Seven Philosophical Conceptions of Critical Thinking: Themes, Variations, Implications

David Hitchcock

Jump to Content

Chapter 1 Seven Philosophical Conceptions of Critical Thinking

Themes, Variations, Implications

In: Critical Thinking and Reasoning

Author:

David Hitchcock

David Hitchcock
Search for other papers by David Hitchcock in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed

Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 9–30

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004444591_002

Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

€42.00€35.00 excl. VAT

Add to Cart

Redeem Access Token

Abstract

I describe and comment on seven of the most developed philosophical conceptions of critical thinking: those of John Dewey, Robert Ennis, Richard Paul, Peter Facione, Alec Fisher and Michael Scriven, and Barbara Thayer-Bacon. Such conceptions are programmatic definitions (i.e., recommendations of the habits of mind and cognitive abilities that an educational system should develop). They should be grounded in the benefits to the individual and to society of having the specified habits and abilities. Reflection on the benefits of being “genuinely thoughtful” (Dewey, 1933, p. 16) suggests that the distinction between inquiry-oriented thinking and evaluation-oriented thinking should be abandoned. Hence a less misleading term than “critical thinking” for the educational goal of training thought would be “reflective thinking” (Dewey, 1910, 1933) or “rational thinking” (Ennis, 1980) or “constructive thinking” (Thayer-Bacon, 2000). A central component of this goal is a settled habit of thorough and comprehensive inquiry, both individually and in groups. To develop this habit, schools and post-secondary institutions should create communities of inquiry.

Citation Info

Save
Cite
Email this content

Share link with colleague or librarian

You can email a link to this page to a colleague or librarian:
Email this content
or copy the link directly:

https://brill.edhh.ma/abstract/book/edcoll/9789004444591/BP000012.xml
The link was not copied. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.

Link copied successfully

Collapse
Expand

Critical Thinking and Reasoning

Theory, Development, Instruction, and Assessment

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004444591

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 28 Sep 2020

Subjects
- Education

Front Matter

Preface

Acknowledgements

List of Figures and Tables

Notes on Contributors

Introduction

Chapter 1 Seven Philosophical Conceptions of Critical Thinking

Chapter 2 Inquiry

Chapter 3 Focusing the Relational Lens on Critical Thinking

Chapter 4 Commentary

Chapter 5 The Semantic Retrieval Model and Divergent Thinking as Critical to Understanding Logical Reasoning in Children

Chapter 6 Adolescent Reasoning and Rationality

Chapter 7 Critical Thinking and Learning in Adults

Chapter 8 Commentary

Chapter 9 Critical Thinking in the Elementary School

Chapter 10 The Good Thinker’s Tool Kit

Chapter 11 Equipping Students for Success in College and Beyond

Chapter 12 Commentary

Chapter 13 Observations from a Long-term Effort to Assess and Improve Critical Thinking

Chapter 14 Assessing Critical Thinking

Chapter 15 What the Data Tell Us about Human Reasoning

Chapter 16 Commentary

Epilogue

Back Matter

Metrics

	All Time	Past 365 days	Past 30 Days
Abstract Views	3961	911	103
Full Text Views	107	12	1
PDF Views & Downloads	189	25	2

African Studies	Education	Media Studies
American Studies	History	Middle East and Islamic Studies
Ancient Near East and Egypt	Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Musicology
Art History	International Law	Philosophy
Asian Studies	International Relations	Religious Studies
Biblical Studies	Jewish Studies	Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Biology	Languages and Linguistics	Social Sciences
Book History and Cartography	Life Sciences	Theology and World Christianity
Classical Studies	Literature and Cultural Studies

Subjects

Authors

Open Access

Product Information

Company

Contact

Chapter 1 Seven Philosophical Conceptions of Critical Thinking

Themes, Variations, Implications

Abstract

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Critical Thinking and Reasoning

Theory, Development, Instruction, and Assessment

Table of Contents

Metrics

Metrics