inhabit and proclaim it good. Good enough. Not in every detail; there are a thousand improvements, technological and cultural, that we can and should still make. But good enough in its outlines, in its essentials. … Enough intelligence. Enough capability. Enough.

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Enough?

• But what we have to decide is whether saying Enough is a Wise.