Diane Bruce
Critical thinking means making decisions based on what one knows, rather than what one believes.
Critical thinkers reject superstition in favour of facts. Critical thinkers value science with its built-in self-correcting, rigorous processes. We understand that the best science is carried out by qualified scientists who do not have a self-interest in a specific outcome.
Critical thinkers check the source of information: We consider the qualifications of the person making an assertion, including whether their academic background matches the subject they are speaking about. We verify that the information is true and comes from a credible source. We may even go further, background checking the source of the information to better understand the biases that are inherent in all reports.
Critical thinkers accept that some information is unpalatable, but is still the truth.
Critical thinkers understand that finding truth is difficult, yet we make this commitment, because to make good decisions one must base those decisions on good information.
Critical thinkers acknowledge that we will not always arrive at the same conclusions even if we do agree on what information should be used to make decisions. But for those of us who are also committed to humanism, we strive to understand and work through our differences, being ready and willing to change our positions based on evidence and reason.
Because you are reading this, I am confident that you are a critical thinker and that you are striving to continuously improve your critical thinking skills. I am sure that you are as worried as I am about wishful thinking and extremism. I hope that you will come to the same conclusion as I have: Canada needs CFIC more today than ever before. As we begin 2025, please commit to critical thinking by helping CFIC. Please share our critical thinking resources, provide feedback about how we can share this message better and more broadly, and give generously.