Stages of Knowing --- The Journey from a Non-critical to a Critical Thinker

While trying to articulate the journey from a non-critical to a critical thinker for this post, I stumbled across these three stages, so well said by Dr. William Perry and so well quoted by John Chaffee. I find John Chaffee’s view of critical thinking very close to mine, and I use his book a lot. I am therefore presenting this post very much as how he said it in his book. I have myself travelled as well as come across all the three stages in my life and career --- this I will talk about in subsequent posts. This is a longish post, but I think, worth your patience.

Stages of knowing:  

From: Thinking Critically by John Chaffee (Chapter: Constructing Knowledge)

The road to becoming a critical thinker involves passing through different Stages of Knowing in order to achieve an effective understanding of the world. These stages, ranging from simple to complex, characterize people’s thinking and the way they understand their world. A critical thinker is a person who has progressed through all of the stages to achieve a sophisticated understanding of the nature of knowledge. This framework is based on the work of Harvard psychologist Dr. William Perry (Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years: A Scheme), who used in-depth research to create a developmental model of human thought. This is a condensed three-stage version of Perry’s framework.

An individual may be at different stages simultaneously, depending on the subject or area of experience. For example, a person may be at an advanced stage in one area of life (academic work) but at a less sophisticated stage in another area (romantic relationships or conception of morality). In general, however, people tend to operate predominantly within one stage in most areas of their lives.

Stage 1: The Garden of Eden
People in this stage tend to see the world as black and white, right and wrong. Right and wrong is usually determined by authorities who tell them so.  Authority figures can be parents, teachers, religious heads, even the peer group and media. Knowledge is clear, certain, and absolute and is provided by authorities. People in this stage feel that a person’s role is to learn and accept information from authorities without question or criticism. Anyone who disagrees with the authorities must be wrong. There is no possibility of compromise or negotiation. Even authority figures themselves can be in this stage.

When people in this stage come across contradictory opinion, they deal with this contradiction by maintaining the view that my authorities know more than your authorities.

Once we are able to explain why we chose to believe one authority over another, we have moved from stage 1 thinking to stage 2.  Two key conditions are however needed to move to stage 2: emotional willingness and the cognitive ability to be open minded.

Stage 2: Anything Goes
Once a person starts questioning authority figures, the tendency is often to go the opposite way --- that everything is right.  There is a feeling that no one really “knows” what is true or right. All beliefs are of equal value, and there is no way to determine whether one belief makes more sense than another belief. This also leads to a sense of confusion as to what to believe.

Stage 3: Thinking Critically
Stage 3 happens when a person is able to synthesise the opposing perspectives of Stage 1 and Stage 2.  He/she realizes that some viewpoints are better than other viewpoints, not because authorities say so but because there are compelling reasons to support these viewpoints.  At the same time, they are open minded towards other viewpoints, especially those that disagree with them.  They recognize that there are often a number of legitimate perspectives on complex issues, and they accept the validity of these perspectives to the extent that they are supported by persuasive reasons and evidence.  Stage 3 thinkers approach all issues by trying to understand all of the different viewpoints on the issue, evaluating the reasons that support each of these viewpoints, and then coming to their own thoughtful conclusion. When asked, they can explain the rationale for their viewpoint, but they also respect differing viewpoints that are supported by legitimate reasons, even though they feel their viewpoint makes more sense. In addition, Stage 3 thinkers maintain an open mind, always willing to consider new evidence that might convince them to modify or even change their position.  

But while people in this stage are actively open to different perspectives, they also commit themselves to definite points of view and are confident in explaining the reasons and evidence that have led them to their conclusions. Being open-minded is not the same thing as being intellectually wishy-washy. In addition to having clearly defined views, Stage 3 thinkers are always willing to listen to people who disagree with them. In fact, they actively seek out opposing viewpoints because they know that this is the only way to achieve the clearest, most insightful, most firmly grounded understanding. They recognize that their views may evolve over time as they learn more.

To me, this is what Critical Thinking is all about --- exploring every perspective, evaluating the arguments and supporting reasons for each, and developing our own informed conclusions that we are prepared to modify, or change based on new information or better insight.  This is a skill that is needed for solving problems and for making sound decisions. Even more importantly, these skills help social interactions --- while dealing with students, parents, colleagues, clients, friends and family.