One of my favorite podcasts right now is the Critical Thinker Podcast on iTunes by Kevin deLaPlante. Kevin describes the podcast as “dedicated to the art and science of reasoning well” which makes sense because he teaches various courses in philosophy, logic, reasoning, and ethics at Iowa State University. His podcast topics vary, but at the heart of each “lesson” he takes a deeper dive into what is needed for critical thinking including research, argumentation, logic, probability, fallacies, and rhetoric.
To get you started with the resources at the Critical Thinker Podcast, check out Kevin’s answer to: “Why Does Critical Thinking Matter?”
Specifically, he gives these 4 reasons (although I’m sure he’d agree that there are endless reasons for critical thinking):
- Self-Defense- to protect against manipulation and influence
- Empowerment- to be informed and prepared to defend our beliefs
- Civic Duty- to be informed about and evaluate issues that influence our participation in a democratic society
- Truth and Wisdom- to understand the basis of philosophic arguments.
Why does critical thinking matter to you?
How has it influenced your daily life?
Editor’s Note: Breanne Harris is the Solutions Architect for Pearson TalentLens. She works with customers to design selection and development plans that incorporate critical thinking assessments and training. She has a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and has experience in recruiting, training, and HR consulting. She is the chief blogger for Critical Thinkers and occasionally posts at ThinkWatson. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter for more of her thoughts.
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