Will a Real Man wear Lipstick?
Will a man (not to include girlie-men) ever wear lipstick? Absolutely not, no self-respecting male ego would permit lipstick. It will, however, allow lip balm.
How is it possible to fool the ego?
Can you fool the ego into passivity? It appears that it is done all of the time. Madison Avenue knows how to manipulate the human ego. The Matador can constantly manipulate the great bull.
CT is my favorite hobby horse. I have been riding through the forums for three years shouting the greatness of CT. In these three years I have many wounds to show for my efforts. I have learned that everyone is a critical thinker. No adult ego will allow its brain to be classified as uncritical.
From these war wounds I have learned that everyone is a critical thinker, therefore we must delineate the types of critical thinking if we are to discuss the matter.
I use the following classification of critical thinkers:
1. Reagan style critical thinking—Trust but Verify
2. Stout critical thinking—Reagan style plus Logic 101
3. CT (Critical Thinking)—Stout critical thinking plus critical self-consciousness.
Critical self-consciousness is what our schools and colleges have added to the mix. The critical self-conscious aspect of CT is taught in the lower grades because the closer one comes to adulthood the greater the influence of the ego and no adult ego will allow its brain to be called uncritical.
CT Strategies for K-12 (Kindergarten thru high school)
A. Affective Strategies
S-1 thinking independently
S-2 developing insight into egocentricity or sociocentricity
S-3 exercising fairmindedness
S-4 exploring thoughts underlying feelings and feelings underlying thoughts
S-5 developing intellectual humility and suspending judgment
S-6 developing intellectual courage
S-7 developing intellectual good faith or integrity
S-8 developing intellectual perseverance
S-9 developing confidence in reason
B. Cognitive Strategies - Macro-Abilities
S-10 refining generalizations and avoiding oversimplifications
S-11 comparing analogous situations: transferring insights to new contexts
S-12 developing one’s perspective: creating or exploring beliefs, arguments, or theories
S-13 clarifying issues, conclusions, or beliefs
S-14 clarifying and analyzing the meanings of words or phrases
S-15 developing criteria for evaluation: clarifying values and standards
S-16 evaluating the credibility of sources of information
S-17 questioning deeply: raising and pursuing root or significant questions
S-18 analyzing or evaluating arguments, interpretations, beliefs, or theories
S-19 generating or assessing solutions
S-20 analyzing or evaluating actions or policies
S-21 reading critically: clarifying or critiquing texts
S-22 listening critically: the art of silent dialogue
S-23 making interdisciplinary connections
S-24 practicing Socratic discussion: clarifying and questioning beliefs, theories, or perspectives
S-25 reasoning dialogically: comparing perspectives, interpretations, or theories
S-26 reasoning dialectically: evaluating perspectives, interpretations, or theories
C. Cognitive Strategies - Micro-Skills
S-27 comparing and contrasting ideals with actual practice
S-28 thinking precisely about thinking: using critical vocabulary
S-29 noting significant similarities and differences
S-30 examining or evaluating assumptions
S-31 distinguishing relevant from irrelevant facts
S-32 making plausible inferences, predictions, or interpretations
S-33 giving reasons and evaluating evidence and alleged facts
S-34 recognizing contradictions
S-35 exploring implications and consequences
This list is found in the following handbooks: Critical Thinking Handbook: k-3, Critical Thinking Handbook: 4-6, Critical Thinking Handbook: 6-9, Critical Thinking Handbook: High School.