Critical Thinking
Evaluate claims. Separate signal from noise.
What It Is
The ability to assess arguments, evidence, and assumptions without being fooled by rhetoric, emotion, or authority.
Why It Matters
Most information is noise. Most arguments have holes. Critical thinking protects you from bad decisions dressed as good ones.
| Without Critical Thinking | With Critical Thinking |
|---|---|
| Accept claims at face value | Demand evidence |
| Swayed by confidence | Swayed by substance |
| Fooled by correlation | Seek causation |
| Believe what feels true | Test what is true |
Core Patterns
- Source quality — Who benefits from you believing this?
- Evidence type — Anecdote, data, or logic?
- Hidden assumptions — What must be true for this to work?
- Counter-arguments — What's the strongest case against?
- Falsifiability — How would you know if you're wrong?
How to Develop
- Steel-man opposing views — make them stronger, then evaluate
- Ask "compared to what?" — alternatives matter
- Check your priors — what did you believe before this evidence?
- Seek disconfirmation — try to prove yourself wrong
- Sleep on decisions — emotion fades, logic remains
The Shadow
Cynicism. Dismissing everything. Analysis paralysis. Mistaking skepticism for wisdom.
Archetype Connection
Primary: Realist — grounds claims in evidence Secondary: Philosopher — questions assumptions
Context
- First Principles — Thinking from fundamentals
- Pattern Recognition — What's signal vs noise
- Decisions — Where critical thinking applies