Critical thinking by Simon Bradley and Nicole Price

​"Critical thinking" by Simon Bradley and Nicole Price - Its a start!

This book is published by Createspace Independent Publishers in 2016 and has 106 pages.

This book is divided into 15 chapters and covers the aspects of critical thinking. 

1- Understanding critical thinking

A critical thinker has a great body of knowledge to tap into as well as the competence to analyze issues and make sense of the information. 

2- Historical details of critical thinking

While analyzing any idea Socrates traced out complete implications and traced the actions accompanying them. Socratic questioning thereby becomes the basis for critical thinking. Plato and Aristotle underlined the fact that everything suffered from their external manifestation. St. Thomas Aquinas, Sir Francis Bacon and Descartes are also mentioned. However middle eastern, Indian and Chinese are conspicuously absent. 

3- Thinkers who fashioned critical thinking

Sir Thomas Moore, Niccolo Machiavelli, Robert Boyle, Isaac Newton, Comte, Summer, Darwin etc. made checks& balances, inquisitive reasoning, positivism, criticism, sociology part of critical thinking. 

4- Skills and procedure

To develop correct stance towards situations, you need to think critically and act decisively. Use Socratic questioning in professional environment. 

5- Inductive and deductive reasoning

Clarity of thought, Fair-mindedness, Intellectual courage, Confidence, Insight, Integrity, Curiosity, Intellectual humility, Perseverance and Independence are attitudes important to critical thinking. 

6- Reasons to adopt critical thinking

Critical thinking improves standards, incorporates professional experience, is useful in knowledge based society, makes you a better orator, develops your personality. Foremost quality of critical thinker is the ability to discard conventional thought patterns and re-examine logical reasoning of evidence of new knowledge. 

7- Difference between reading and thinking

The critical reader does not jump to conclusions. He or she is willing to take notes and analyze the text in an unprejudiced way. Critical thinking will work only when you have adequate exposure to events of life. 

8- How critical thinking solves problems

Identify the problem, analyze the problem, come up with plausible solutions, pick the best option and take action. 

9- Get logical thinking

Importance and use of conditional statement, converse statement, inverse statement, contrapositive statement, necessary and sufficient conditions. 

10- Improve your decision making skills

Try something you never thought you would do, it activates brains. Write down Pros and Cons. 

11- How to make better decisions

Look for cost benefit, narrow options, Evaluate significance, stop sweating the small stuff, research, obtain well informed opinions. 

12- Strategies to help improve critical thinking

Making conscious effort to focus on the challenge, learn to ask critical questions, logical thinking, analyze, interpret matters in depth, learn to synthesize, break down complex questions, keep learning, be open, respect other people’s ideas, evaluate possible repercussions, collaborate, observe.

13- Group decision making skills

Conflict management, plan ahead, take charge, never dwell in mistakes.

14- Applying questions in critical thinking

Ask questions that enhance your knowledge, comprehension of situation, enable you to analyze and evaluate facts, help synthesizing. 

15- Exercising the brain

Make exercise fun, exercise the mind, ask why, laugh, eat omega 3, remember, cut out fat, puzzles, Mozart effect, improve existing skills, watch your drinking, play, sleep, concentrate, make love, cycles of consciousness, learn something new, write to be read, aromatherapy, drugs, brain trust.

This book has the theory for critical thinking but lacks practical examples. It would have been nice if the author demonstrated with examples how critical thinking lead to a better and winning decision, using either examples from corporate world or history. That way the book would have become more enjoyable and acceptable. 

This book sets course for critical thinking. It’s only the beginning of a long road. Each one has to make the journey on his/her own because every person and the situations are unique. 

Why did I read this book? Topic

What did I like? Topic.  

What I didn't like? Lack of practical examples. Mainly western oriented. 

Read if the topic interests you.