Virtudazo, Maria Christina C.

Philo 1 THV-1
Why Should We Think Critically?

Reason 1. Thinking critically promotes unbiased and neutral thinking.

By unbiased and neutral thinking, I pertain to the way of thinking that is not influenced by
external factors which are not related to the matter at hand. This is a very significant benefit
given to people who think critically because their thinking is not marred with emotions, past
experiences or feelings and therefore is not sullied by meaningless distractions. In spite of this
fact, I won’t deny that thoughts and words fused with feelings and emotions do indeed catch
the attention of people and tend to draw them in to listen to what the speaker has to say.
However, such outputs may lose credibility in terms of technicalities and logic for the reason
that most, if not all statements and claims, are those that are unexplainable through a scientific
way of thinking. As a matter of fact, these statements tend to be explained through belief,
faith, miracles and other supernatural, out-of-this-world explanations. Some would even
proclaim that these are indescribable. Thus, in order to avoid this loss of credibility, thinking
critically is the first step into doing so. It is through critical thinking that the quality of one’s
words is improved and enriched not only in its credibility but as well as its authenticity. From
my standpoint, this is one of the major reasons why I strongly believe that critical thinking is
an important and useful skill in a person’s life. Not only does it enhance a person’s way of
thinking, but it also develops the originality of the thinker. Developing one’s originality
invokes a higher form thinking and urges the thinker to be his/her own self, his/her own
person; someone who thinks for him/herself and does not simply and easily accept anything
and everything others say and/or do. Critical thinking pushes thinkers to seek the truth and
make sense of the world s/he is living in. Both in the academic and other professional fields,
critical thinking is a practical skill that a thinker must utilize in order to achieve excellence. In
terms of academics, students must train their minds to think critically in order to become fully
prepared for the world that awaits them outside of the doors of their colleges/universities
which they must all face. On the other hand, for teachers and instructors, critical thinking
enables them to construct an elaborate and detailed plan that will assist them in delivering
their lessons to their students in manner that is strictly objective. Moving on, in terms of
professional fields such as science, technology, business, etc., it is vital to ensure that
emotions and feelings are not brought in the workplace in order to minimize distractions
which would lead to increase in efficiency and productivity at work. In addition to this,
critical thinking helps keep a person to remain objective, especially at times when it is
necessary. Such situations are as follows: court hearings, formal debates, business meetings,
and many more. In relation to these, keeping one’s emotions and beliefs at bay when thinking
helps a person stay level-headed. This certain trait, level-headedness, is exceptionally
essential in order for a judge to make the right decision based on established laws and reason;
in order for a debater to argue with fair judgement and reason; and for the purpose of
businessmen to make reasonable choices in order to maximize the assets of the business and
seize the best economic opportunities that may arise for the future success of their business.
As you may notice from the previous statements, the common denominator among the three is
reason. In my point of view, reason is the core of critical thinking. It is the principal of
unbiased and objective thinking. Reason itself is what completes critical thinking and gives it
its value. Choosing to utilize one’s intellect and infusing it with reason is one of the best ways
a person can do to maximize his/her full potential in thinking due to the fact that this
combination brings the thinker to a whole new level of thinking, a higher tier to put it more
likely. In this level of thinking, one is compelled to leave ordinary thinking and embrace
extraordinary thinking because of the fact that the first one will not suffice for this level. It is
essential to think primarily with reason in light of the fact that in order to obtain knowledge
and understanding of the world, from the tiniest of particles to the largest of galaxies, a
thinker should base his/her assertions on what can be observed, studied, analyzed and
presented. Hence, we should think critically for the reason that it incites a more sophisticated
way of thinking that increases one’s credibility while also developing one’s authenticity at the
same time. It incites a higher form of thinking which obliges the thinker to think in a different
manner, bringing me to my next point.

Reason 2. Thinking critically reduces mediocrity through thinking outside the box.
This particular way of thinking urges the thinker to look at a square figure not as a two-
dimensional drawing but as a three-dimensional six-sided cube instead. Simply settling for
what can be witnessed by all is not what critical thinkers do. Mediocrity is not a word that is
associated with critical thinkers. Thinkers who think critically goes beyond what is expected
of them. Their minds venture to a world that sees everything as an unturned stone waiting to
be unearthed, mysteries to be revealed, puzzles to be solved and more. Thinking critically
compels a thinker to develop another trait besides level-headedness which is being inquisitive.
As I have stated before, a critical thinker is not satisfied with claims that s/he can easily prove
him/herself. That is why they question nearly everything they can because of the fact that they
do not merely accept them as they are. Critical thinkers desire to be enlightened. They want to
know the depths of everything they can within their power which is why they throw as many
questions as they can. In addition to this, they not only want to be enlightened themselves, but
they also want others to be enlightened as well. They want to share this knowledge of the
unknown in order to make it known. From my point of view, critical thinkers want to leave
this world with their words of wisdom that contributed to the betterment of society and
humanity. This purpose of theirs encourages them to continue down the path of rigid thinking
and objective speaking due to the fact that they are thinkers who made the decision to stray
away from average and ordinary thinkers. Apart from this, critical thinking inspires a thinker
to think creatively. To think creatively means to think in your own unique way that is not a
copy or a mirror of another. This way of thinking is what separates one non-critical thinker
from a critical one. This distinct characteristic is what enables a critical thinker to open
numerous doors that could lead them to what they desire, to the knowledge they wish to
obtain. Being able to think in a creative manner allows a thinker to find new ways and
methods to prove what s/he wishes to in order to fulfill his goal and/or purpose as a critical
thinker. Thinking creatively shapes the mind of the thinker to see everything as an
opportunity to unravel something new and take a step closer to the truth of anything and
everything. Moreover, not only does it help in uncovering what the thinker wishes to know
but it also utilizes the capabilities of the thinker’s right brain. Merging the abilities of one’s
left brain which is dominant in analytical thinking and the abilities of the right brain which is
dominant in creative thinking would take the thinker to an extraordinary level of thinking, a
higher level of thinking that focuses on making statements and claims that are supported by
reason. Furthermore, since critical thinking incites creativity, a critical thinker therefore is not
limited by his/her own abilities. A critical thinker chooses to break through these limitations
due to the fact that their desire to be enlightened is stronger than their fear of leaving what is
known and proven already. They are not held back by anyone or anything; not by society’s
rules, not by the people’s opinions and certainly not by their fears. Based on my personal
view, thinkers who think critically are stronger and braver than what people give them credit
for because instead of joining the majority of society who walks the path of the known,
critical thinkers choose to be those who walks the path of the unknown for the purpose of
seeking the truth and nothing but the truth. Choosing to do such that is an amazing feat of
itself already. The fact that critical thinkers thrive in such paths are what makes them
remarkable thinkers because of the fact that in this path, there are countless trials and
hardships they must face in order to reach their destination. In spite of this fact, critical
thinkers endure such ordeals and choose to keep moving forward. Even though there must be
times when they fall or face a great wall that hinders from their goal, they still choose to push
through no matter how may times they fall or fail. This attitude is another contribute to a
thinker which can be seen in critical thinkers in the past, in the present and with anticipation,
in the future as well. Hence, critical thinking discourages one to think ordinarily or to settle
with the average. Instead, it promotes thinking in a creative manner by means of thinking
outside, beside, under and of course, above the box.

Reason 3. Thinking critically helps in making better decisions in life.

As far as I’m concerned, life is all about making decisions. And decisions lead to different
paths, different consequences, and changes in results due to new decisions made along the
way. Thinking critically will assist a person to choose the better, if not the best, decision s/he
can make in that time in light of the fact that critical thinking is all about reason, as I have
mentioned previously, that invokes rational thinking. Critical thinking enables one to make
rational choices especially at crucial times. Being able to choose not only wisely but rationally
would help a thinker develop a sense of coherence which quite frankly is very substantial in
this world now tainted by rampant fake news and false statements and claims. In this point of
my life as a college student, thinking critically is the best decision I can do as of now because
this phase in my life is the door that leads to the real world where everything and everyone are
different compared to the educational setting. In life, tough choices tend to present themselves
to everyone. Critical thinking would then help a person to make not just a decision but more
importantly, a rational decision. In addition to this, it is quite useful to think critically in life
for the reason that critical thinking enables a person to analyze and compare varying
consequences brought about by different decisions. In doing so, the thinker can make a more
decisive choice of his/her actions which in his/her thinking would result to the optimum
expectation amongst the selection. This skill of making decisive and firm decisions is the key
to living a successful life because in order to achieve such success, there are sacrifices and
tough decisions to be made. In business, there are risks being considered and scrutinized.
Thus, developing and harnessing this skill would prove to be very advantageous, especially to
those people who are generally ambitious and determined in life. Moreover, making rational
decisions often lead to conclusions that maximize the benefits that can be obtained. As a
result, the thinker gains more than what he can gain from a decision that is not thoroughly
thought of and analyzed. In this sense, rational decisions lead to consequences that are most
likely pleasant for the thinker. In relation to this, utilizing critical thinking in making
decisions is the best way in solving problems. It is through critical thinking that one can think
in a systematic manner that is valuable in making clear decisions. Since life presents
challenges and problems to human beings such as us, thinking critically is the most suitable
action we can take in order to solve, fix and answer the problems that we face. To further
strengthen my last reason as to why we should think critically, critical thinking enables a
thinker to focus primarily on what is important and significant in making decisions and
choosing to ignore other matters that are irrelevant in making rational decisions. Decision-
making should be made with the attitude of unbiasedness. This trait is brought about by
critical thinking as I have mentioned in my very first statement. That being the case, critical
thinking proves that it is the better course, if not the best, in making life decisions because of
the fact that it promotes fair judgement of the selection of choices presented to the thinker.
Choices that are supported by reason is then prioritized in the decision-making process,
making it easier for the thinker to make a rational decision. In conclusion, critical thinking is a
very useful and valuable tool in making life decisions because it does not allow the thinker to
make rash decisions. On the contrary, it advises the thinker to take a step back and see the
bigger picture of his/her choices before making a final decision in order for him/her to see
which of these choices is the best one to make that would lead him/her to the thinker’s desired
destination. To simply put, making decisions based on reason shows a path that has been
analyzed to provide the best results and thus, bringing the thinker to the optimal destination.
In this manner, the probability of making a decision that would lead to the least likely
outcome would decline significantly due to the fact that critical thinking prevents you from
doing so. It pushes a thinker away from making abrupt decisions which could lead to poor
results, disrupting the thinker from his/her path in fulfilling his/her goal and purpose. Through
the help of critical thinking, one can make decisions supported by reason and unbiased
thinking; therefore, solidifying his/her choice and providing him/her with the confidence
gained from making a definitive decision which would then encourage the thinker to continue
to think critically because the results it brings is the most favorable outcome among the rest.