Reasoning Critically

Critical reasoning is all about systematically discovering, analyzing, and solving. Critical
thinking means to connect skills and organize ideas. There are three essential components of
reasoning. These components are as follows.

 Critical reasoning is thinking for yourself.

 Critical reasoning is formed reasoning.

 Critical reasoning is critical self-reflection.

Critical reasoning is about arguments: their construction, analysis, and evaluation. It is therefore
important to understand what we mean by the term “argument”. The term “argument” can be
used in three different senses:

1. a quarrel or fight between two or more people.

2. a group of statements intended to establish the truth or acceptability of a claim.
3. an exchange between two or more people who disagree with each other, in which
each person gives reasons to support his or her position.
To bring out the different senses of the term “argument”, consider the sentence:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument.
If we use sense (1) above, the sentence might continue as follows:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument with a sociology lecturer in the local bar and was
taken to hospital.
If we use sense (2) above, the sentence might continue as follows:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument which, he claimed, established the truth of the
proposition “God exists”.
If we use sense (3) above, the sentence might continue as follows:
The philosophy lecturer had an argument with his colleagues after they disputed his claim that
God exists.
When we talk about an argument in critical reasoning, we do not use it in sense (1). That is, we
do not mean a quarrel between two people. In critical reasoning, the term “argument” is used in
senses (2) and (3) only.

Types of critical writing

There are three types of critical reasoning.
 Analysis
 Inference
 Evaluation
Analysis
 Identifying what’s being said.
  Distinguishing the relevant from the irrelevant
 Connecting different thoughts
 Classifying similar
 Determining differences
Inference
 Perform the following task.
 Identifying assumption
 Abstracting ideas
 Recognizing cause and effect relationship
Evaluation
 Give reasons for decisions.
 Understanding the significance or meaning of information
 Criticizing ideas
 Modifying ideas in response to arguments or feedback.
Problem solving with critical reasoning:
A typical day is filled with critical reasoning and problem challenges for most people. Critical
reasoning and problem solving go hand-in-hand. They both refer to using knowledge. Facts and
data to solve problems effectively. Elements of reasoning critically
 Evidence
 Inductive
 Deduction
 Induction
 Abduction
Evidence:
There is need to proof our goal or any program, we need to proof, fingerprint, and
handwriting.
Inductive reasoning:
Specific observation-------pattern-------general recognition-------conclusion
Deduction:
Idea----observation--------conclusion.
Induction:
Observation------analysis--------theory
Abductive:
Abductive reasoning is making a problem conclusion from what you know helps you to
identify knowledge gaps by allowing you to generate hypotheses or possible explanations for
the observation.
The importance of critical reasoning
  Some professions require it.
 Decision-making improves.
 Critical thinkers are happier.
 Being well-informed is a bonus.
 It encourages self-reflection.
How to improve critical reasoning skills
 Evaluate new information.
 Consider the source.
 Ask lots of questions
 Follow up with research.
 Form an opinion.
Becoming a Critical Thinker
Critical reasoning or critical thinking is a basic skill that all humans are born with, but which can
be sharpened with practice. The better your ability to think critically, the better you will be at
making good decisions in your life. The skills involved in critical reasoning will assist you in
every area of life and study, whether it is deciding which political candidate to vote for or which
job to take.

CRITICAL THINKING
What is critical thinking? It refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a
logical judgment. It is basically known as problem solving.
“Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while you’re thinking in order to make your
thinking better.” –
Richard W. Paul
Critical thinking is clear, reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or
do. It means asking probing questions like, “How do we know?” or “Is this true in every case or
just in this instance?” It involves being skeptical and challenging assumptions, rather than simply
memorizing facts or blindly accepting what you hear or read.
Why Employers Value Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking involves the assessment of sources such as data, facts, observable phenomenon,
and research findings. Good critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from a set of
information and discriminate between useful and less useful details to solve a problem.
Employers want employees who can judge a situation using logical thought and come up with
the best solution. Someone with critical thinking skills can be trusted to make decisions
on his/ her own and does not need constant guidance. The circumstances demanding critical
thinking vary from company to company. Some examples include:
 o A nurse analyzes the cases at hand and decides the order by which the patients should be
treated.
o A plumber evaluating the materials that best would suit a particular job.
o The attorney reviews evidence and decides a strategy to win a case or to decide whether
to settle out of court.
o A manager analyzes customer feedback forms and uses this information to develop a
customer service training session for employees of the firm.
Top Five Critical Thinking Skills

1. Analytical
Part of critical thinking is the ability to carefully examine something, whether it is a problem, a
set of data, or a text, etc. People with analytical skills can examine information, and then
understand what it means, and what it represents.
o Asking thoughtful questions
o Data analysis
o Information seeking
o Interpretation
o Judgment
o Questioning evidence
o Recognizing differences and similarities
o Skepticism
2. Communication
Often, you will need to share your conclusions with your employers or with a group of co-
workers. You need to be able to communicate your ideas with others effectively. You may also
need to engage in critical thinking with a group. In this case, you will need to work with others
and communicate effectively to figure out solutions to difficult problems.

 Asking important questions

 Assessment
 Collaboration
 Explanation
 Expressing opinions and ideas
 Interpersonal
 Presentation
 Teamwork
 Verbal communication
  Written communication
3.Creativity
Critical thinking involves some level of creativity. You might need to spot patterns in the
information you are looking at and come up with a solution that no one else has thought of
before. All of this involves a creative eye.
 Cognitive flexibility
 Conceptualization
 Curiosity
 Imagination
 Making abstract connections
 Making inferences
 Predicting
 Synthesizing
 Visionary
4. Open-Minded
To think critically, you need to be able to put aside any assumptions or judgments and analyze
the information you receive. You need to be objective in evaluating ideas without bias.
Embracing different cultural perspectives
 Fair
 Humble
 Inclusive
 Objective
 Observation
 Reflection
5. Problem Solving
is another crucial critical thinking skill that involves analyzing a problem, generating, and
implementing a solution, and evaluating the success of the plan. After all, Employers don’t
simply want employees who can think about information critically. They also need to be able to
come up with logical solutions.
Applying standards
Attention to detail.
Clarification
Collaboration
Decision making
Evaluation
Grounded
Identifying patterns
Innovative
Logical reasoning

Critical Thinking and Logic

Critical thinking is fundamentally a process of questioning information and data. You may
question the information you read in a textbook, or you may question what a politician or a
professor or a classmate says. You can also question a commonly held belief or a new idea. With
critical thinking, anything and everything is subject to question and examination.
Logic’s Relationship to Critical Thinking
The word logic comes from the Ancient Greek logike, referring to the science or art of reasoning.
Using logic, a person evaluates arguments and strives to distinguish between good and bad
reasoning, or between truth and falsehood. Using logic, you can evaluate ideas or claims people
make, make good decisions, and form sound beliefs about the world.
Questions of Logic in Critical Thinking
Let’s use a simple example of applying logic to a critical-thinking situation. In this hypothetical
scenario, a man has a PhD in political science, and he works as a professor at a local college. His
wife works at the college, too. They have three young children in the local school system, and
their family is well known in the community.
The man is now running for political office. Are his credentials and experience sufficient for
entering public office? Will he be effective in the political office? Some voters might believe that
his personal life and current job, on the surface, suggest he will do well in the position, and they
will vote for him.
In truth, the characteristics described don’t guarantee that the man will do a good job. The
information is somewhat irrelevant. What else might you want to know? How about whether the
man had already held a political office and done a good job? In this case, we want to ask, how
much information is adequate in order to make a decision based on logic instead of assumptions?
The following questions, presented in Figure 1, below, are ones you may apply to formulating a
logical, reasoned perspective in the above scenario or any other situation:
1. What’s happening? Gather the basic information and begin to think of questions.
2. Why is it important? Ask yourself why it’s significant and whether or not you agree.
3. What don’t I see? Is there anything important missing?
4. How do I know? Ask yourself where the information came from and how it was
constructed.
5. Who is saying it? What’s the position of the speaker and what is influencing them?
6. What else? What if? What other ideas exist and are there other possibilities?