The objective analysis and evaluation of information and arguments to form reasoned judgments and avoid bias or fallacious reasoning.
The concept traces back to Socratic questioning in ancient Greece, but the modern term emerged from educational philosophy in the early 20th century. It gained prominence after John Dewey's work on reflective thinking in the 1910s. The phrase became widespread in education during the 1960s as part of educational reform movements.
Critical thinking was originally called 'reflective thinking' and was considered so important that it became a core component of liberal arts education. The famous 'Socratic method' of teaching through questioning is actually a critical thinking technique that's over 2,400 years old, yet it remains one of the most effective ways to develop analytical skills.
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