CRITICAL THINKING EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (VERIFIED
AND UPDATED)
Bottom-up approach to critical reasoning -
Critical thinking comprises three interlinking dimensions: - ANS -Analyzing one's own
thinking- breaking it down into its component parts.
-Evaluating one's own thinking- identifying its weaknesses while recognizing its strengths.
-Improving one's own thinking- reconstructing it to make it better.
Critical thinking is characteristically: - ANS self-directed
self-disciplined
self-monitored
self-corrective
egocentrism - ANS the tendency to view everything in relationship to oneself;
sociocentrism - ANS the assumption that one's own social group is inherently superior to all
others
In reasoning through any problem, a well-cultivated critical thinker: - ANS Raises vital
questions
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Gathers and assesses relevant information
Reaches well-reasoned conclusions and solutions
Thinks open-mindedly
Communicates effectively with others
First-order thinking - ANS Americans have always done it that way, and as the greatest
country in the world, it's always worked for us in the past.
How can we trust the engineering work on this building? The structural engineers weren't
educated in the U.S.
My intuition tells me to turn right here, so I won't bother to look at the map.
Second-order thinking - ANS The assumptions we've relied upon may be flawed. Let's review
them again.
I'd like to talk this over with some colleagues. They may have some insights we are missing.
As far as I am concerned, you're headed down the wrong path on this project, and I'm rarely
wrong on these matters.
I didn't completely understand the repercussions of my original decision, and so now I have
changed my mind and I am recommending a new approach.This is an example of second-order
thinking, which is self-correcting.
weak sense critical thinkers - ANS Ignore the flaws in their own thinking
Often seek to win an argument through intellectual trickery or deceit.
Lacks key higher-level skills and values of critical thinking
Makes no good faith effort to consider alternative viewpoints.
Lacks fair-mindedness
Employ lower-level rhetorical skills (making unreasonable thinking appear reasonable and
reasonable thinking appear unreasonable).
Employ emotionalism and intellectual trickery.
Hide or distort evidence
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,strong sense critical thinkers - ANS consistent pursuit of what is intellectually fair and just
strive to be ethical
strive to empathize with other's viewpoints
will entertain arguments with which they do not agree
change their views when confronted with superior reasoning.
employ their thinking reasonable instead of manipulatively.
requires fair mindedness combined with basic critical thinking skills
Fair mindedness yields many intellectual virtues - ANS consider all thinking by the same
standards
expect good reasoning from supporters as well as from opponents
apply the same critical criteria to our own logic as to others' reasoning
recognize the actual strengths and weaknesses of any reasoning we assess
Intellectual Humility - ANS Characterization
Commitment to discovering the extent of one's own ignorance on any issue
Recognition that one does not—and cannot—know everything
Consciousness of one's biases and prejudices
Aware of the limitations of one's viewpoint
Recognition that one should claim only what one actually knows
Awareness that egocentrism is often self-deceiving (i.e., convinces the mind that it knows more
than it does)
Its Opposite
Intellectual arrogance
Overestimation of how much one knows
No insight into self-deception or into the limitations of one's viewpoint
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Relationship to Fair-Mindedness
Fair-mindedness requires us to first recognize the ignorance and flaws in our own thinking and
to comport ourselves accordingly. It requires self-awareness and a willingness to examine the
limitations of one's own point of view.
Being a fair-minded thinker means habitually applying the standards of reasoning to one's own
thinking in an effort to improve it.
Intellectual Courage - ANS Characterization
Confronting ideas, viewpoints, or beliefs with fairness, even when doing so is painful
Examining fairly beliefs which one has strong negative feelings and toward which one has
previously been dismissive
Challenging popular belief
Leads us to recognize that ideas which society deems dangerous or absurd may hold some truth
or justification
Fortifies us to confront false or distorted ideas embraced by social groups to which we belong
Its Opposite
Intellectual cowardice
Fear of ideas that do not conform to one's own
Deters serious consideration of ideas, beliefs, or viewpoints perceived as dangerous
Threatened by ideas when they conflict with our self-identity (e.g., conservative or liberal,
believer or nonbeliever, etc.)
Relationship to Fair-Mindedness
Critical thinkers don't link their self-identities to their beliefs. They define themselves according
to how they arrive at their beliefs (i.e., the intellectual process)
Refusing to connect one's identity with one's beliefs fosters greater intellectual courage and fair-
mindedness
Intellectual Empathy - ANS Characterization
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (VERIFIED
AND UPDATED)
Bottom-up approach to critical reasoning -
Critical thinking comprises three interlinking dimensions: - ANS -Analyzing one's own
thinking- breaking it down into its component parts.
-Evaluating one's own thinking- identifying its weaknesses while recognizing its strengths.
-Improving one's own thinking- reconstructing it to make it better.
Critical thinking is characteristically: - ANS self-directed
self-disciplined
self-monitored
self-corrective
egocentrism - ANS the tendency to view everything in relationship to oneself;
sociocentrism - ANS the assumption that one's own social group is inherently superior to all
others
In reasoning through any problem, a well-cultivated critical thinker: - ANS Raises vital
questions
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Gathers and assesses relevant information
Reaches well-reasoned conclusions and solutions
Thinks open-mindedly
Communicates effectively with others
First-order thinking - ANS Americans have always done it that way, and as the greatest
country in the world, it's always worked for us in the past.
How can we trust the engineering work on this building? The structural engineers weren't
educated in the U.S.
My intuition tells me to turn right here, so I won't bother to look at the map.
Second-order thinking - ANS The assumptions we've relied upon may be flawed. Let's review
them again.
I'd like to talk this over with some colleagues. They may have some insights we are missing.
As far as I am concerned, you're headed down the wrong path on this project, and I'm rarely
wrong on these matters.
I didn't completely understand the repercussions of my original decision, and so now I have
changed my mind and I am recommending a new approach.This is an example of second-order
thinking, which is self-correcting.
weak sense critical thinkers - ANS Ignore the flaws in their own thinking
Often seek to win an argument through intellectual trickery or deceit.
Lacks key higher-level skills and values of critical thinking
Makes no good faith effort to consider alternative viewpoints.
Lacks fair-mindedness
Employ lower-level rhetorical skills (making unreasonable thinking appear reasonable and
reasonable thinking appear unreasonable).
Employ emotionalism and intellectual trickery.
Hide or distort evidence
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,strong sense critical thinkers - ANS consistent pursuit of what is intellectually fair and just
strive to be ethical
strive to empathize with other's viewpoints
will entertain arguments with which they do not agree
change their views when confronted with superior reasoning.
employ their thinking reasonable instead of manipulatively.
requires fair mindedness combined with basic critical thinking skills
Fair mindedness yields many intellectual virtues - ANS consider all thinking by the same
standards
expect good reasoning from supporters as well as from opponents
apply the same critical criteria to our own logic as to others' reasoning
recognize the actual strengths and weaknesses of any reasoning we assess
Intellectual Humility - ANS Characterization
Commitment to discovering the extent of one's own ignorance on any issue
Recognition that one does not—and cannot—know everything
Consciousness of one's biases and prejudices
Aware of the limitations of one's viewpoint
Recognition that one should claim only what one actually knows
Awareness that egocentrism is often self-deceiving (i.e., convinces the mind that it knows more
than it does)
Its Opposite
Intellectual arrogance
Overestimation of how much one knows
No insight into self-deception or into the limitations of one's viewpoint
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Relationship to Fair-Mindedness
Fair-mindedness requires us to first recognize the ignorance and flaws in our own thinking and
to comport ourselves accordingly. It requires self-awareness and a willingness to examine the
limitations of one's own point of view.
Being a fair-minded thinker means habitually applying the standards of reasoning to one's own
thinking in an effort to improve it.
Intellectual Courage - ANS Characterization
Confronting ideas, viewpoints, or beliefs with fairness, even when doing so is painful
Examining fairly beliefs which one has strong negative feelings and toward which one has
previously been dismissive
Challenging popular belief
Leads us to recognize that ideas which society deems dangerous or absurd may hold some truth
or justification
Fortifies us to confront false or distorted ideas embraced by social groups to which we belong
Its Opposite
Intellectual cowardice
Fear of ideas that do not conform to one's own
Deters serious consideration of ideas, beliefs, or viewpoints perceived as dangerous
Threatened by ideas when they conflict with our self-identity (e.g., conservative or liberal,
believer or nonbeliever, etc.)
Relationship to Fair-Mindedness
Critical thinkers don't link their self-identities to their beliefs. They define themselves according
to how they arrive at their beliefs (i.e., the intellectual process)
Refusing to connect one's identity with one's beliefs fosters greater intellectual courage and fair-
mindedness
Intellectual Empathy - ANS Characterization
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
