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Joining the Literacy Club Frank Smith
Consider the example of automobile mechanics…If my car stalls, I have no idea what to do beyond checking the gas gauge and trying the ignition switch again. But I will not remedy my inadequacy by taking a course on critical thinking. A mechanic recently told me that my carburetor was hanging loose. For all I knew, he was paying me a compliment…I assume this does not mean that something is wrong with my powers of inference or my ability to predict. The trouble is my unfamiliarity with automobile engines. We can only infer, predict and think critically with respect to specific subject matter, and if a subject is foreign to us then we will not be able to demonstrate any thinking ability. There are no higher-order thinking skills that cover all situations.