Critical Thinking

Everyone thinks. It is our nature to do so. However, if we leave our thinking to itself, it often becomes biased, distorted or prejudiced. You can imagine how that can lead to many problems in our lives. Of course, the mind doesn’t just think, it feels and wants too. What is the connection? Our thinking shapes and determines how we feel and what we want. When we think well, we are motivated to do things that make sense and motivated to act in ways that help rather than harm ourselves and others.

Though thinking, feeling and wanting are equally important, it is only through thinking that we take command of our minds. It is through thinking that we can figure out what is going wrong with our thinking. This type of thinking about our thinking is called metacognition. It is through thinking that we figure out how to deal with destructive emotions.

 

The Mind’s 3 Distinctive Functions

Thinking – this part of the mind figures things out. It makes sense of life’s events. It creates the ideas that help us figure out situations, relationships and problems. It continually tells us: this is what is going on. This is what is happening. Notice this and that.

Feelings – are created by thinking. Feelings continually tell us: this is how I am feeling about what is happening in my life.

Our desires – allocate energy to action, in keeping with what we define as desirable and possible. It continually tells us – this is worth getting; go for it! Or This is not worth getting; don’t bother.

 

Essential idea: Our mind is continually communicating 3 kinds of things to us:

1.       What is going on in life

2.      Feelings (positive and negative) about these events

3.      Things to pursue – where to put your energy (based on 1 and 2)

 

If your thinking controls your emotions and decisions, the big question is whether you control your thinking?

 

When we look at the 3 main kinds of thinkers, we see that there is only one who truly has control of her emotions.

 

There are Three Main Kinds of Thinkers

 

1.      The Naїve:  The person who doesn’t care about, or isn’t aware of, his or her thinking

2.      The Selfish Critical Thinker:  The person who is good at thinking, but unfair to others

3.      The Fairminded Critical Thinker:  The person who is not only good at thinking, but also fair to others.

Each of us may sometimes be a naїve thinker, sometimes a selfish critical thinker, and sometimes a fairminded critical thinker.

We can create a better world when we work together to be fair to everyone.  We will never be perfect, but we can always improve our thinking.

 
This section of the blog will help you develop as a fairminded thinker.