<p>“What was interesting was that the Arts and Sciences programs produced more critical thinkers than engineering and computer science.”</p>
<p>One might argue that the engineers and cs majors have a jump on critical thinking skills, as they are making choices that will allow them healthy job prospects after graduation, as opposed to those who go to college to “find themselves” or to delay entry into the job market, (not saying that liberal arts majors have that as their goal–but I doubt cs and engineering majors do). After four+ years of the effort and cost of college, I’d say it’s decent critical thinking to consider what might enhance your ability to support yourself and your family.</p>
<p>As far as being concerned whether your child will be a mindless zombie, just soaking up propaganda from other people…if you haven’t taught them to think for themselves by now, no college and certainly no major is going to do that. In my opinion, kids should choose their major based upon interest, ability and employability, not what will give them better critical thinking skills. And there are unthinking zombies on every side of the spectrum, thinking they are the enlightened ones and everyone else is an idiot. They just can’t realize that their smug confidence in the absolute truth is just as wrong as those unenlightened ones.</p>
<p>This may be smart. It’s not critical thinking.</p>
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<p>Are you equating critical thinking with a smug belief that one knows “the absolute truth?” Because that’s not what it is either. Critical thinking, if anything, makes you aware of how much you don’t know. It’s non-critical thinkers who tend to see the world in simplistic, black-and-white terms.</p>
<p>I guess we were terrible parents. We constantly read to them when young, took them traveling to see new things, paid lots of money for ECs like dancing and figure skating, tried to make sure they did their homework, got them admitted to a top 50 public high school in the country (per US. News), and always asked them questions. I should have ignored all of the above, and simply taught them how to “think for themselves”. LOL.</p>
<p>I’m sure you weren’t terrible parents, guyonamission. You sound like great ones. But I don’t understand why, at this point, you are concerned about their critical thinking skills. I’m not clear if you actually don’t know if your kids have critical thinking skills, or you are just putting a topic up for discussion.</p>
<p>“Are you equating critical thinking with a smug belief that one knows “the absolute truth?” Because that’s not what it is either. Critical thinking, if anything, makes you aware of how much you don’t know. It’s non-critical thinkers who tend to see the world in simplistic, black-and-white terms”</p>
<p>No, I’m not equating the two. We agree. I would submit that smug confidence in every “truth” is non-critical thinking, the same as you.</p>