Think again, please!

By Herman M. Lagon

In education, “critical thinking” is thrown around like candy. Touted as the golden skill everyone must master, it has been diluted, misunderstood, and misrepresented like most overused terms. Today, “critical thinking” is often equated with basic problem-solving or parroting information without reflection. Really, what is critical thinking? More importantly, how do we distinguish real critical thinking from its many pseudo-iterations?

Let us start with the term’s misuse. Many schools, workplaces, and public offices tout critical thinking. But too often, it is just about passing “acceptable” conclusions or encouraging compliance under the guise of open inquiry. True critical thinking is not about consensus. It promotes intellectual courage to question assumptions, foster healthy skepticism, nurture a culture of inquiry, challenge the status quo, and try new things. Critical thinking would lose its transformative power if it were just memorization, following algorithms, or theory repetition.

Critical thinking requires intellectual curiosity, empathy, reflexivity, imagination, and courage. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a mechanical skill that can be taught through repetition, formula, or routine. You need help and experience to learn the craft. This mindset requires constant reflection, questioning, and openness to new ideas. How often does this happen? Too rarely, especially in schools that measure success by standardized tests or just the bare minimum.

Consider how we elect government officials. Choosing leaders should be a chance to practice critical thinking—evaluating candidates, policies, and track records. How often do people talk about a candidate’s charisma or machinery rather than qualifications and track record? Critical thinking in politics goes beyond choosing the “lesser evil” or accepting popular narratives. It requires probing motivations, policies, and a candidate’s platform’s broader implications. What are they not telling me? What assumptions am I making about this person or their policies?

How we handle everyday issues like gossip and rumors follows the same rules. Critical thinkers ask, “Is this true?” before joining the latest scandal or social media trend. Where’s the evidence? What’s the bigger picture? Critical thinking helps us separate fact from fiction in a world where viral misinformation spreads faster than facts. The rise of fake news, where sensationalism trumps substance, highlights this need.

The kicker: critical thinking goes beyond logic and rationality. Empathy matters, too. Critical thinking requires putting ourselves in others’ shoes and seeing issues from multiple angles. Part of this is being aware of different points of view, refusing to agree quickly with everyone, suspending judgment, and fighting the urge to give in on every point. When discussing touchy social issues like divorce, same-sex marriage, medical marijuana, reproductive rights, euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment, and stem cell research, critical thinking means hearing different points of view, weighing all the evidence, and being open to change.

Additionally, critical thinking requires creativity. Albert Einstein correctly stated, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Discerning beyond the present opens up new possibilities, solutions, and futures. In practice, we don’t accept problems at face value but creatively explore multiple solutions. Our rigid education systems often stifle imagination in favor of rote memorization or mechanical processing. However, with it, we automate our thoughts and expand them.

Well, this sounds great in theory, but how about in practice? It is easy to get caught up in short-term solutions and let emotion take over when dealing with daily problems. Critics practice “reflexivity”—examining one’s thoughts and biases—as scholars call it. Admitting mistakes or how our own experiences cloud our judgment is perhaps the most challenging part of critical thinking. It’s like Kant’s sapere aude—dare to know. Challenge even your most cherished beliefs if evidence contradicts them.

Thus, complex social issues—whether in politics, education, or personal matters—should always be approached with courage. Critical thinking requires grit because it goes against the grain. Avoiding conformity and easy answers is vital. It is about speaking out, questioning flawed systems, and proposing new solutions, even when unpopular. From Nelson Mandela to Martin Luther King Jr., history’s greatest leaders imagined a better world and were brave enough to pursue it.

Filipino teachers and educators must learn that critical thinking must go beyond the classroom. Teaching students to “think critically” without showing how it applies to their lives outside school is insufficient. Teachers should model critical thinking by encouraging open debate and dialogue, questioning norms and standards, and accepting uncertainty and ambiguity. This is difficult in our culture, where respect for authority can stifle questioning. However, we must break these cultural chains and adopt a more open, dynamic, and curious approach to education to raise critical thinkers.

Critical thinking is more than a buzzword, a modern competency, or a future-ready skill. This living process requires curiosity, empathy, reflexivity, imagination, and courage. It is our best defense against ignorance, bias, and complacency when choosing government officials, responding to juicy gossip, or solving the world’s biggest problems. If done well, it can truly change people and societies.

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a ‘student of and for life’ who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world that is grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views herewith do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.