Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City
Critical Thinking
Lecture Notes Six
PHIL 1313
Fall 2022
Contents: How well do you think?
Lecture Notes Six
Do you want to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills?
1. Know exactly what you want
Knowing exactly what you want is the first step of critical thinking.
We have to think critically to solve problems so that they meets their objectives. Every decision we make
has an objective or purpose attached to it and identifying exactly what that is, what we actually want
out of it, gives us a starting point to work with.
So ask yourself: What do I want? What do I expect to get out of this? Until you know the answer to
these questions you're not going to know what the right decision is.
2. Deal with your biases
We often think from only our own perspective to deal with problems. However, it helps with critical
thinking and decision making if you try thinking from someone else's point of view.
Furthermore, it gives you a clearer picture of the overall situation. Let's say you're looking to solve a
problem at work. Think of how your best friend might approach it, or how your partner or a sibling
might. Now think of how your boss might approach it.
By allowing yourself to consider different perspectives you might find yourself hitting upon solutions you
hadn't previously considered.
3. Consider the consequences of your options
Every option we choose has consequences for ourselves, or maybe others involved in the problem.
You need to weigh up the possible consequences which may arise from each of your options and go for
the one that benefits you most whilst limiting the negative effects on others involved.
A good way to do this is by writing a list of pros and cons. By asking yourself to think of every possible
positive outcome alongside every possible negative outcome, you can make a much more informed
decision.
