Critical thinking in science
1- Distinguishing correlation from cause and effectScientific critical thinking implies more than generic critical thinking. Neither open mindedness nor common sense suffice. Crucial elements include familiarity with the nature of science, the experimental method and the accumulated wisdom of particular sciences. Piagetan formal reasoning skills are basic tools along with the following:
2- Distinguishing analysis from description
3- Understanding reductionism and knowing when to use it.
4- Recognizing important variables in complex phenomena
5- Isolating and testing variables
6- Knowing the value of prediction vs. retrodiction
7- Distinguishing scientific evidence, reasoning and rationalizing
Waging war on evolution
Making decisions
