Never Mind the Trick: A Practical Guide to Critical Thinking

By Derrick B. Stark

​Critical thinking is hard because it often requires us to identify our own biases. Our brains are wired to handle so many functions automatically that teasing out the implicit assumptions is very difficult. 
 
Here is a practical exercise for thinking critically: turn what you think is an absolutely true statement upside down and try to make a convincing case.

• Assume that everyone who voted for the opposite party is not an imbecile intent on ruining America.
• Assume that a manager, co-worker, or employee is competent and capable and means to do the best job possible.
• Assume that Ford is not better than Chevy...or Busch Light is actually beer.

If we practice every day, we will get better…just like any other learned skill. When you read an article about how one thing causes another, turn the statistical reasoning upside down and see if there might be other explanations. For example: 
 
A Pew Research Center study suggests one in three Americans ages 18 to 34 still live with their parents because they are waiting longer to get married.
 
Or...maybe...they are waiting longer to get married because you cannot have much game in your Spider Man-themed childhood bedroom.
 
You get the idea.