批判性思考的基本行动
批判性思考的基本行动是调查，理解和判断。在这个规则下，下面的表格汇总了每个行动和其他两个行动之间的关系：
调查：找到证据-也就是，找到能回答议题关键问题的资料
解释：确定证据的意思是什么。
判断：得到关于这个议题的结论
调查：证据必须相关而且充足。
解释：这个证据必须比反面证据更有说服力。
判断：结论必须符合逻辑。
就像我们前面提及的，不负责任的思考者首先选择了他们的结论，然后寻找符合他们选择的证据。他们没有认识到，值得写下来的结论只能是基于对于问题或议题以及可能的答案和决定全面理解的基础上。推测，猜想，然后形成预感和假设，这样的方式可以被接受吗？毫无疑问是可以的，这样的行动为思考过程提供了一个有帮助的开始（另外，即使我们不愿意，也无法避免这样做。）重要的地方在于不能让预感和假设操纵我们的思想，预先决定我们的结论。
批判性思考和写作
写作可能会有这两个明显的目的之一:发现新想法或者表达想法。毫无疑问，你在学校时的写作大多都是后者。但是前者会非常有用，不仅仅在于梳理你已经有的想法，还可以刺激你产生新的想法。出于某种原因，写下一个想法的特别动作似乎能产生更多的想法。
每当你通过写作来寻找想法时，关注你要审查的议题并且记录下你所有的想法、问题和主张，不要担心结构和正确性。如果想法出现得很慢，保持耐心。如果它们突然涌现出来，不要尝试减慢这个过程并且拓展它们；只是简单的将它们全部记下来。（后面再花时间梳理和改正）。引导你的大脑工作，但是要对意识边缘的想法保持敏感。它们经常被证明是有价值的。
原文：
Basic Activities in Critical Thinking
The basic activities in critical thinking are investigation, interpretation, and judgment, in that order. The following chart summarizes each activity in relation to the other two.
Activity Investigation Interpretation Judgment
Finding evidence—that is, data that will answer key questions about the issue
Deciding what the evidence means
Reaching a conclusion about the issue
The evidence must be both relevant and sufficient.
The interpretation must be more reasonable than competing interpretations.
The conclusion must meet the test of logic.
As we noted previously, irresponsible thinkers first choose their conclusions and then seek out evidence to justify their choices. They fail to realize that the only conclusion worth drawing is one based on a thorough understanding of the problem or issue and its possible solutions or resolutions. Is it acceptable to speculate, guess, and form hunches and hypotheses? Absolutely. Such activities provide a helpful starting point for the thinking process. (Besides, we couldn’t avoid doing so even if we tried.) The crucial thing is not to let hunches and hypotheses manipulate our thinking and dictate our conclusion in advance.
Critical Thinking and Writing
Writing may be used for either of two broad purposes: to discover ideas or to communicate them. Most of the writing you have done in school is undoubtedly the latter kind. But the former can be very helpful, not only in sorting out ideas you’ve already produced, but also in stimulating the flow of new ideas. For some reason, the very act of writing down one idea seems to generate additional ideas.
Whenever you write to discover ideas, focus on the issue you are examining and record all your thoughts, questions, and assertions. Don’t worry about organization or correctness. If ideas come slowly, be patient. If they come suddenly, in a rush, don’t try to slow down the process and develop any one of them; simply jot them all down. (There will be time for elaboration and correction later.) Direct your mind’s effort, but be sensitive to ideas on the fringe of consciousness. Often they, too, will prove valuable.
If you have done your discovery writing well and have thought critically about the ideas you have produced, the task of writing to communicate will be easier and more enjoyable. You will have many more ideas—carefully evaluated ones—to develop and organize.
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