Eight Elements Of Critical Thinking Analysis

There is no way around thought, it occurs every moment people are awake and determines their actions and who they are as individuals. As people are exposed to new and even old ideas, it is important to identify the logic in them. It is important to evaluate the validity of these ideas even if they are personal. Oftentimes people carry bias although they may be unaware of them, may lack information, or be distorted through misinformation ( Eider & Paul, 2007, p.62 ). This type of thinking can be problematic at the least, dangerous at the worst. This is why it is important to analyze information to get to the logic. Thoughts are not random things. They are developed though a process and are a combination of factors. These can be broken down into eight elements of thought ( Eider & Paul, 2007, p.62 ). The first is the individual’s point of view. The individual’s worldview and their perspective on the situation inform the point of view ( Eider & Paul, 2007, p.70 ). This is an area where there is a potential for bias because the point of view can be rooted in personal beliefs. This can leads to assumptions. Assumptions are ideas that an individual may take for granted ether because they are based in experience or just developed prom the individuals worldview ( Eider & Paul, 2007, p.70 ). Either way, these ideas may be influenced …show more content…
This is the difference between a skilled reasoner and an unskilled reasoner ( Eider & Paul, 2007, p.29). They are able to accomplish this by avoiding some of the common Pitfalls a normal author may encounter. Pitfalls like, failing to have clarity of purpose by losing track of their goals, or setting unrealistic goals. Problems like these diminish the quality of the analysis and can alter the results. By taking their time to properly clarify their purpose or setting realistic goals, an author is able to find a deeper level of understanding of their chosen