Influence of Cultural and Educational Traditions on Critical Thinking Formation Practices

We consider the cultural and philosophical aspects of critical thinking and scientific approaches to them in the classical and postclassical philosophy of education. We characterize the specific features of thinking and requirements for it within the framework of the traditional and new models of educational values. We note that in the culturological value context an important place is occupied not by individual models as an intrinsic value, but by the presence of continuity, the implementation of the principles of complementarity and interdependence of “traditional” and “modern”. We analyze the concepts of “culture of thinking” and “culture of education”. We provide definitions and levels of critical thinking in their relation to universal human cultural values, taking into account the awareness of the multipolarity of world. We propose an approach to solving problematic issues related to the formation of critical thinking, in accordance not only with historically established philosophical doctrines about thinking, but also with cultural and educational traditions. As an example of the traditions influence of culture of thinking on the critical thinking formation, such educational practice as “Philosophy for Children” is given. We substantiate the choice of programs and methods of philosophizing with children based on cultural reality and spiritual problems (intellectual, political, ethical, etc.), characteristic of a particular state. We conclude that there is a close relationship between cultural and educational traditions and key aspects of the critical thinking formation.