Critical thinking

A critique is an evaluation of a position in the light of certain standards that are (or are alleged to be) valid criteria applicable to various types of reasoning.

In the academic game, scholars are never supposed to adopt a position uncritically; that's what stupid or poorly-educated people do. In theory, reasons must be given that will stand up to the most severe scrutiny of skeptical inquirers. It is, of course, self-evident among self-styled "critical thinkers" that doubt is respectable and belief contemptible. The one who launches the first critique is immune from criticism.

The goal of critical thinking is to limit one's beliefs to what is justified by evidence evaluated by the standards appropriate to the question in hand. Those who aspire to be critical thinkers should evaluate their own assertions using the same standards that they apply to the assertions of others.

Common-sense critical thinking offers several maxims that can be helpful to the aspiring scholar:

• "Test everything; hold on to what is good" (1 Thess 5:21).
• Don't believe everything you hear.
• Check the facts. Check your sources.
• If a theory doesn't correspond to the facts, get rid of the theory, not the facts.
• Treat like things according to like standards.
• Be thorough and consistent. Don't make hasty generalizations.

Unbalanced critical thinking leads to skepticism, relativism, and solipsism. The person who resolves to doubt everything and accept only what is perfectly proven usually ends up with a "proof" that nobody knows anything for certain. (It is not and cannot be a perfect proof because it depends upon assumptions that themselves cannot be proven.)