Here's a practical critical thinking heuristic. When you want to practice your critical thinking, try these five words: - READY? Center yourself (that means no

Here's a practical critical thinking heuristic. When you want to practice your critical thinking, try these five words: - READY? Center yourself (that means notice and acknowledge your emotional state which might be pushing you toward one conclusion; then counter that); Consider whether you are qualified and prepared to think critically on the subject at hand. - HUH? Say "huh?" to yourself as a reminder that you might not understand the matter at hand. You might be miscomprehending the words entirely. Check that understandinf. - REALLY? As to any matter of alleged fact, ask how we know it is true? - AND? Whatever is being alleged, start wondering what ELSE is true that you have NOT been told? Sometimes errors of thinking are related to errors of scope and perspective. - SO? Ask how the matter at hand is important. What difference does it make? Who cares? These five words are a sort of mental swiss army knife for me when I have to critique my own thinking or someone else's.