Critical thinking refers to the application of cognitive skills toward the elimination of unlikely answers in order to arrive at the most likely or the most reasonable answer for a particular situation when an individual is presented with a problem. The process of the application of critical thinking is one that requires the use of logic and reason rather than emotional intelligence as a means for problem-solving. This is due to the fact that critical thinking deals with the hard facts, rather than any other type of consideration. As such, the methods for critical thinking development include a general effort on the part of the individual to develop general cognitive skills, mainly because critical thinking is built on a bedrock of innate intelligence that provides the enabling condition for the further development of critical thinking skills. Other tips for the critical thinking development include deliberate use of the critical thinking facility through activities that challenge critical thinking skills.
One of the methods for the critical thinking development is a general development of cognitive abilities due to the fact that the brain is an organ that benefits from constant usage and deliberate efforts by individuals to improve their store of knowledge. Critical thinking development is something that can be improved through reading books that both enrich and challenge the mind to ponder on issues or to engage in discussions with other people that provide stimulation for the mind and allow such individuals to test their critical thinking ability during arguments. Many courses in formal education also serve as fodder for the enrichment of the mind and for the exercise of critical thinking skills. Such courses include mathematics and algebra, where the application of logic and cognitive skills will enable individuals to decode and solve problems that range from the simple to the complicated.
Other activities that can help in the development of critical thinking skills include puzzles and other types of games that require the use of logic and reason in order to solve the problem that has been presented. Even in the normal course of daily activities, both at home and at the workplace, plenty of opportunities can be explored for critical thinking development. For instance, situations at work could arise that require the use of logic and reason to arrive at the most suitable solution through a process of eliminating the least likely possibilities.
