Socrates And Critical Thinking

Thirty Three years and 4 children later and I still cannot get a grasp on the WHY phase. During a self-evaluation I have come to the conclusion I was once 3 years old also. My children would always ask me a question and after giving them a suitable answer they would always ask why. This is the philosophical thought process that we all have and the idea behind Socrates work. Understanding why we choose the answer that we chose is what makes the thinking process so intriguing. So what is thinking? I consider thinking to be both a conscious and unconscious action. Is thinking the gaining of knowledge? Does thinking add value to who you are? How does one truly think? Thinking is the process of understanding oneself, monitor, plan, and judge your own level of learning. Critical thinking is the evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment whereas cogent thinking is looking at the big picture in order to get the conclusion.

Socrates admonition here is simply an attempt to get an answer without leaving any reason for doubt into what Euthyphro was saying.

It may have struck others as a debate about what they may have believed, but Socrates may have considered it the key to unlocking the answer. Socrates seemed to be teaching Euthyphro ways to gain the understanding that he seek by asking questions that would have him questioning himself. Considered a philosopher, this in my opinion, was a perfect example of metaphysics where both Socrates and Euthyphro believed in the supernatural. Expressing their beliefs in gods while trying to understand what is considered holy opened the door for deeper reflection into what Euthyphro believed to be

correct.
Rachael Dolezal, a Caucasian woman who identifies herself as black, can be considered one of the most assertions of the Socrates statement “The unexamined life is not worth living”. Rachael felt as if being African American is who she is, she didn’t look at her pale skin as a sign to stop being who she felt she was. Rachael became a spokesperson for the NAACP and showed that she was a valuable asset even if others did not. Pope Francis used his platform to identify the importance of climate change as a global problem. Being the Pope allows for the discussion to have more reach than millions of scientist who have been saying this for years. President Barack Obama spoke on the violence in the United States and the impact that hate crimes are having in America. Socrates said it best when he said “examine yourself” and in this situation, it has become important America to not only examine others but themselves.

Philosophical reflection has a value in the aspect of how it impacts your wisdom, knowledge, and fame. Reflecting helps to determine whether the belief or action is justified and do we value it. The thought process of philosophical reflection is can it help avoid bad decisions. Should we accept what has been taught to us our entire life or reflect on it and question the teaching. We do not want to engage in careful or critical reasoning only because it would require us to reconsider everything we thought was the truth. Prideful people would consider this to be an attack on them. Philosophical reflection would require debate and therefore lead to a better understanding of others way of thinking. I am a believer of philosophical reflection because of the position I hold in my personal life. Recognizing that there could be an alternative solution to what has been presented adds value to life in my opinion.