In Chapter 9, the authors note that many adults take one position and stick with it no matter what. How does this lack of reflective judgment and dialectical thinking relate to the critical thinking guidelines explained in Chapter 1?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: A good answer will include the following key points.
• Dialectical reasoning is the process of comparing and evaluating opposing points of view in order to resolve differences.
• Dialectical reasoning is a form of critical thinking and is subject to the same guidelines as critical thinking in general.
• Many adults have trouble thinking dialectically.
• Reflective judgment typically develops gradually and is not apparent until people are in their middle or late twenties, if at all.
• The ability to reason requires practice to develop.
• Although most adults have the capacity to think logically, reason dialectically, and make judgments reflectively, they do not always do so.
• There are many barriers and biases that block rational thinking.