Clear thinking

What is clear thinking?

Clear thinking is not the same thing as having clever ideas.

It means speaking and writing carefully, and trying to be accurate.

It also means spotting the difference between facts and opinions.

And it means avoiding personal bias, sloppy-thinking, and making rash claims.

Clear language

Take care with the words you use. This will help you to think clearly.

If you want to clarify your ideas, write then down in a simple and direct manner.

Avoid long sentences, and don't use any words unless you are sure what they mean.

Facts and opinion

Always look out for the difference between fact and opinion.

Fact are statements about what you can measure or prove.

"The river Amazon is 3,900 miles long" is a statement which can be checked.

"The boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius" is a fact which can be demonstrated.

But "Students should get less homework" is an opinion - even if you agree with it!

"God created the world in seven days" is an opinion - even though lots of people might believe this.

Question everything

Before you make a statement, ask yourself "Is this really true?"

Question even those things that you believe to be true.

If some people might think otherwise, admit this in your arguments.

This will show that you are not being narrow-minded or biased.

This is particularly true in the case of religious, moral or political discussions.

Be careful

You should be accurate and precise in any statements you make.

Avoid being rash, and don't make claims you can't prove.

Don't make personal criticism of well-known figures.

Avoid statements such as "Women in the nineteenth century felt..."

That's because women in any century don't all feel the same.

If you want to make such a claim but don't have exact figures, you could at least say that "Many women in the nineteenth century felt..."