Critical Thinking: Logic, Emotion, and Cognitive Development

Introduction to Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an activity that each of us engages in on a daily basis, yet it is a concept we can never fully define. It is a term filled with a certain mystique because it cuts to the core of what defines our humanity, yet at the same time it carries an almost amorphous quality due to its lack of concrete definition and agreed-upon stature. In two foundational texts — Beyond Feeling by Ruggiero and Thinking by Kirby — both authors provide a concise examination of the reality of critical thought through definitions and critical analysis. Both texts reveal similarities and differences in their approach to defining critical thinking. These differences are to be expected on a subject that touches upon all spectra of humanity, from the physical to the spiritual.

Ruggiero's Definition of Critical Thinking

In Beyond Feeling, Ruggiero defines critical thinking through a series of steps. He first explains that thinking itself is a "conscious mental process performed to solve a problem, make a decision or gain understanding" (17). This definition is concrete and provides a natural bridge to his definition of critical thinking. Ruggiero interprets the concept of "thought" as a vehicle for analyzing and breaking down our emotional decisions — what he terms our "feelings." He further divides thinking into two categories: creative thinking and critical thinking.

By establishing critical thinking as a standard method for analyzing situations and making decisions, Ruggiero places the concept of "evaluation" at the core of critical thinking. His final definition is succinctly stated as "the process by which we test claims and arguments and determine which have merit and which do not" (17). This definition reflects Ruggiero's emphasis on the logical orientation of critical thinking as it applies to decision making.

Kirby's Definition and Scientific Approach

Kirby's text takes a somewhat different approach by never explicitly providing a single definition of critical thinking. Nevertheless, it similarly frames critical thought within a rhetoric-based paradigm. Kirby argues that the act of thinking is not a purely nonverbal and introspective process, but rather something that is inherently social. He asks, "if they cannot talk about it or share it with us, their thinking cannot be useful to us" (6). He therefore defines thinking as "the activity of the brain that can potentially be expressed in speaking or writing."

Critical thinking, as defined through Kirby's analysis, is also grounded in logic and rhetoric, but with a specific emphasis on knowledge. He draws on the analogy of religion and culture to implicitly define critical thinking: "our thoughts about religion are based more on feelings engendered by our faith and our culture than on critical thinking based upon knowledge" (16). The overall foundation of his definition rests on the concepts of knowledge and rhetoric in helping individuals understand and express their opinions and reasoning.

Kirby's approach to critical thinking is notably scientific. He explains that "what we consider to be critical thinking ability is located in the outer part of the brain, that wrinkled cap called the cortex" (60). In contrast, Ruggiero never offers a substantive scientific definition of critical thinking; instead, he applies a rational approach through empirical examples and demonstration. He examines, for instance, the causal relationship between intuition and critical thought, illustrating the similarities between these two processes. Ruggiero employs a "show, don't tell" approach to his definition of critical thinking, whereas Kirby provides a deeper scientific interpretation of its origin from both a physical and mental perspective.

Cognitive Development and Critical Thinking

The challenge in maintaining a firm grasp of critical thought is that it can be clouded by many different distractions and affected by variables outside of controllable circumstances. One such factor is cognitive development. It is evident that cognitive development has a strong overall impact on the formation of critical thinking. Genetics plays an important role within cognitive development, as individuals are born with differing levels of cognitive capacity, meaning some people may possess stronger critical thinking abilities partly due to their genetic makeup.

The circumstances in which an individual grows up also have a profound effect on their critical thinking abilities and processes. As a person matures, they form differing opinions and biases taught both explicitly and implicitly through cultural doctrine, social convention, and education in both informal settings — such as the home — and formal settings such as school. The inevitable result is that people develop a critical thinking paradigm constructed of foundational premises shaped by their environment. Cognitive development is therefore one of the primary measures by which critical thought forms in adulthood.

Conclusion

All three of these indicators — cognitive development, logic, and emotionality — play a strong role in critical thinking. The interplay among these measures forms an important framework through which the definition of critical thinking and its relationship to human behavior can be better understood.