Dewey’s Five Steps Of Reflective Thinking
This is how Dewey thought we think, and could think best…
Introduction to Dewey and his Reflective Thinking Method
An American educator and philosopher, John Dewey was the founder of Pragmatism, a prominent psychologist and a progressive educationist. He made notable contributions to the field of critical thinking.
As per Dewey, thinking or reflective thinking is — “an active, persistent, and careful assessment of a belief or supposed form of knowledge, the reasons for that knowledge, and the additional conclusions to which knowledge leads.”
It is only through a disciplined mind that we attain intellectual freedom, said Dewey.
He laid out the following five distinct steps as making up the process of reflective thinking:
1) Define the problem
2) Analyze the problem
3) Figure out criteria for solution
4) Generate possible solutions
5) Choose the best/most probable solution
These five steps will now be analyzed in some detail.
Step 1 — Defining the Problem
The first step of reflective thinking should be unbiased in the sense that it should allow the possibility of a diverse set of solutions.
Instead of jumping right into brainstorming ideas, the mind needs to be disciplined into first merely defining what the problem actually is.
Defining the problem in a specific and clear way in the beginning lays the groundwork for a well-structured and logical thinking process.
What should I have for dinner tonight?
Step 2 — Analyzing the Problem
Now that the problem has been defined, its depth needs to be explored. For this, past research and available materials can be referred to. It is through this evidence and data that one would be able to analyze the situation.
I need to decide what it is that I should eat tonight. I need to take into consideration how hungry I am/will be by then, what I had earlier in the day, what food products I have access to, how much time I have to prepare a meal and what dishes I usually have for dinner.
Step 3 — Establishing a criteria for the solutions
At this stage, a list of all the relevant applicable criteria can be prepared that any logically possible solution must qualify. This is where the solution is limited — by setting up a standard for it.
The meal should be vegan. It should require only those ingredients I have access to, be appetizing, and not take too much time to prepare. It should also not be something I’d had recently.
Step 4 — Generating a list of solutions
Now is when the brainstorming for the solution starts. They do not have to fit the criteria just established (yet).
Possible meal options are: Grilled sandwich, red pasta and potato wedges.
Step 5 — Selecting the most ideal solution
The criteria established in step 3 will now be applied to the list of solutions generated in the fourth step. By doing this, the most ideal solution, which satisfies all of the criteria established, will be reached.
Solution: Grilled sandwich, because red pasta takes too much time to prepare and I’d had potato wedges just yesterday.
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