What is Critical Thinking and can it be achieved?
             What is Critical Thinking and can it be achieved? This paper will cover why critical thinking matters in every day society and how to apply critical thinking in our actions and words. As well as discuss "truth" and core critical thinking skills and standards in an effort to define critical thinking and how it can be achieved. Throughout this paper we will learn different skills and techniques it takes to become a better Critical Thinker.
             Socrates maintained that, "even if you know everything you know nothing if you don't know yourself. "Know Thyself" was his favorite saying. (CT: Socratic truths, 1) He also said that, "real truth transcends the present (i.e., true anytime, in any age)." Webster's Dictionary & Thesaurus defines truth as "facts corresponding with actual events or happenings." However most of our knowledge is relative-the truth as we know it. There is truth that is relative to time (e.g., "Bill Clinton is president" was true in 1992 but not in 2003.), location (e.g., "The weather was beautiful yesterday" may have been true in Miami but not in Charlotte), and personal preference (e.g. "Driving a manual shift vehicle is much easier than driving a automatic" may be true for one person but not true for another). It is easy to describe and to define a lie. If someone asks you what is your age? You know it to be 35 years old but you say 29 years. That is a lie. Unfortunately, it is much more difficult to define 'truth' except as the opposite of a lie. When we are thinking or communicating, truth is important if we are not to make mistakes.
             We rely on perceptions and imperfect knowledge. From time to time even scientists are convinced they are right only to find out they have been mistaken. We live in a practical world and we do have to get on with things. We have to...