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Education in the critical faculty is the only education of which it can be truly said that it makes good citizens."
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I’m not sure if I can agree with the above statement. To say that our education system should not be concerned with teaching or assisting students to develop resources which allow for critical thinking cannot be supported. However, there must be a realistic framework where the critical thinking takes place, otherwise the result of the critical thinking will be flawed. Education may provide the tools or techniques used in critical thinking, but I do not believe education can be solely responsible for the framework. It may be useful to apply these tools to a construction project or doing tasks like automating a plant, etc., but in applying critical thought to larger problems, techniques alone are not enough.
Bailaviborita said: I
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just have to wonder how many HS kids have the requisite experience and contextual knowledge to put the ideas behind critical thinking to use.
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This contextual knowledge is what I’m referring to as the framework. For example, if we take the current economic situation in our country and apply critical thinking to the situation, but one of the core beliefs which comprise our framework is that FDR was successful in spending our way out of the depression, any result of our analysis is going to be flawed IMHO. I personally believe the product of Darwin’s critical thinking was wrong. If that’s true, what is the worth?
I do not believe that it’s the responsibility of our system of education to provide the contextual framework. Additionally, I don’t believe they can. This contextual framework comprises understanding of mores, history, people, etc. and any solutions must be leavened in fairness, honor and justice. If your framework is flawed, how can the product of critical thought be valuable? For arguments sake we say there is a God and his existence is a reality, but our critical thinking about global and national problems does not consider this parameter, within this context, is the result of critical thinking which ignores valuable or absolute parameters going to solve anything?
My wife is a professor. Occasionally the good doctor is required to teach a class on Stress Management. One of the tasks she requires of her students is to keep a daily journal. When you read these journals what you see is that these students barely have time study let alone explore critical thinking. Most work 30 or more hours a week because they have to have nice car or they won’t get the hot girlfriend. They have to have money to take the hot girlfriend to nice dinners because she wants to post pictures of their expensive outings on Myspace. These students are so stressed out, they can barely concentrate on one task at a time. They expect to have it all when they are going to college and a good job when they graduate.
When I went to college, people understood you were a starving student. You were spending your time studying. I don’t believe it is that way now, and it has nothing to do with education teaching critical thought. It has everything to do with our current culture and unrealistic expectations on behalf of our society.
In management classes they advised us to set aside one hour a day to do nothing but think. I personally believe it’s a good idea, but who has the time, and most employers are going to wonder why Bob is just sitting in his office not doing anything for an hour each day. When they start cutting back on personnel, Bob is going to be the first one who goes. I mean if he can do nothing for an hour everyday, he’s not doing his share, etc.
I guess what I'm saying, how can you foster critical thinking in a culture and society that doesn't provide an adequate framework and doesn't value or provide the time required to think.