Critical thinking and science education

ABSTRACT Science education often includes in its aims the development of critical-mindedness. This is usually regarded as one of a range of scientific attitudes. The paper presents a critical review of attempts to classify scientific attitudes, and the stereotype of the objective, detached scientist is discussed. It is argued that critical-mindedness depends on appropriate cognitive and affective inputs as well as critical thinking ability, and that consequently critical-mindedness is context dependent. The concept of scientific critical-mindedness is proposed, and a hierarchical structure of objectives for its attainment, which takes into account current views on the nature of scientific activity, is developed.