Evangelista, Gia S. Prof.

Romulo Bañares
201820555 Philo 1 THQ2

Why Should We Think Critically?

Reason 1. We should think critically because it is one of the fundamental factors in living
a life of meaning.

Critical thinking is one of the fundamental factors in living a life with meaning.
Through thinking critically, one can take ownership of his life. In today’s world, we placed
such high value on information and technology hence we are constantly presented and
bombarded with various information along our way. With this, it is crucial for us to take
ownership on the things that we believe in. Most people typically follow the bandwagon, just
riding on the flows and waves of the river not even thinking to meet it head on. Following the
crowd might be good, but finding your own path, your own truth is true courage.
Critical thinking goes beyond accumulation of information. Instead, it confronts what
to do with the information at hand – on how will it be utilized on our lives. Critical thinking
pertains to the ability to analyze our thoughts and evaluate them rationally. It is the act of
making sense of the information presented to us. It primarily involves analysis, evaluation,
reasoning, decision making and problem solving. Its use is not limited to a specific subject area
instead, it transcends to various fields and can be utilized in daily living. It can be utilized in
the academe, in the workplace, and even in the most random places – critical thinking can be
present. It is not just an abstract idea but rather a concrete one that can be continuously present
in us.
We should think critically because it is one of the fundamental factors in living a life
of meaning. It is because through critical thinking, we could evaluate various concepts and
ideas and look into ourselves on whether we believe it or not. We are freed from biases,
prejudices and compliance and conformity from other people. We have the power over our own
ships. We are no longer sailors of it, but rather captains – taking full control of the wheel, of
what’s ours. A lot of people, void themselves into living meaningful lives. They are guided not
by reason but instead by expectations, by pressures, by tradition, by complacency and a bunch
of things that are hindering them on finding their own truths. They are on a journey with their
ancestor’s shadow as their tour guide. Because of this, a lot of people have lived, but not
meaningfully. Critical thinking is the key to life’s meaning. Through critical thinking, we can
even reflect and weigh in our own values and decisions. It provides an avenue for a true self-
reflection and self-evaluation and without these things, we cannot grow as a person. Our
capacity for self-reflection is what sets us apart from the animals and critical thinking highly
contributes to this process. Additionally, critical thinking is like a water for the plants – and we
are the plants. It is highly essential in living a life of meaning and purpose.
Living is vastly different from existing and critical thinking can be a defining factor
between the two. Living a life of seeking knowledge and wisdom, of exploring various beliefs
and perspectives, of finding and even creating our own path is different from living and
following someone else’s map. Critical thinking is crucial in taking ownership of our own lives
because through it, we create our own map. We are the ones responsible in providing the
meaning in our life – no one else is. Our current world has many varying ideologies, religions,
school of thought and etc. It is very tempting to just go where everybody goes or even continue
a family tradition. But as critical thinkers, we do not take everything at face value. We analyze
it thoroughly before giving our judgements. We do not just accept things, rather we first seek
evidences that supports it. We take everything with a healthy amount of skepticism. Critical
thinkers are independent thinkers.
Living a life with meaning can mean differently for a lot of people but one thing is for
sure in having one, you must think critically. This life is like a voyage in the sea. We are
constantly propelled to various directions. But through all of this, one thing that grounds our
ships through the storms is our anchor of critical thinking. It is not taken a backed by life’s
circumstances, it remains steady and firm, looking into things rationally, void of biases.
Therefore, critical thinking is a necessity in living a life of meaning. It is through critical
thinking that we are able to find and dissect some meaning in the mundane. It is through critical
thinking that we are able to find about things, even ourselves.

Reason 2. We should think critically because it is essential for the growth of the society.

Our times is constantly changing and a lot of things are moving in fast-paced motion,
and we are presented with a huge amount information. With the adamant use of the internet,
these things are definitely not foreign to us. Additionally, in the age of globalization, our way
of life has been changed drastically since then. We are constantly facing various complex issues
and problems that affects the whole world – from epidemics, to financial crises, to global
warming. These crises demand critical thinking skills to solve them. The role that critical
thinking plays in our lives is not merely limited on the four corners of our classrooms, nor in
the workplace and nor for our individual benefits only. Critical thinking plays a major role in
the overall growth and development of the society.
On the other hand, in our modern society, there is still a significant amount of lack of
critical approach or critical thinking. We are still religiously following the status quo that was
set by our society. We tend to refute and negate ingenuity and creativity. What sprouted
because of this is we have created a society that is incompetent in terms of formation of new
ideas and only wants to squirm away and to continuously conform to pre-existing ones. As a
matter of fact, even our educational system is plagued with this very problem. Students have
been honed with good memorizing skills but lacks critical thinking skills. We are continuously
birthing generations that does not place a high regard towards critical thinking skills. Our
society dismisses its essence and importance in our lives.
In the age of information, bombarded with various “fake news” it is important for the
citizens of this nation to always practice critical thinking and thorough evaluation and
assessments of things. Critical thinking is crucial and is essential in creating a democratic
society – comprised of citizens that are capable of thinking independently and unreceptive to
hastily accepting any argument as valid. Through this, we can create a society characterized by
critical evaluation and dialogue. Additionally, we can collectively critique the upper hand and
demand better services. Therefore, we should think critically because it is essential for the
growth of the society. Through critical thinking, we can detect the things that needs redefinition
and remodeling, as well as what are the next steps that we need to undertake. Critical thinking
is the impetus of change in our society. Through it, we can see the problem together with the
solution.
In having citizens that are capable of critical thinking, our society will definitely
progress. We are the ones making and comprising our society and through equipping ourselves,
being aware of what we can do and what we can offer, we can revolutionize it bit by bit. Critical
thinking enables us to not only be regular citizens but to be citizens that are capable of thorough
analysis, assessment and evaluation. The development and growth of our society will be
enabled through critical thinking because it is the main driving force that constantly seeks
change and improvement. And with change and improvement sprouts better seeds of tomorrow.
Furthermore, it is through critical thinking that we are able to awaken the force that binds us
together, our love for our country. Additionally, the importance of good critical thinking skill
in a democratic society cannot be overlooked. The society is in need of citizens who are willing
to think critically about certain social issues in order to inform their judgements regarding
proper governance thus overcoming biases and prejudices. Our society needs people who are
critical on the issues that are happening to it and afterwards, making actions to address these
issues. Through this, continuous growth and improvement of the nation will be expected.
Critical thinking is paramount and we should instill this truth to our generation. With
this, we should start analyzing and critiquing ourselves. Knowing the answers not only on the
questions: who, what, when, where and how but also why. We should remember that if nobody
dared to step up and challenge the system back then, then perhaps we are still living in a society
that views slavery and sexism as the common norm. With these examples, we can see that a
society progresses through critical thinking. It is what propels for the society to move forward
and stand on greater heights. May we not blindly stick to our projected and imagined “order”
and “structure” in our society but may we continue on changing, improving and revolutionizing
it.

Reason 3. We should think critically because it is highly important as a 21st century

learner.

Learning in the 21st century is now more complex than ever. In a world that puts
knowledge and information on a high pedestal, a world driven by the internet and technology
– critical thinking is highly essential. One must be adept in adapting to changes quickly and
effectively, skilled in analyzing information and integrating various sources of knowledge in
problem-solving. In a fast-changing world, where we can access millions of information at our
fingertips, critical thinking would be our friend. Through it, we can discern what information
to believe in: whether they are correct, relevant and unbiased. Since we are bombarded with
various information, it is important to learn critical thinking so we will know how to analyze
these things and use them on our lives.
Critical thinking is a skill that pertains to a person’s ability to process information in a
logical manner. It is one’s capacity in engaging on independent thinking and self-learning.
Also, it is the ability to process the information at hand through finding connection between
the diverse pieces of knowledge and then later on assess what was acquired. With critical
thinking, a person can reach new heights of self-actualization. Moreover, through critical
thinking, a learner becomes flexible and versatile. It is because critical thinking is not boxed
on a particular field, rather it can be present on all the fields.
 We should think critically because it is highly important as a 21st century learner. Our
concept of learning should be expanded – that it is far more than the memorizations we make,
but also about our analysis and rational judgements on things. In the school setting, a lot of
times we were given the facts to memorize that will help us attain short-term goals such as
passing our exams and graduating with Latin honors. On the other hand, through critical
thinking, we can find our own truths and purpose. Also, I will not only pass my exams but
rather I could pass the tests that life throws my way. I will not only graduate with Latin honors
but I will also graduate with purpose.
Truly, the information that we have in our hands can be a curse and a blessing – and we
have the choice between the two. Students now live in a different world from the students in
the past. Information is within our reach and our questions should not only entails the “what’s”
but also the “why’s”. Unfortunately, most of the times, our educational system does not focus
on this important skill, instead we still look upon memorization skill as the epitome of
intelligence. It is important to note that critical thinking is not only about “intelligence”, rather
it is also about how will you utilize that intelligence. Through critical thinking, promotion of
thinking independently, personal autonomy and making reasoned judgement is valued.
The educational system should strongly implement, teach and utilized critical thinking
across varying curriculums. Education should aim to prepare their learners for self-direction
and not for pre-conceived roles. It is essential for learners to be equipped in the maze that they
will shove through outside the school system, especially now in the modern times.
Furthermore, through teaching the students about critical thinking, we are not only teaching
them the path to success, but we are also directing them towards the path of purpose of
meaning.
From all of the aforementioned information above, we should learn and think critically
because in the abundance of information we are presented, without critical thinking, we will
be lost and led astray. Through critical thinking, we will remain guided by reliable facts in
coming up with a conclusion. We are 21st century learners but learning does not end by the end
of this century, learning continues to go on through generations and it is our accountability and
responsibility to ourselves and the future generations to continuously learn the truth through
the use of critical thinking. Critical thinking acts as our compass in our exploration and voyage
towards the world of information, facts, opinions, deceit and etc. If this compass is broken or
lost, our sense of direction would be gone too, so it is crucial for us to equip ourselves with this
skill so we can face the world head on.