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