How the concept of critical thinking emerged how it has been defined and how critical
thinking skills can be taught. Critical thinking is regularly cited as an essential
twenty-first century skill the key to success in school and work. Given our propensity to
believe fake news draw incorrect conclusions and make decisions based on emotion rather than
reason it might even be said that critical thinking is vital to the survival of a democratic
society. But what exactly is critical thinking? In this volume in the MIT Press Essential
Knowledge series Jonathan Haber explains how the concept of critical thinking emerged how it
has been defined and how critical thinking skills can be taught and assessed. Haber describes
the term's origins in such disciplines as philosophy psychology and science. He examines the
components of critical thinking including structured thinking language skills background
knowledge and information literacy along with such necessary intellectual traits as
intellectual humility empathy and open-mindedness. He discusses how research has defined
critical thinking how elements of critical thinking have been taught for centuries and how
educators can teach critical thinking skills now. Haber argues that the most important critical
thinking issue today is that not enough people are doing enough of it. Fortunately critical
thinking can be taught practiced and evaluated. This book offers a guide for teachers
students and aspiring critical thinkers everywhere including advice for educational leaders
and policy makers on how to make the teaching and learning of critical thinking an educational
priority and practical reality.
