Which function do you think correlates best with having

[jixmixfix]

Strong critical thinking skills?

 

[xisnotx]

Fe

 

[Alea_iacta_est]

Ti for logical analysis, seeing how specific parts organize the general mechanism, its innate skepticism, and overall objective detachment and devotion to how things should be working (when Ti is functioning healthily).

 

[Southern Kross]

I want to say Ji, but I'm sure this is just personal bias. So I was looking up what wikipedia had to say about critical thinking:

Critical thinking calls for the ability to:

-Recognize problems, to find workable means for meeting those problems
-Understand the importance of prioritization and order of precedence in problem solving
-Gather and marshal pertinent (relevant) information
-Recognize unstated assumptions and values
-Comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discernment
-Interpret data, to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments
-Recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between propositions
-Draw warranted conclusions and generalizations
-Put to test the conclusions and generalizations at which one arrives
-Reconstruct one's patterns of beliefs on the basis of wider experience
-Render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life

Several things come to mind:

1. To me any function combination can potentially do these things. They would go about it from different angles, but can achieve a thorough examination of the facts.
2. Some of these relate to Perceiving functions and some to Judging.
3. Certain functions are better at some of these things than others, but there isn't one that is going to be overtly superior. Also there are going to be situations where certain functions are at an advantage and others at a disadvantage. Eg. Thinking functions might be better at logical analysis overall but would struggle to beat well applied Feeling functions when it comes to analysing a text or interpersonal factors.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I want to say Ji, but I'm sure this is just personal bias. So I was looking up what wikipedia had to say about critical thinking:



Several things come to mind:

1. To me any function combination can potentially do these things. They would go about it from different angles, but can achieve a thorough examination of the facts.
2. Some of these relate to Perceiving functions and some to Judging.
3. Certain functions are better at some of these things than others, but there isn't one that is going to be overtly superior. Also there are going to be situations where certain functions are at an advantage and others at a disadvantage. Eg. Thinking functions might be better at logical analysis overall but would struggle to beat well applied Feeling functions when it comes to analysing a text or interpersonal factors.

Ha! This was my response as well....to say Ji (Ti or Fi) and then to consider how it really can manifest in all the functions, or requires more than one.

 

[WALMART]

Ti and Fi, no doubt about it.

Just to hear myself talk a little more, Jung thought Fi types were particularly critical of systems. I don't know if this is any measured sort of reason, or a "I'mma cut you bitch" type of thing, given the context in which he prescribes this attribute.

 

[Zarathustra]

I think Ni, Ne, Fi, and Ti all can exemplify strong critical thinking skills.

That being said, I find Ni doms to be the best critical thinkers, in general.

(Ni is the dominant function most correlated with giftedness, after all).

INTPs can also be excellent critical thinkers, as can INFPs.

Same goes for ENTPs and ENFPs -- both types usually are.

Even some ISFPs can show solid critical thinking skills (FiNi?).

I don't find ISTPs to be very good critical thinkers, otoh.

Some can be better than others, tho (and some halfway decent).

I find Si and Se to both be rather against critical thinking.

(They look at everything too statically, aren't open to enough possibilities.)

And, interestingly, I don't really find Te nor Fe to be particularly good at critical thinking.

They serve some other function -- in the NJs, it's the Ni that does the critical thinking.

The SJs, ha, well... with well-developed Ne they can develop critical thinking.

 

[á´…eparted]

Stereotype it may be, I seem to see Ti have the "best" critical thinking skills innately. At least, it comes most naturally to it. I'm speaking of Ti-doms of course, but the way the function works usually predisposes one to critical thinking come with some ease. Part of the issue with this though, is when Ti is actually bad at critical thinking. They'll convince themselves they're doing it right, when they actually aren't, and are utterly impervious to any sort of persuasion to the errors they make.

Ni-doms seem to be the worst at critical thinking. That's not to say they are all bad, the majority aren't. However of the vast people I have observed that have truly have been bad at critical thinking, have been Ni doms, with a heavy tilt towards INFJ's in particular.

As an interesting note, Se-doms can have a frequency of being poor at critical thinking as well, but they seem more to do so willingly. With some, they can use critical thinking, they just don't care and don't want to, which makes it seem like they can't.

 

[Coriolis]

And, interestingly, I don't really find Te nor Fe to be particularly good at critical thinking.

They serve some other function -- in the NJs, it's the Ni that does the critical thinking.

The SJs, ha, well... with well-developed Ne they can develop critical thinking.

I disagree on this. I think Ni plus Te is a very effective combination for critical thinking. It is what gets INTJs the reputation for being very critical and instinctively focusing on the flaws and shortcomings in everything. Also makes a very good BS detector. Ni points the way by getting that sense of when things are wrong somehow, when an analysis isn't even asking the right questions. Te then does the legwork of getting to the bottom of it, seeing how facts match claim - or fail to do so.

 

[Southern Kross]

Ha! This was my response as well....to say Ji (Ti or Fi) and then to consider how it really can manifest in all the functions, or requires more than one.

I don't find ISTPs to be very good critical thinkers, otoh.

Some can be better than others, tho (and some halfway decent).

I find Si and Se to both be rather against critical thinking.

(They look at everything too statically, aren't open to enough possibilities.)

I disagree. Sure, I don't think Sensors are as good at the INTJ (or in general the N) approach to critical thinking, but I think this is primarly down to a difference in situations people prefer to apply critical analysis. I think with Sensors it's much more oriented towards practical problem solving and workable solutions.

For example, my ISTP dad co-owns an earthmoving business and is an extremely skilled mechanic. I suppose most people see mechanical problem solving skills as being obvious: ie this part fits to this part and so on. However, it involves a vital combination of knowledge, experience and insightful analysis of facts.

My dad gets frequently calls from other companies from all over the country, asking him to help out with a problem over the phone. Sometimes multiple mechanics have been tearing their hair out for weeks trying to figure out how to fix a machine. They may have pulled it apart several times over, replaced parts, and tried adjusting everything they can think of, but nothing works. They explain the situation and my dad asks a whole bunch of very specific questions about all the signs the machine was giving off beforehand (eg. vibrations, lack of power, when problems occur), about the work that has been done, and relevant configurations. He almost always comes up with the solution within 10 minutes, without even having seen the machine - much to everyone's amazement.

I find this ability fascinating and I've asked about how he goes about it. Really what it comes down to, "go back to square one, follow the signs and assume nothing". When he describes others' approach it seems like they're just blinding stabbing in the dark, trying random stuff, and hoping for a magical solution. Whereas, he carefully analyses the factors themselves without leaping to conclusions and acts in a very deliberate manner. To me, this really demonstrates the shrewd gifts of Ti and Se. Se in particular gets a bad rap, but with my dad I can see how it basically functions as a fail-safe against inaccurate and unfounded N-style projections, that only distract from and conceal the truth. In a way, I suppose it seems entirely obvious, but then why isn't everyone doing it that way and why are they having so much trouble?

And when I look back over the wikipedia list I posted, I think my dad is very good at all those things. However, if you were to ask him about interpersonal problems, textual analysis, or conceptual thinking, he's at a loss. His skills are very specific to certain applications. Mine by comparison are more broad but are less useful in practical situations.

 

[Hazelstein]

Associated with the "J" functions, though it depends more on the individual than type.

But seriously guys Ni-doms ? Ni is all about vagueness, mysticism, not defining terms, poetic language. It's anything but geared towards critical thinking.

 

[yeghor]

Ni...

 

[ndovjtjcaqidthi]

Why are people voting for Ni?

lol

 

[yeghor]

We must first define what critical thinking is and isn't...

 

[FDG]

Ti for logically structured critical thinking. Ni for detached indipendent skepticism.

 

[Amargith]

Depends on the area of expertise the critical thinking is taking place in.

 

[Nicodemus]

I voted for everything except Fe and Ne, and I feel fine.

 

[yeghor]

Check after 3:00 mark in particular...

 

[jixmixfix]

I think Ni, Ne, Fi, and Ti all can exemplify strong critical thinking skills.

I don't find ISTPs to be very good critical thinkers, otoh.

Contradicting yourself much?

 

[Zarathustra]

Contradicting yourself much?

No.

But you're sure demonstrating my point.