이 글은 지금까지 우리가 묵시적 혹은 명시적으로 지지해 온 비판적 사고 개념을 비판적으로 검토하고 비판적 사고에 대한 인식의 전환을 촉구하는 데 목적을 두고 있다. 발견된 문제는 비판적 사고와 다른 사고와의 관계 규명의 미흡과 실증주의적 패러다임에 기초된 지나친 합리성 강조에 있다. 먼저 개념적 차원에서, 비판적 사고는 포괄적 사고라기보다는 분석적 정확성과 논리적 합리성을 중심으로 사고 과정에서 작용하는 기능으로 이해되어야 한다. 다음으로 지나친 합리화와 관련하여, 첫째, 비판적 사고는 합리성과 보살핌을 조화시키는 인격을 갖출 때 가능하다고 이해되어야 할 것이다. 둘째, 비판적 사고는 공적, 객관적인 관점과 함께 개인적, 주관적인 관점을 동시에 고려하는 것으로 이해되어야 할 것이다. 셋째, 비판적 사고는 보편적 원칙뿐만 아니라 사고가 일어나고 있는 구체적인 맥락을 동시에 고려하는 것으로 이해되어야 할 것이다.

Critical Thinking: Paradigm and Concept Roh, Kyungjoo Chooncheon National University of Education This paper critically reviews concepts of critical thinking which we have supported implicitly or explicitly and urges educators to epistemological shift in critical thinking. Important questions involve the conceptual dimension of critical thinking and hyperrationalization, based on positivist paradigm, in critical thinking. As for the conceptional dimension, critical thinking should be understood as a skill which operates basically in analytic precision or logical rationality in the process of thinking, rather than as comprehensive thinking. As for hyperrationalization in critical thinking, critical thinking theorists overemphasize rationality, objectivity, and universal principles at the expense of care, subjectivity, and contextuality in thinking. However, such perspectives should be corrected as follows. First, critical thinking encourages thinkers to build character which harmonizes rationality with care. Second, critical thinking attempts to weigh together the personal, subjective voice and the public, objective voice. Third, critical thinking pays attention to the consideration of both universal principles and the specific context which thinking occurs.

Critical Thinking: Paradigm and Concept Roh, Kyungjoo Chooncheon National University of Education This paper critically reviews concepts of critical thinking which we have supported implicitly or explicitly and urges educators to epistemological shift in critical thinking. Important questions involve the conceptual dimension of critical thinking and hyperrationalization, based on positivist paradigm, in critical thinking. As for the conceptional dimension, critical thinking should be understood as a skill which operates basically in analytic precision or logical rationality in the process of thinking, rather than as comprehensive thinking. As for hyperrationalization in critical thinking, critical thinking theorists overemphasize rationality, objectivity, and universal principles at the expense of care, subjectivity, and contextuality in thinking. However, such perspectives should be corrected as follows. First, critical thinking encourages thinkers to build character which harmonizes rationality with care. Second, critical thinking attempts to weigh together the personal, subjective voice and the public, objective voice. Third, critical thinking pays attention to the consideration of both universal principles and the specific context which thinking occurs.