Critical Condition: Replacing Critical Thinking with Creativity

Should we stop teaching critical thinking? Meant as a prompt to further discussion, Critical Condition questions the assumption that every student should be turned into a “critical thinker.”

The book starts with the pre-Socratics and the impact that Socrates’ death had on his student Plato and traces the increasingly violent use of critical “attack” on a perceived opponent. From the Roman militarization of debate to the medieval Church’s use of defence as a means of forcing confession and submission, the early phases of critical thinking were bound up in a type of attack that Finn suggests does not best serve intellectual inquiry. Recent developments have seen critical thinking become an ideology rather than a critical practice, with levels of debate devolving to the point where most debate becomes ad hominem. Far from arguing that we abandon critical inquiry, the author suggests that we emphasize a more open, loving system of engagement that is not only less inherently violent but also more robust when dealing with vastly more complex networks of information.

This book challenges long-held beliefs about the benefits of critical thinking, which is shown to be far too linear to deal with the twenty-first century world. Critical Condition is a call to action unlike any other.

Preface

Makes it clear that this book is an invitation to a discussion about critical thinking. It specifically mentions that the audience book is all people with an interest in post secondary education and as such is written to be read by a wide readership.Chapter 1 Foolish Question: Isn’t It Time We Replaced Critical Thinking?

Discusses how Finn came to this topic. Originating in a debate that arose after he gave a TEDx talk focused on these issues, the topic seems to have a life to its own. Finn has given dozens of talks and workshops on these issues in many countries since that first TEDx talk.Chapter 2 The Baby and the Bathwater: The Birth of Critical Thinking

This chapter focuses on the history of critical thinking beginning with the pre-socratics and tracing its development to the present day.Chapter 3 A Hitch or Two: Polemic, Violence, and the Case for Critical Thinking

Focuses on violent language, the state of critical thinking today, and some well known examples such as the work of the late Christopher Hitchens. It points out the importance of critical thinking, while also pointing to a more robust means of engaging with important issues.
Chapter 4 We Can’t Go on Together (with Suspicious Minds)

Studies examples in our contemporary world that are mired in unhelpful antagonism as the result of our commitment to a certain kind of critical thinking. By looking at the ways in which our old system of debate is no longer serving us the chapter asks—why do we want to continue in this manner?Chapter 5 An Immodest Proposal: Let's Replace Critical Thinking with Creative, Loving, Open-Source Thought

Spells out a proposal for teaching a more open, loving system of engagement that is not only less inherently violent, but also more robust when dealing with vastly more complex networks of information. Critical thinking is shown to be far too linear to deal with the twenty-first century world.Chapter 6 “Sure It Works in Practice, but Will It Work in Theory?”

Offers concrete examples of how we might make these changes on our campuses. The author argues that the changes needed are relatively simple and easy to implement.Chapter 7 Conclusion: An Open Invitation—Some Final Ideas

Invites others to join the discussion about ways in which we might find a more positive way to work together to explore ideas and share the results of our findings.