Critical Pedagogy: Critical Thinking as Social Practice

Much of the literature on critical thinking focuses on the ways in which human beings develop the capacity, through complex cognitive processes and skills, to evaluate or make sense of information. While these insights are very important, a narrow focus on what might be termed the “science of learning” can negate the question of the end and purpose of critical thinking. In this chapter we seek to explore this question from the perspective of Critical Pedagogy, looking particularly at the concept of the Brazilian educationalist, Paulo Freire, considering the relevance of his ideas to Higher Education today.