According to James J. Messina, Ph.D. & Constance M. Messina, Ph.D. (c.1999-2005), language plays a very important role in the critical thinking process. Language is important to our thoughts and expressions. Language is how we make our ideas known to others. It is important for us to be clear in our use of language. Words have different meanings based on the different contexts in which they are used. Words are important to insure clear critical thinking skills. Words change in meaning over time. Having a good knowledge of words (verbiage) and their definitions insure success in our problem solving, decision making, conflict resolution, and in improving our interpersonal relationships. In order to get a positive response to our arguments and resolve issues, we must be clear in our facts and careful not to cloud or confuse them. (Messina, Ph.D., et al c.1999-2005)
Language helps us to formulate our thoughts. According to Chapter 5, Language, Our Thinking Medium, language is the interpretative medium for the input, the remembering, sorting, creating, judging and deciding, comprehension and independence. Wittgenstein theorizes that thought and languages are one. Without language the cerebral cortex which has the capacity to conceptualize the universe would hang uselessly around our lower brain. The brain is accepting of any language but it must be learned. The diversity of language creates opportunities for education and interaction of people from different cultural backgrounds from countries all around the world. It creates opportunities for critical thinkers and brilliant minds from around the world to share knowledge and technology. (Kirby, Goodpaster, 1999)
Our thoughts are powerful and language enables us to get those thoughts across. What we say, how we say it, and how we deliver that thought contributes to the power of the thought we are trying to convey. Language can empower or limit the expression of our thoughts by how we comprise what we say, and how extensive or limited our vocabulary is. We are empowered by our use and knowledge of words. According to Kirby and Goodpaster, the greater our vocabulary the greater our thoughts. (Kirby, Goodpaster, 1999)
We convince others to our way of thinking by the use of persuasion. In academic writing we use critical thinking to gather information, formulate logical thoughts, and use deductive and sound reasoning in order to form a persuasive argument. Critical thinking enables us to use the proper developmental thought processes: who; what; where; when; how; and why; what is possible; what happened; what will happen, how big or small it is. Critical thinking helps us to create a hypothesis to form a thesis statement and reach a logical and plausible conclusion. Critical thinking helps us to ask the proper questions when conducting research. Critical thinking brings clarity, logical correctness, completeness and fairness, precision, accuracy, relevance, and consistency to the persuasive argument (Thinking, 1999).
Metaphor
A Cool Day in 1968
It was April 4, 1968 and I was 12 years old. It was spring, and cool but not disagreeable weather. The day would disrupt in burning buildings, riots, screams and heart wrenching, crying. Tears, falling, while hopes and dreams sank into the dismal cesspool of sorrow. People reached out to one another, “Why, how could this happen? Why him? Why Martin?” The dreams and hopes of so many people were shattered on that cool April Day. “Why are people burning their own buildings, businesses and neighborhoods? The fires were like the very pit of Hell, the smells of brimstone. Martin would never want his people to be destructive like this. Thank God, he can't see this. What a way to honor his memory!” These were the sounds I heard on that cool April day. We were a sad people. He had brought hope and vision to a people clouded by despair and years of taking a back seat to so many. On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, Martin Luther King was assassinated.
It was reported (Freeman, 1968) that at least 110 cities experienced violence and destruction in the next few days, resulting in roughly $50 million in damage. 39 people were killed in the rioting, 34 of those people were black. The worst riots were in Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. There were over 22,000 federal troops and 34,000 National Guardsmen sent to aid local police. It was the largest call to arms ever, to deal with domestic civil disturbance. In many cities the devastation was so great that it left a permanent scar. (Freeman, 1968).
On the day of the funeral, crowds lined the streets to get a view as the procession went by. We watched on television or grabbed our newspapers. According to Freeman (1968), 50,000 to 100,000 people participated in the funeral procession. It was the saddest and grayest of days. The weather resembled our pain, and the earth cried out our agony, “Our leader is dead!” We realized however, that life goes on and that hope does reign supreme. He would be proud if he could see how far we have come, because of him and so many others. We walk in their footsteps, of those that came before us, gratefully.
