Critical Thinking for everyone

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly, logically, and independently—especially when you're faced with information, arguments, or decisions.

It means not just accepting what you hear, see, or read—but asking questions, analysing it, and deciding for yourself if it makes sense.

• Asking “Why?” or “How do we know that?”
   
• Looking at facts before forming an opinion
   
• Not getting tricked by emotion, bias, or peer pressure
   
• Making decisions based on logic and evidence

Skill:                                                          What it means

Questioning:                                            Challenging assumptions, claims, and sources

Analysing:                                                Breaking things down to understand them clearly

Evaluating evidence:                             Judging the quality, relevance, and truth of info

Recognising bias:                                  Seeing when someone (or you) has an unfair slant

Drawing conclusions:                            Reaching reasoned, logical judgments

Problem-solving:                                    Finding smart, reason-based solutions  

Someone says:

"We should all take this new supplement—everyone on TikTok is doing it!"
 

A critical thinker would ask:

• Who's promoting it—and why?
   
• Is there scientific evidence it works?
   
• What are the risks or side effects?
   
• Is this just peer pressure or marketing?

It’s not about criticizing everything or being “difficult.”
It’s about being curious, fair, and informed before you decide what to believe or do.

Not everyone has well-developed critical thinking skills, though everyone has the capacity to develop them.

• People who are trained or educated in how to evaluate arguments, question assumptions, and think logically.
   
• Those who practice reflection, open-mindedness, and scepticism in everyday decision-making.
   
• Individuals in professions requiring analysis, problem-solving, or ethical reasoning (e.g., scientists, lawyers, engineers, teachers).
   

• People who rely heavily on intuition, emotion, tradition, or authority without questioning or evaluating the reasoning.
   
• Individuals who haven't been taught or encouraged to question information critically (which can happen due to education gaps, cultural norms, or systemic barriers).
   
• Those overwhelmed by misinformation, cognitive biases, or who avoid uncertainty.
   

Critical thinking is not fixed—it's a learnable skill, like reading or writing. With practice and the right guidance, almost anyone can improve at it.