The Friendly Sound of Critical Thinking

The Friendly Sound of Critical Thinking

Critical thinkers are typically seen as annoying, domineering types who treat conversation as a duel in which the goal is in the words of Gerry Spence's recent bestseller "to win every time". The most immediate manifestation of this resistance to thinking critically comes from our students; even when they learn to think more carefully, they still often wonder aloud, "Should I engage openly in critical thinking?" Or "am I just learning a classroom skill?" This paper shares our students' reluctance to learn a skill that we cannot use readily and as an act of community improvement. We argue that critical thinking can reflect the highest form of friendship, and as such is a gift we can share with those we encounter.