THE SYNERGY BETWEEN CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING

BY

ALEX DAVID AMEH

MATRIC NO.: DU/378

BEING A TERM PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY AND

RELIGIOUS STUDIES, DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY SAMONDA, IBADAN IN PARTIAL
FULFILMENT FOR REQUIREMENT FOR BACHELOR OF ART DEGREE IN
PHILOSOPHY.

ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL THINGING

(PHIL 102)

REV. FR. JOSEPH EKONG, O.P. PhD.

JUNE, 2024.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
In today's fast-paced world, combining critical and creative thinking is essential for success.
Critical thinking involves analyzing information objectively and making logical decisions.
Creative thinking, on the other hand, encourages innovation and challenges the usual way of
doing things. When we merge these two ways of thinking, we become better at solving complex
problems and driving progress. Using both critical and creative thinking helps us ask smart
questions, see things from different angles, and come up with new strategies. This combination
turns challenges into opportunities, aiding personal and professional growth. It also helps us
handle modern challenges more effectively and creatively, leading to a better future for ourselves
and our communities. Mastering the blend of critical and creative thinking makes us better
equipped to meet the demands of today’s world. This approach not only enhances our problem-
solving skills but also promotes innovation and resilience, allowing us to adapt and thrive in a
constantly changing environment. Critical thinking is closely tied to logical reasoning. Logic
provides a method for distinguishing between true and false statements, assumptions, and
conclusions. While logic focuses on the formulation and validity of thoughts, critical thinking
uses our intellect and imagination to analyze ideas and actions, seek truths, and understand the
essence of things. Recognizing and evaluating parts of a problem to find evidence of truth or
falsehood is a fundamental aspect of critical thinking. Innovation is crucial for anyone, including
craftsmen, artists, and athletes. The human mind can create new ideas by combining our
imaginations. To be more productive and successful in any field, the ability to think critically
and apply creativity is essential.
This work aims at discussing the “synergy between critical and creative thinking”. We shall
explore this topic with a conceptual clarification of terms, the synergy, and end with an
evaluation and conclusion.
2.0 CLARIFIFICATION OF CONCEPTS
Here we shall clarify terms like synergy, thinking, critical, and creative thinking.
Thinking: According to the Oxford Dictionary, to think is to use your mind to consider
something, to form connected ideas, to try to solve problems. Furthermore, it is to imagine, to
remember, to intend, and so on1. Thinking is the action of the mind to produce ideas, decisions
and memories. It is a result of a combination of our mind and the brain.2

Creative and Critical: Being creative involves the use of imagination to produce new ideas 3,
while being critical is an effort to look for, and point out faults and defects. It is also an effort to
see a thing clearly and truly in order to judge it fairly4.

1
C.f Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary. (Ninth Edition).
2
https://www.ipl.org/essay/Critical-And-Critical-Thinking-The-Nature-Of-P32Q457ESJPR Accessed on 7/05/2023.
3
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/creative Accessed on 7/05/2023.
4
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical Accessed on 9/05/2023.
Synergy: etymologically, the word synergy is from the Greek word sunergos, meaning working
together5. By definition synergy is the combined power of a group of things when they are
working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately. 6
This is the cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or
merged parts of a cooperation in order to create an enhanced combined effect which is greater
than the previous.

3.0 WHAT IS CREATIVE THINKING?

“Creative thinking is the generation of new ideas within or across disciplines. It draws upon or
breaks rules and procedures in those disciplines and actively engages students in bringing
together existing ideas into new configuration: developing new properties or possibilities for
something that already exists; and discovering or imagining something entirely new”.7
According to Gardner, creative thinking or creativity is the ability to make or do something new
that is useful or valued by others 8. Edgar too puts it thus; “creative thinking may be defined as
the formulation of possible solutions to a problem or explanation of a phenomenon 9. Any idea
that has made a lot of impact in a field; whether in the music industry, media, banking industry,
technology, funeral management, etc., flows from creative thinking.
Creative thinking can also be said to be our ability to think differently and provide new angles
and perspective to a solution. The role of creativity cannot be overemphasized in our day to day
activities because as the world grows rapidly so are more innovations and inventions as a result
of creativity. However, creativity is not only peculiar to professionals but to everyone because
even though people may not care so much about new ideas or solutions our brains have a natural
tendency to fall into certain shortcuts which in turn makes us think outside of the box and think
of new ways that is thinking of alternatives that suit as the case may be.10
3.1 WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?
“Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe.
It includes the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.” In other words, this is
affirming the position that everyone thinks but not everyone thinks properly, hence, for any
product of thoughts to be considered as critical, it must conform with the laws of thoughts.”11
However, Critical thinking is thus the ability to consider a range of information derived from
many different sources, to process this information in a creative and logical manner, challenging

5
https://www.lexico.com/definition/synergy Accessed on 9/05/2023
6
https://www.google.com/amp/s/dictionary.cambridge.org/amp/english/synergy Accessed on 9/05/2023
7
The Synergy of Creative and Critical Thinking. Retrieved Online at. faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/hi216/cc.htm. On
May 12, 2023.
8
Gardner H. 1993. Creative Minds. New York: Basic Books
9
Moore E. 1967. Creative and Critical Thinking. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 2.
10
The Synergy of Creative and Critical Thinking. Retrieved Online at. faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/hi216/cc.htm.
On May 12, 2023.
11
What is Critical Thinking. Retrieved Online at, https://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php. On May 12, 2023.
it, analysing it and arriving at a considered conclusion which can be defended and justified 12.
Furthermore, critical thinking entails sound argument, opposes prejudice in judgement,
challenges a theory or idea, promotes thinking that is based on relevant issues, etc.
Critical thinking includes a complex combination of skills. According to Paul and Elder (2006),
the standards are accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, significance and fairness 13.
Its characteristics includes its skeptical nature, its activeness as it applies tactics and strategies to
uncover meaning and its openness to new ideas and perspectives 14. It is used for various reasons
which include; forming an argument, articulation and justification of a position, reducing
possibilities to convergent toward a single answer, to vet creative ideas to determine if they are
practical, to judge assumptions, etc.15
4.0 THE SYNERGY BETWEEN CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING

Looking at the earlier meaning of the word synergy, we can infer that the synergy between
creative and critical thinking means what can be achieved when the two work in unison.
Critical and Creative Thinking are both achievements of thought. Creativity masters a process of
making or producing, criticality a process of assessing or judging 16. Their combination or
synergy brings about effective thinking in various fields of life their combination is being felt, as
failure to do away with the other would lead to futility. We can infer the fruits of the
combination of creative and critical thinking to be, acquisition of knowledge, good decision
making, problem solving, etc.

Acquisition of knowledge: the coalition of creative and critical thinking skills makes the
acquisition of knowledge possible. When we talk of the great technological advancement in our
world today, we cannot but wonder how we have been able to arrive at this stage. By
brainstorming and analysing, we come to arrive at some conclusion. Take for instance, there
were many myths concerning how to determine sexes when it comes to copulation. However,
these myths have been debunked as a result of the synergy between creative and critical thinking.
Etc. In studies, the processes of creative and critical thinking skills are closely related in the
sense that when they meet, it “produces a sweet spot for powerful learning to occur” 17. This
applies in the context where a student is eager to know, questions every ambiguity on his path of
learning and is also able to formulate creatively, that is, able to carry out some practical; this
surely must advance the individual to a greater height of knowledge.

Good Decision Making. One thing peculiar to our lives as humans is the fact that we make
choices which is in line with the art of making decisions. These choices affect our lives either
negatively or positively. When faced with problems, creative thinking will help in exploring

12
Moon J. 2008. Critical Thinking; An Exploration of Theory and Practice. London and New York: Routledge. 21
13
Ann Coughlan, 2007- 2008. Creative Thinking and Critical Thinking. (Learning to Learn)
14
Ann Coughlan, 2007- 2008. Creative Thinking and Critical Thinking. (Learning to Learn)
15
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/thinking/critical-
thinking/critical-thinking-vs-creative-thinking/amp/ Accessed on 13/05/2023.
16
Paul R and Elder L .2008. Critical & Creative Thinking (07-065) 4.
17
Mary Moeller et etal, “visual thinking strategies=creative and critical thinking”, pg. 57.
more, providing remedies which may tackle such problems. Critical thinking then come into play
in analysing the solutions given by creative thinking.
In his work, Creative and Critical Thinking, Moore, highlights to us the phases of decision
making. They include; recognising and defining the problem, gathering information, forming
tentative conclusions, testing tentative conclusion, evaluation and decision 18. From the first three
we see creativity in play while the others show vividly critical thinking. Therefore, for one to
make a good decision or choice, there must be a synergy of the two concepts.

Problem solving: Challenges are best handled by individuals who have a critical mind, people
who do not view issues merely superficially but deeply. Again, it is said that creativity is part of
criticality. Thus, in order to face physical, emotional, intellectual risks or problems, creativity
must work with criticality19.
5.0 EVALUATION
As we have seen the synergy between creative and critical thinking, we can deduce from the
points highlighted that, the two are inevitable aspects of the thinking process, they are like a two
side of a coin which cannot be separated from one another, a creative man is able to think deep in
other to minimize error even though irregularities are allowed because creative thinking does not
follow certain principles and guidelines but nevertheless follows the thinking process, and as
rationality is what differs man from other beings, a critical man will not keep on committing
fallacies as if it a normal thing to do except when needed. We can also see that creative and
critical thinking is a very important means of solving and making alternatives to such problems
pertaining to the nature of the problem, however, one may ask if these two are dependent or
independent on each other, what it implies is to ask that can one be creative without being critical
or can one be critical while he is not creative? The answer as for me will be that the two are not
dependent on each other but rather interdependent and can influence each other, for it is not
possible to be creative and not logical this which is an aspect of critical thinking, and also it is
not possible to be critical and not be able to create ideas out of this criticality.
Criticality and creativity is therefore seen as a vehicle which cannot work without its engine or a
human being which cannot be without the soul, hence the need for creative and critical thinking
cannot be overemphasized in our world if we want to run society free of problems, conclusively,
I will present the statement of one of my lecturer, he said and I quote “Nigeria’s problem has
been unable to be solved not because we don’t have critical thinkers, but because we don’t have
creative thinkers, all they do is to point out the abnormalities of the country and its leaders, but
they have not for once proffer a solution to this problems, hence, we continue to wallow in the
same problem as usual” and as regards to our discussion so far, as we have been able to establish
the synergy of creative thinking as that which is important and essential in all aspect of thinking,
ranging from solving problems and making meanings out of our day to day life, hence, all
seekers of knowledge should take critical and creative thinking as necessary as it is in other to
reduce the problems and issues in our society.

18
Moore E. 1967. Creative and Critical Thinking. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 3 – 6.
19
Cf Mary Moeller et etal, “visual thinking=creative and critical thinking”, pg. 60.
6.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the synergy between creative and critical thinking is essential for effective
problem-solving, decision-making, and knowledge acquisition. Creative thinking allows us to
generate new ideas and explore innovative solutions. Critical thinking, on the other hand,
provides the necessary evaluation and analysis to refine these ideas and ensure their practicality.
When combined, these thinking processes lead to more effective and comprehensive outcomes in
various fields.

This synergy fosters intellectual growth and innovation. For instance, technological
advancements and scientific breakthroughs often result from the interplay of creative ideation
and critical assessment. By integrating these two approaches, individuals can make well-
informed decisions, solve complex problems, and advance their understanding of different
subjects.

Embracing both creative and critical thinking is crucial for addressing the challenges of modern
society. It enables us to not only identify issues but also develop and implement effective
solutions. Therefore, fostering the development of both creative and critical thinking skills is
essential for personal and societal progress. This combined approach ensures that we are better
equipped to navigate and improve the world around us..20

20
https://www-entrepreneur-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.entrepreneur.com/amphtml/282960?
amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQHKAFQArABIA%3D%3D#aoh=16238937331300&referrer=https%3A
%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.entrepreneur.com
%2Farticle%2F282960 Accessed on 13/05/2023.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 9th ed.

Critical and Critical Thinking: The Nature Of. IPL.org. Accessed May 7, 2024.
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https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/creative.

Critical. Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed May 9, 2024.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical.

Synergy. Lexico.com. Accessed May 9, 2024. https://www.lexico.com/definition/synergy.

Synergy. Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed May 9, 2024.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/dictionary.cambridge.org/amp/english/synergy.

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Gardner, Howard. 1993. Creative Minds. New York: Basic Books.

Moore, Edward. 1967. Creative and Critical Thinking. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Moon, Jennifer. 2008. Critical Thinking: An Exploration of Theory and Practice. London and
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Coughlan, Ann. 2007-2008. Creative Thinking and Critical Thinking. (Learning to Learn).

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OUTLINE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 CLARIFICATION OF CONCEPTS

3.0 WHAT IS CREATIVE THINKING

3.1 WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING

4.0 SYNERGY BETWEEN CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING

5.0 EVALUATION

6.0 CONCLUSION