Critical Thinking – Sophisticatedly Black And White

While seemingly contradictory, a compelling argument can be made that critical thinking, at its core, is a sophisticated form of black and white thinking. This perspective hinges on the ultimate goal of critical thinking: to make reasoned judgments and decisions. While the process of critical thinking is steeped in nuance, the final output often necessitates a binary choice.

This viewpoint does not suggest that critical thinking is simplistic or ignores complexity. Rather, it proposes that the rigorous process of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis is ultimately in service of arriving at a clear, decisive conclusion—a conclusion that can often be framed in binary terms.

The Binary Nature of Judgement

At the heart of critical thinking lies the necessity of making judgments. After careful consideration of evidence, arguments, and various perspectives, a critical thinker must often decide:

* Is a statement true or false?

* Is an argument valid or invalid?

* Is a course of action advisable or inadvisable?

While the journey to these conclusions is filled with shades of gray, the destination is frequently a stark choice. For instance, a jury in a criminal trial engages in extensive critical thinking, weighing evidence and testimony. However, their final verdict is binary: guilty or not guilty. They cannot deliver a nuanced finding of “somewhat guilty.”

The Role of Logic and Falsification

The principles of logic that underpin critical thinking often operate on a binary basis. An argument’s structure is either logically sound or it contains a fallacy. A proposition cannot be simultaneously true and false in the same context (P land neg P is a contradiction).

Furthermore, the scientific method, a systematic approach to critical inquiry, heavily relies on the principle of falsification. A hypothesis is tested with the aim of proving it false. The outcome is binary: the evidence either refutes the hypothesis or it fails to do so. A theory is either scientifically viable or it is not. This process of elimination, central to building knowledge, is inherently a black-and-white endeavor of discarding what is demonstrably false.

The Fallacy of “My Truth”: There Is Only Truth or Falsehood

This framework of binary outcomes becomes even clearer when we apply critical thinking to the popular notion of “my truth.” From a critical thinking perspective, the concept of “my truth” is a logical fallacy that conflates subjective experience with objective reality. Critical thinking demands a clear separation between these two realms.

Your feelings, beliefs, and personal perspectives are real to you; that is a subjective truth. For example, the statement, “I found that book moving,” is a valid expression of your experience. However, critical thinking is primarily concerned with objective claims that can be tested and verified. A statement like, “The Earth is a sphere,” is not a matter of personal truth. It is an objective claim about reality that is either true or false, supported or refuted by a vast body of evidence.

The process of critical inquiry, therefore, serves as a filter. It assesses claims against evidence and logical consistency to determine their place in one of two categories: truth (that which corresponds to reality) or falsehood (that which does not). There is no third category for “my truth” when it comes to objective claims. A belief, no matter how sincerely held, does not transform a falsehood into a truth.

Distinguishing Process from Outcome

It is crucial to differentiate the process of critical thinking from its outcome. The process is characterized by open-mindedness, the consideration of multiple viewpoints, and the tolerance of ambiguity. It is during this phase that a critical thinker explores the full spectrum of possibilities.

However, the purpose of this exploration is not to remain in a state of perpetual indecision. The goal is to navigate the complexities to arrive at the most defensible position. This final step, the commitment to a conclusion about what is true, is what can be viewed as a form of black and white thinking. In essence, critical thinking is the sophisticated methodology used to justify a binary choice. It is not about avoiding black and white conclusions, but about ensuring that the chosen stance is the result of rigorous evaluation rather than simplistic impulse.