Critical Thinking
Dictionary definitions of "critical thinking" vary significantly. Likewise do the definitions used by authors of books and websites on critical thinking. Much of the focus is on what can easily be defined, such as logic and common logical fallacies. These are all important components of thinking critically.
But to my mind, all attempts to define the word will ultimately be incomplete because context matters, and what qualifies as good critical thinking in one situation may not be as good in a different situation. This is especially true when we deal with complex problems and problems that involve others. An example I use often here is that of gambling. It is a mathematical fact that roulette is a losing proposition. And yet, many people play roulette. Is critical thinking just understanding the math (and therefore those who gamble are not thinking critically), or is critical thinking also taking into account all the other factors that must be at play that cause people to gamble? Is that even knowable, surely people gamble for different reasons.
So for me, the answer depends on the situation, depends on the specific question being asked. Understanding the math is important, but so is understanding human behavior. And one aspect of that is trying to avoid jumping to an answer, but simply to focus on understanding the problem as completely as possible. Most complex problems do not have single answers. Mathematical logic works well on questions with definitive answers, it doesn't work as well on complex problems with uncertain answers. I believe that an important aspect of critical thinking is simply taking a step back. To my mind, this is the common component of almost all the techniques used to help think more critically.
The Most Important Step Forward in Critical Thinking is a Step Back for a Broader Perspective
Almost everything we do requires forward focus. It is essential for our survival and for all problem solving. As humans, we are optimized to be forward oriented. Our eyes only point forward. Our bodies are tuned to moving forward quickly. We can walk/run forward quickly, even over uneven paths, and carry on a conversation at the same time, without much conscious effort. Walking backward on the other hand is slow and takes concentration and conscious effort. Our world and language also reflect this forward-orientation. There are no Track and Field events for running backwards. In swimming races, even the backstroke moves forward. "Forward" is associated with positivity as in "forward-thinking." "Backward" is associated with negativity. And once we are moving forward, momentum allows us to continue moving forward more efficiently, expending less energy.
Our thinking processes work similarly. Once we believe something to be true, we tend to notice evidence that supports our forward momentum, and to discount evidence that challenges it. There is good reason for this. We don't have unlimited time, so optimizing "forward" helps us find reasonable solutions quickly, expends less mental energy, and allows us to move on to the next problem. But while always moving forward is efficient, and usually results in "good-enough" solutions quickly, it doesn't always result in the best solution. Forward focus is tuned to what we see, but not to what we don't see. For example, if we are walking down a path, there may be a shortcut a few steps behind us, but we won't see it if we don't take a step back, or turn around, from time to time. Forward focus may get to our destination quickly, but we may miss an alternate path or an amazing vista. And our momentum can even make us miss alternative paths right in front of us.
A fundamental, but often overlooked, step in critical thinking and problem solving is to fully understand the problem before jumping to solutions. And fully understanding a problem typically requires a step back. Stepping back allows us to better see the big picture, to see other issues that affect our solution, to see a problem from multiple perspectives. It allows us to consider not only what is in plain sight, but what is hidden from view. Even skewed perspectives can give us insights into how others may see a problem. And when dealing with societal problems, it isn't enough to uncover truth, we also need to understand how others will perceive it.
When we step back, we think more about the "why." We look for the cause, not just the symptom. We introduce a healthy skepticism to look at problems from multiple perspectives, we challenge our assumptions, and we see evidence and our opinions more objectively. We can also better take into account how problems and solutions may change with time. The most "logical" solution doesn't always work in practice, nor does a good solution always remain a good solution over time. This is especially important when dealing with issues that involve human behavior.
This isn't meant to minimize the importance of forward-thinking. We will never reach our destination if we only move backward. The main point here is that forward thinking comes naturally, but taking a step back takes more conscious effort. And stepping back is essential for critical thinking.
