What is critical thinking?

 What is critical thinking? And what does it mean to be a critical thinker? Critical thinking doesn't just mean thinking a lot about something. It is a deliberate process of applying logic and reasoning to our thinking. Critical thinking means not accepting everything we read, see, and hear as an indisputable fact. Critical thinkers are curious and questioning about the world. They are not just guided by their own experiences and emotions, but actively seek evidence and knowledge to inform their thinking. They are willing to change their minds and even their long-held beliefs in the face of new, compelling evidence. To better understand what is meant by critical thinking, let's envisage a world without it.

Imagine going to the dentist and being told that your toothache is being caused by worms that are living inside your teeth. Pretty unpleasant, right? In the past, despite no rigorous evidence, it was widely believed that small worms inside the teeth caused cavities. In England, they were thought to resemble an eel; in Germany, maggots; and in China, rice weevils. We now know, through rational, scientific research, that cavities are actually caused by acids made by bacteria. Knowing this means appropriate treatments can and have been developed. This is one specific example, but critical thinking impacts on all our lives.

The discovery of penicillin; the women's right to vote; the civil rights movement; air travel; mobile phones; the internet, and many other world-changing developments would never have happened without critical thinkers who were willing to challenge the accepted view of the world