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Online: Critical thinking

It's important that you stay critical when you're required to make a lot of daily choices. Especially in this day and age where there's of lot of 'fake news' going around. Is information that you read or hear true or false? Or a little bit of both? How do you know? How can you make an informed decision or formulate an educated opinion.  

Intuitive vs analytical thinking

We can differentiate between two ways of thinking when using our brain.  

Type 1: Thinking is fast, intuitive and automatic. A reaction or opinion is based on existing knowledge and previous experiences. Your reaction is impulsive and does not relate to a conscious or rational decision.

Type 2: Thinking is measured and analytical. It's a rational process in which you are very much in control of your mind and thoughts. This process follows a series of steps. Critical thinking requires you to suppress your intuitive Type 1-reaction and apply a series of steps in order to reach a well-informed decision. This is usually harder than you'd expect. 

Here’s a simple test of reasoning ability: “A bat and a ball cost € 1,10 in total. The bat costs € 1,00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?” If your answer was € 0,10...congratulations! You responded like most people. You followed your intuitions. You did get the answer wrong, but still, you’re a normal human being.

But did you really do the math? The correct answer is € 0,05. The bat costs ten cents more than the ball. If the ball were to cost € 0,10 and the bat € 1,00, the bat would only cost € 0,90 more. If the price of the ball is € 0,05 and the bat costs € 1,00 more, than the price of the bat is € 1,05. Together the ball (€ 0,05) and the bat (€ 1,05) cost € 1,10. 

Step by step 

Whether it's about the decision to either move or redecorate, want to have a informed opinion about world politics at the next dinner party, or maybe it's about whether it's going to be pasta or salad tonight: in order to form an informed opinion, follow these step by step instructions. 

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