Hello Thinkers,

Critical thinking is about thinking (reflecting) thoughtfully about information. The more you do it, the better thinker you will become.

Each week I present my letter as A Trilogy of Thought that covers:

• Thought 1: Philosophical quote/idea: Reflecting on philosophical ideas can help us become critical thinkers as they hold a depth of meaning just with a few words.

• Thought 2: A critical thinking (CT) idea discussed originally by me. Today’s topic: Critical Thinking: The Purpose and Validity of Information

• Thought 3: CT actions to implement. You must put in the work to be a good thinker.

Note: I guarantee if you practice what I will teach you in these letters you will become a critical thinker, liberate your mind, and reduce the chance of unnecessary psychological turmoil. I believe in these tools so strongly that what I teach you, I teach my three children (9, 7, 3) and their minds are flourishing exceptionally.

I want a smarter society. CT can be taught and learned.

*Underlines are links.

THOUGHT 1: A QUOTE

"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." (Søren Kierkegaard 1813-1855, Philosopher, Poet, Theologian).

Think about Søren’s quote on your own and ask:

• What could it mean?

• What does it mean to you?

• What was his intended meaning?

• Why is it important?

The idea highlights the importance of consciously engaging our minds, rather than passively absorbing information. Without the discipline to question and analyse, we risk becoming victims of the very ideas we encounter.

THOUGHT 2

Critical Thinking: The Purpose and Validity of Information

Information is both our superhero and our supervillain.

Have you ever asked yourself the purpose of information? Start with this question right here—and please try not to be too cocky about everything you think you already know, or else you are cognitively doomed.

The purpose of information is to empower US to make informed decisions that enhance OUR understanding, solve OUR problems, and improve OUR lives.

Please take some time to think about valuable interactions with all forms of information.

For example, while I read a lot of science and evidence I also equally take the time to listen to stories. A single story told from the perspective of another person reveals the intricate layers of how others view the complex world. The most effective critical thinking happens from those who develop an awareness of others as they are also emotionally intelligent. Learn more on emotional intelligence (EQ) and CT in a past newsletter here.

Remember—if engaging with information leads to additional problems, stress, or worry, it’s a sign that your approach needs to change.

To set the stage as critical thinkers you must first make sure you know why and what you NEED to think about.

Critical thinking about the purpose of information is essential because it helps us:

• Improve our lives by using information to solve problems.

• Evaluate information, adding or discarding it based on its relevance and purpose.

Sometimes, we encounter information that triggers unhealed insecurities, this highlights a mismatch with our internal world, signaling a need for self-reflection and healing. This is a topic I will discuss at a later date.

You must know that we react emotionally to information before we react logically and there are many biological, psychological, and social reasons for this. If we learn why we do this, we are more likely to be able to gain control over it.

To learn more about our biopsychosocial intersections on behaviour, I recommend you read Social Psychologist, Jonathan Haidt’s book, ‘The Righteous Mind’ where he introduces why our moral judgments are primarily driven by intuition and emotion, with reason often acting as a post-hoc justification for those intuitive reactions. As we enter into a time of political chaos where CT is vital, the contents of this book may be particularly fitting for citizens of the democratic world.

MIND TRAINING

To effectively navigate the information we encounter daily, we must train our minds to evaluate its validity and relevance.

The purpose of information in our personal lives isn’t about scientific certainty, but about making informed choices that improve our day-to-day experiences.

When faced with new information, ask: Is this relevant to me?

This simple question acts as a filter, allowing you to focus on what truly matters. Sharpen this skill. Ask the question over and over before you decide on the next step. To be cognitively high performers we need to ensure that our mental energy is directed towards information that genuinely benefits us.

Once you determine an idea is relevant, the next step is to thoughtfully consider why you should engage with it.

Ask yourself: What benefit will this information bring to my life right now?

When engaging with information, avoid seeking external validation!!!

This behaviour is easily recognisable when we throw out our opinions thoughtlessly, either in a comment thread or during a conversation, and fail to ask enough questions or reflect on the words we think we hear/know /understand.

Critical thinking is an internal process, free from the need to prove yourself to others.

If you’re still busy verbally proving yourself to others, your CT journey is being interrupted problematically, and you have much internal work to do.

However, once you have ascertained the value of information, you need to seek relevant sources to assist you. Recognising source validity is vital.

SOURCES

Using a diverse set of sources ensures a more balanced perspective. However, remember that all sources, including scientific ones, come from a particular viewpoint. A balanced approach requires consulting different types of sources to avoid bias (articles, experts, blogs, podcasts, scientific evidence, trusted people, etc.).

Diversity of perspective—be it political, social, cultural, or disciplinary—enhances the accuracy of our evaluations. Listening and following one person or one idea viewed in the same way is not CT.

For example, in health, some may exclusively trust scientific evidence, while others might turn to traditional or alternative practices. Culture, society, community, personality, and more will determine your choices. The most effective approach is often a combination, weighing all perspectives critically yet fairly.

Let’s explore how to assess the validity of an idea. Remember, all ideas are socially constructed as language is what shapes our perceptions. We can think only through the use of the language we have been given. This is why sometimes those of us who speak multiple languages also hold multiple cultural personas. We can also see this by thinking about how different cultures or socio-political systems develop diverse views over the same ideas.

Language is the tool we use to explain and understand what we think we mean.

If you want a book to learn about perception, history, and the power of language on our thoughts, read How the World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy by Julian Baggini. This book is a critical-thinking gem! Read it like a short course.

THOUGHTFULNESS IN ASSESSMENT OF VALIDITY

Move carefully through your thoughts, as they are shaped by your past, present, surroundings, personality, and biology. Validity varies from person to person, so approach ideas slowly and critically.

For instance, let’s try something right now. You might wonder why you should listen to me today and consider the ideas in this letter. To assess my credibility, you could ask yourself:

• Could she know what she’s talking about?

• What gives her credibility?

• What are her intentions?

• Does she make sense?

• Can she be trusted? Why?

• What do I agree with? Why?

• What do I disagree with? Why?

• What are the potential positives or negatives of reading her ideas?

Reflect on these questions about me, and you’ll be able to determine whether some of the information in this newsletter is relevant to your life. Plus, you are critically thinking as you are doing this short exercise.

Remember, when you disagree or think differently from others’ ideas, this challenge to your thought pattern is EXACTLY where CT happens. Keep engaging (thinking about) ideas that challenge and oppose ‘the you’ that you think you know.

THE SEVEN STEPS TO ASSESS VALIDITY

Here are the steps you need to assess the relevance and validity of information about any issue or idea.

As you go through these steps, remember to apply logic and reason while embracing the human element in your thinking. You are human, not a robot.

Your emotions, experiences, and intuition all play a role in how you process information and you can not be separated from that fact.

1. Clearly define the topic or issue: Understand what you’re dealing with. If you can’t identify the problem or question, you can’t effectively assess the information related to it.

2. Gather information from relevant sources: Seek out perspectives that matter for the specific issue. Consult experts (‘expert’—think about what expert could mean) review the evidence (think about what evidence could mean, remember, you’re not a scientist you’re an everyday person and even if you are a scientist your everyday problems do not need to be dealt with as scientific problems), talk to trusted individuals, and consider your intuition (think about how intuition becomes and why it is important as another point of reference). Not every source is necessary—focus on those directly relevant to your issue at the time.

3. Evaluate the credibility of your sources: Look at the qualifications or experience of those providing the information. Remember, even credible sources have biases, especially if they’ve spent years focused on a particular viewpoint and have become fixated on one way of thinking. To learn more about this bias read about The Dunning-Kruger Effect. Sometimes experts who are early in their careers may suddenly become extra confident often due to a lack of time spent in the field. The more intellectually capable you are, the more confidently you can assert your lack of confidence. You can detect a good thinker simply by the flexible language they choose to use. The most credible sources are often those who do not claim to be certain.

4. Cross-reference the information: Check for consistency across different sources. For example, you may know two people who think differently about one topic. If you find contradictions, explore them further or acknowledge that multiple perspectives might be valid, even if they seem to conflict. The healthiest thinkers acknowledge that there may be many ways to look at the same issue and they do not care for absolutes.

5. Consider the context: Assess how the information applies to your situation and the broader implications of adopting this way of thinking. Context is VERY important! It is often missed. You should be thinking about context in every thinking situation. For example, someone can think and choose to do something different from you depending entirely on the context.

6. Make a balanced decision: Weigh the evidence, expert advice, and your own values. Your values are crucial; they guide your choices and ensure you’re making decisions that align with what matters most to you. If you end up choosing to do something that does not align with your subjective feelings, values, and ideals, you will suffer psychologically for that later. Also, yes values need to be updated and often change…this will happen organically once you begin to listen, read, and learn new ways of thinking.

7. Monitor and reassess: Stay flexible and open to new information. If something doesn’t work out as expected, reflect on why and adjust your approach. Continuous reassessment is essential for long-term success in decision-making.

THOUGHT 3

Activities

1. Apply the seven steps above to a problem you are facing or an issue you need to decide on. Work through it and see what you come up with.

2. Click on all the underlined links to learn more about people and ideas you do not yet know about. The more you access information that presents diverse ways of thinking, the better thinker you will become.

3. Read the recommended book/s. Enter books with an open mind, like healthy, intelligent thinkers always do. They explore ideas with curiosity and humility to learn how a new version is presented. They think about context, place, person, and more. Unhealthy thinkers are there to reassure the ego and leave learning little wasting their own time.

4. Look up new words, concepts, and ideas that you do not know yet. Do it right now.

5. If you wish please send me an email about what was helpful or unhelpful, ideas, thoughts, what you want/need, and any feedback so I can make this Newsletter as valuable as it possibly can be.

Stay tuned for the Sunday Synapse, which will be delivered to your inbox every Sunday! Get ready to take on a new week better than you were last week!

If it does not bring value to you, just hit the unsubscribe button below.

Until next Sunday, take care.

Dr. Esha