What Is the 'Critical' in Critical Thinking?

"The misinterpretation I heard twice was in reference to it being critical in terms of 'critiquing' an idea. This is absolutely, 100 percent not the case. Sure, the outcome of CT can be a critique of some nature, in some situations, but nowhere does it say that it has to be. In fact, CT just as often leads to agreement as it does disagreement."

"Critical thinking implies an ability to analyse, evaluate, and make judgments that facilitate decision-making. If an outcome is important—if the decision is critical—then apply critical thinking. Why do we call it critical thinking? The term 'critical' refers to the importance of the decision or outcome, not to the nature of the thinking process itself."

Critical thinking is frequently misunderstood as thinking that involves critique or criticism. However, critical thinking is fundamentally about analyzing, evaluating, and making judgments that facilitate decision-making. The term 'critical' refers to the importance of the outcome or decision, not to the act of criticizing. Critical thinking can lead to agreement or disagreement with ideas, but critique is not its necessary outcome. Researchers have struggled for years to define critical thinking consistently, and this lack of clarity among educators remains a significant barrier to enhancing critical thinking in younger populations.

Read at Psychology Today