CRITICAL OR SCIENTIFIC THINKING Results in reliable knowledge (knowledge that has a strong likelihood of being true) or justified true belief (belief that is probably true because it is justified by a proven method).
UNCRITICAL OR NONSCIENTIFIC THINKING Results in unreliable knowledge or unjustified belief. This knowledge may be true, but we have no confidence that it is except by faith and hope. Often this knowledge is not true.
Logical Thinking Characterized by reliance on correct forms of reasoning that use logic in a proper manner. Premises are reliable and conclusions follow logically.
Illogical Thinking Characterized by fallacious reasoning, specious arguments, false analogies, knowledge claims supported by inadequate or unreliable premises.
Empirical Thinking Relies on objective sensory experience (empirical evidence). Such evidence is repeatable, measurable, and testable by others.
Intuitive Thinking Belief in the superiority of the mind's powers; that knowledge of reality can be obtained by subjective experience or intuition alone.
Pragmatic Thinking Recognizes that wishes and hopes do not make a belief true or even worth holding.
Hopeful/Wishful Thinking The willing suspension of disbelief because of devout wishes and hopes.
Skeptical Thinking Constant critical questioning of the reliability of any knowledge we claim to possess, and requiring adequate grounds for any belief or claim to knowledge.
Authoritarian Thinking Uncritical belief is some doctrine or authority, especially without adequate grounds; unquestioning and credulous acceptance of knowledge claims made by an authority figure or institution.
Reflective Thinking Characterized by the willingness to temporarily suspend belief and reflect on the sufficiency of the belief's premises or logic and the consequences of believing or acting on those beliefs. Identifies and recognizes assumptions.
Dogmatic Thinking Characterized by the unwillingness to suspend belief and reflect on the sufficiency of the belief's premises, and ignoring the consequences of believing or acting on those beliefs. Refuses to recognize or acknowledge groundless assumptions.
Realistic Thinking Predicated on the belief that phenomena or objects of sense perception exist independently of the mind, and these provide an objective reality that can be known.
Idealistic Thinking Based on the premise that true knowledge of reality lies only in the consciousness or reason, in the sense that objective reality transcends phenomena of sense perception.
Statistical Thinking Recognition that many empirical phenomena are understood and known only in statistical terms or in a sense that deals with probabilities, not certainties.
Absolutist Thinking Belief in absolutes, and thinking characterized by holding to extreme or black and white positions that see no middle ground or gray areas.
Creative Thinking Characterized by the search for new facts and ideas which are put together in unusal and creative ways. Ability to think in new and innovative ways.
Close-minded Thinking The unwillingness to entertain new facts and ideas or use them in new and creative ways. Reliance on old or traditional ways of thinking.
Comprehensible Thinking Evidence used to reach conclusions is empirical, repeatable, testable, verifiable, analyzable, and objective.
Mystical Thinking Evidence used to reach conclusions is ephemeral, ineffable, intuitive, unverifiable, sporadic, and subjective.
Reasonable Thinking Characterized by a reliance on reason to search for and discover reliable knowledge. Emotions are not evidence, and feelings are not facts.
Emotional Thinking Characterized by a reliance on emotion and feeling to search for and discover truth or knowledge, and a pervasive distrust of reason.
Quantitative Thinking Describing nature and reality in quantitative terms.
Qualitative Thinking Describing nature and reality in often ambiguous and and imprecise qualitative terms.
Analytical Thinking Routinely comprehending the universe by a conscious and reasoned process of analysis, clarification, comparison, inference, and evaluation.
Ordinary Thinking Routinely comprehending the universe by an unexamined thought process without concern for its accuracy or completeness.
UNCRITICAL OR NONSCIENTIFIC THINKING Results in unreliable knowledge or unjustified belief. This knowledge may be true, but we have no confidence that it is except by faith and hope. Often this knowledge is not true.
Logical Thinking Characterized by reliance on correct forms of reasoning that use logic in a proper manner. Premises are reliable and conclusions follow logically.
Illogical Thinking Characterized by fallacious reasoning, specious arguments, false analogies, knowledge claims supported by inadequate or unreliable premises.
Empirical Thinking Relies on objective sensory experience (empirical evidence). Such evidence is repeatable, measurable, and testable by others.
Intuitive Thinking Belief in the superiority of the mind's powers; that knowledge of reality can be obtained by subjective experience or intuition alone.
Pragmatic Thinking Recognizes that wishes and hopes do not make a belief true or even worth holding.
Hopeful/Wishful Thinking The willing suspension of disbelief because of devout wishes and hopes.
Skeptical Thinking Constant critical questioning of the reliability of any knowledge we claim to possess, and requiring adequate grounds for any belief or claim to knowledge.
Authoritarian Thinking Uncritical belief is some doctrine or authority, especially without adequate grounds; unquestioning and credulous acceptance of knowledge claims made by an authority figure or institution.
Reflective Thinking Characterized by the willingness to temporarily suspend belief and reflect on the sufficiency of the belief's premises or logic and the consequences of believing or acting on those beliefs. Identifies and recognizes assumptions.
Dogmatic Thinking Characterized by the unwillingness to suspend belief and reflect on the sufficiency of the belief's premises, and ignoring the consequences of believing or acting on those beliefs. Refuses to recognize or acknowledge groundless assumptions.
Realistic Thinking Predicated on the belief that phenomena or objects of sense perception exist independently of the mind, and these provide an objective reality that can be known.
Idealistic Thinking Based on the premise that true knowledge of reality lies only in the consciousness or reason, in the sense that objective reality transcends phenomena of sense perception.
Statistical Thinking Recognition that many empirical phenomena are understood and known only in statistical terms or in a sense that deals with probabilities, not certainties.
Absolutist Thinking Belief in absolutes, and thinking characterized by holding to extreme or black and white positions that see no middle ground or gray areas.
Creative Thinking Characterized by the search for new facts and ideas which are put together in unusal and creative ways. Ability to think in new and innovative ways.
Close-minded Thinking The unwillingness to entertain new facts and ideas or use them in new and creative ways. Reliance on old or traditional ways of thinking.
Comprehensible Thinking Evidence used to reach conclusions is empirical, repeatable, testable, verifiable, analyzable, and objective.
Mystical Thinking Evidence used to reach conclusions is ephemeral, ineffable, intuitive, unverifiable, sporadic, and subjective.
Reasonable Thinking Characterized by a reliance on reason to search for and discover reliable knowledge. Emotions are not evidence, and feelings are not facts.
Emotional Thinking Characterized by a reliance on emotion and feeling to search for and discover truth or knowledge, and a pervasive distrust of reason.
Quantitative Thinking Describing nature and reality in quantitative terms.
Qualitative Thinking Describing nature and reality in often ambiguous and and imprecise qualitative terms.
Analytical Thinking Routinely comprehending the universe by a conscious and reasoned process of analysis, clarification, comparison, inference, and evaluation.
Ordinary Thinking Routinely comprehending the universe by an unexamined thought process without concern for its accuracy or completeness.
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