Barriers To Critical Thinking 2
Three Barriers to critical thinking
Antoinette Watson
Human/115
March 16, 2015
Mark Cherry
Three Barriers to Critical Thinking
Barriers to critical thinking, as proposed by American philosopher Charles Pierce, are “ anything that blocks the road to inquiry.” Pierce is the founder of the American philosophy called Pragmatism, which is the belief that all thought is contextual. Pragmatism is the paradigm for critical thinking and thought processes that allow people to makes sense of the world. Pierce believes that there are several barriers to critical thinking such as stubbornness, prejudice, and even fear.
Stubbornness can effectively block critical thinking in a number of ways. Pierce refers to stubbornness as “the method of tenacity” in which a clear set of beliefs and a certain level of comfort prevents individuals from thinking critically. (Peirce, 1877). Moreover, individuals who are set in their ways and find solemn in perceiving the world in a certain manner are more likely to refute thinking critically. This can become problematic in a few ways. One, individuals who cling to one way of thinking run the risk of becoming stagnant and fall behind in an ever-changing world. Also, stubbornness can be a barrier even when evidence of new facts emerges. Individuals who cling desperately to their previous beliefs can run the risk of never being able to accept new information or ways of thinking. To overcome this, an individual needs to have some level of acceptance for new ideas. There isn’t anything wrong with holding certain beliefs near and dear; however, when new facts surface, it is a good idea to be open to understanding the world in a new light. Alongside stubbornness, prejudice can also hinder critical thinking. Although most people know it is not a good thing to be prejudice against one another, it is common for individuals to be prejudice against new ideas. Pierce talks about how prejudice (or bias) can
Antoinette Watson
Human/115
March 16, 2015
Mark Cherry
Three Barriers to Critical Thinking
Barriers to critical thinking, as proposed by American philosopher Charles Pierce, are “ anything that blocks the road to inquiry.” Pierce is the founder of the American philosophy called Pragmatism, which is the belief that all thought is contextual. Pragmatism is the paradigm for critical thinking and thought processes that allow people to makes sense of the world. Pierce believes that there are several barriers to critical thinking such as stubbornness, prejudice, and even fear.
Stubbornness can effectively block critical thinking in a number of ways. Pierce refers to stubbornness as “the method of tenacity” in which a clear set of beliefs and a certain level of comfort prevents individuals from thinking critically. (Peirce, 1877). Moreover, individuals who are set in their ways and find solemn in perceiving the world in a certain manner are more likely to refute thinking critically. This can become problematic in a few ways. One, individuals who cling to one way of thinking run the risk of becoming stagnant and fall behind in an ever-changing world. Also, stubbornness can be a barrier even when evidence of new facts emerges. Individuals who cling desperately to their previous beliefs can run the risk of never being able to accept new information or ways of thinking. To overcome this, an individual needs to have some level of acceptance for new ideas. There isn’t anything wrong with holding certain beliefs near and dear; however, when new facts surface, it is a good idea to be open to understanding the world in a new light. Alongside stubbornness, prejudice can also hinder critical thinking. Although most people know it is not a good thing to be prejudice against one another, it is common for individuals to be prejudice against new ideas. Pierce talks about how prejudice (or bias) can
References: Paul, Richard. "Critical Thinking in Every Domain of Knowledge and Belief." Critical Thinking in Every Domain of Knowledge and. N.p., 23 July 2007. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. Peirce, Charles. "The Fixation of Belief." Popular Science Monthly 12 (1877): 1-15. The Fixation of Belief. Popular Science Monthly. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.