Critical Thinking

Alec Fisher’s “Critical Thinking: An Introduction” proposes several approaches and techniques of critical thinking. From the multiple definitions he presents of “critical thinking,” he pulled numerous fundamental modes of critical thinking. These techniques include identifying with a situation or assumption, evaluating and clarifying, interpreting and judging, and analyzing to develop a well-structured argument. Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart can be both considered critical thinkers because of the way they use these modes of critical thinking to present their news stories. While Rachel Maddow is primarily a news anchor that adds elements of comedy and satire into her stories, Jon Stewart’s priority is comedy with added news content. However, both can be considered critical thinkers because of the way they take information and observations of what is going on in the news and evaluate, interpret, and analyze to produce their stories. They not only present the news efficiently but also add reasoned commentary into it. On the other hand, the epithets shouted out to Barney Frank and John Lewis, as described in the New York Times article “The Rage is Not About Healthcare,” may not be considered critically thought out remarks because the argument of the epithets is not critically evaluated and analyzed thoughts. Instead, they were illogical and driven by anger on unrelated notes of the situation. For example, when a congressman shouted “baby killer” at Bart Stupak, it did not represent a critically thought out response. Instead, it was an impulsive slur that was not all appropriate for the topic of abortion in the health care debate. Thus, Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart can be considered critical thinkers while those who shouted epithets to Barney Frank and John Lewis would not be considered critical thinkers.