The process of thinking enables us to solve problems, interpret information, make sense of our feelings and attitudes, discuss important issues, establish beliefs, and work toward the completion of goals. Thinking is an essential component in our life as a human being. Critical thinking is active and purposeful thinking about how we arrive at our understandings of ourselves, others and our world and selecting those modes of thinking which are most successful in clarifying and enhancing our understanding. Critical thinking, moreover, examines the assumptions of our beliefs, the connections between our beliefs, and the consequences of beliefs to discover how our beliefs impact our understanding of ourselves, others and our world. There are five rules which critical thinkers use to examine their beliefs and understanding of themselves, others and their world.
Philosophy is a discipline that cultivates critical thinking.
The philosophical project is a systematic endeavor which seeks a critical understand of all human experiences. The philosopher strives after an understanding of self, others and world through an analysis of various domains of human experience and reflection. Thus, philosophy looks for the connections between art, science, mathematics, religion, politics, and human behavior AND attempts to interpret these thoughts and experience within a holistic tableau. The Northwest Critical Thinking Challenge is an invitation to all Northwest students to explore the horizons of their critical thinking abilities. While Northwest Missouri State University and all of its programs foster Critical Thinking, the philosophy program offers a unique format for meeting that challenge.