Letter to the Reader..........vii
Part I: The Very Idea of Critical and Creative Thinking
The Inseparability of Critical and Creative Thought..........1
Thinking that Grasps the Logic of Things..........6
Reasoning as a Creative Act..........7
Creative Genius—an Exception?..........9
Language as a Guide..........9
The Narrow-Minded Genius..........11
The Interplay Among Inborn Gifts, Environment, and Self-Motivation..........12
The Questioning Minds of Newton, Darwin, and Einstein..........17
Creativity—Not Mystified..........19
The Elements of Thought..........20
Intellectual Standards..........23
Critical Thinking Applied to the Arts..........25
Part II: Critical/Creative Thinking and the Foundations of Meaningfulness
Figuring Out the Logic of Things..........29
Learning Concepts and Language..........32
Critiquing Human Thinking..........34
Learning Academic Disciplines..........35
Questioning..........37
Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening..........38
Conclusion..........46