As I look at the topic for this
week’s blog, I am reminded of a song by Kenny Rogers, when he was still with
the group, The First Edition. The song, “Just
Dropped In”, contains a well-known; but, often forgotten chorus, “I just
dropped in to see what condition my condition was is”. That line sums how I am
feeling about today’s topic, “critical thinking about critical thinking”.
Instead of pushing my soul into a “deep dark hole” and chasing it down the rabbit
hole; I write about my thought process and have even parked many of those thoughts
in The Brain, software specifically designed to organize thoughts. Now, if only
my brain can master The Brain.
I thought it appropriate to take
a look at the thoughts I mapped out during week three. The four areas of focus
I listed are based on Nosich’s (2012) findings and include developing a better
understanding, stopping the swirl, questioning, applying the eight elements, becoming
more disciplined, setting standards; and, as always, practice, practice,
practice. Of these thoughts, the application of the eight elements and setting
standards are those that are changing. Perhaps this is due in part because of
the annotated bibliography assignment and the quest to find not only credible
source of information; but, information that will add credence to the action
research project currently in process.
I am naturally curious, so
asking questions about articles comes easily. Courage is a bit more difficult
as there is always a temptation to capture the first few writings about a
particular subject and later attempt to make the research match the area of
study. The circle of reasoning and the application of the eight elements helps
me to go around the circle, look at each wedge of reasoning, and not only
internalize those steps; but, use them in the here and now in order to put
together an effective presentation. The QEDS, outlined by Nosich (2012), act as
blinders for me and help me focus on the topic, which asks the question, how
easy is it to admit wrong with long-held beliefs, and if curiosity sent us in
search of information to satisfy a stimulation, why then can we not accept the
new belief? Is there an element of or a tipping point for curiosity that
inhibits our courage?
One of my favorite prayers which
help me to slow the swirl so that I can absorb and reflect upon new information
is the “Serenity Prayer”. These few lines of verse were plastered on a host of
retail products during the 70s. Rather than rely on my memory, the following
captures the prayer:
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| Figure 1. Serenity Prayer – Behiel (2014).
As it applies to critical
thinking, the prayer, at least for me, is a way to continually seek and accept curiosity
so that I may question why things cannot be changed, courage to change and to
not change things; and finally, wisdom to understand the difference.
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Nosich (2012) states we may
never acquire all of the intellectual traits that lead to the pinnacle of
critical thinking. Do I have the courage to accept that and if not; what other
avenues of curiosity can I follow to the top of that pinnacle? At times, the current
state of my critical thinking seems as foreign as a psychedelic Kenny Rogers
questioning the condition of his condition. More often than not, it is a one that finds me at peace with its current state while in search of methodologies that
lead to internal changes for future applications.
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