Documentation:Supporting Critical Thinking Online/Intellectual Resources for Critical Thinking

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Intellectual Resources for Critical Thinking

According to Bailin et al (1999), there are five kinds of intellectual resources required for critical thinking. These are:

  • Background knowledge: the depth of knowledge one has about a particular subject or area of practice will (to a large extent) affect his/her ability to think critically about it.
  • Understanding of the standards of good thinking: these include standards that are relevant to judging intellectual products (such as arguments, theories, works of art) and guiding practices of deliberation or inquiry. These may involve evolving traditions of inquiry and criticism, appropriate to the field or practice under review.
  • Knowledge of key critical concepts:this involves distinguishing among different kind of intellectual products (types of arguments or statements for example).
  • Strategies for thinking: this may include counter-arguments, examining the consequences of a variety of actions and discussion with others considered more knowledgeable on a subject. The more specific the strategy is to the domain under study, the more powerful it will likely be in promoting critical thinking.
  • Habits of mind: these are the personal committments, values and standards one has about the principles of good thinking. These may include: respect for reason and truth, respect for and appreciation of high-quality, an inquiring attitude, an open mind, a fair mind, an independent mind, respect for others in group inquiry, respect for legitimate intellectual authority and an intellectual work ethic.