Final answer:
Critical thinking is the process of refining known information for application across various contexts, involving analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of evidence. It transcends basic knowledge to include a deep examination of assumptions, validity, and relevance. Promoting critical thinking involves self-reflection and metacognition to avoid cognitive biases and to make rational decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of thinking that involves refining what is known so this knowledge can have application to a variety of situations and contexts is critical thinking. When we look at types of thinking, divergent thinking is often related to creativity and is characterized by generating multiple, unique solutions to a problem. Conversely, convergent thinking is about arriving at a single, correct answer. Critical thinking, however, is distinct in that it involves the application of knowledge to new situations and entails a level of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation that crosscuts all areas of knowledge.
Critical thinking is a process of questioning, evaluating, and applying information in a disciplined way. It is essential for problem-solving and decision-making in a wide range of contexts. This type of thinking requires the examination of assumptions, discernment of hidden values, and the determination of the relevance and validity of information. It is an active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends.
To promote good critical thinking, individuals should engage in reflective thought and metacognition—thinking about their thinking processes. It involves self-awareness of cognitive biases and taking a metacognitive approach to problem-solving, often requiring the ability to synthesize information from various sources and weigh evidence critically. Critical thinking also includes a willingness to reconsider one's own beliefs and intuitions and to resist quick judgments in favor of more rational and accurate decision-making.