Clear thinking is a major challenge. The simplest test of the clarity of our thinking is whether we can explain complex ideas as simply as possible. When we try to do this, we immediately notice where our thoughts are unclear and which elements need to be reconsidered or placed on a more secure footing. It is as if we are uncovering our thoughts from layers of prejudice, misunderstanding and false consciousness. However, the goal of clear thinking is not to be right, as gratifying as that may be. It is about understanding.

The pursuit of clarity therefore never reaches an end point. Whenever we set out to clarify our thinking, we are not aiming for an ultimate truth. Rather, we set in motion a process that usually ends in an act of communication, which in turn will never be completely free of imperfections and contingencies.

Essentially, clear thinking requires three steps:

1. We need to think about what we are saying and why we believe it to be true or important.

2. The second is to identify the assumptions on which our argument is based.

3. The third is to recognise what is uncertain – and what would be required to remove that uncertainty.

Clear thinking: before you start ...

Let's pause for a moment. Let's take a deep breath and become aware of what is going on inside us. What is happening? What are we thinking and feeling? What demands our attention? Taking stock in this way allows us to question patterns of behaviour, develop new ideas or simply enjoy life for a moment. How can we find out what else we could be doing or what kind of person we could become?

Inviting people to pause and reflect is one of the simplest pieces of advice in the world, and one of the hardest to follow. However, it is fundamental to clear thinking. Clear thinking begins with a moment of self-reflection. There is no clear thinking until we take the time to do it.

You may find this self-reflection trivial. But we all carry around countless unclear, confused, contradictory thoughts and feelings because we neither take the time nor have the means to sort them out. That is why most of our thoughts remain confused and unclear.

Clear thinking: make yourself comfortable

Once we have taken a break, a simple exercise can help us take the first step towards clearer thinking. The aim is to observe ourselves as neutrally as possible. Make yourself comfortable, relax and try to perceive the flow of your thoughts and feelings without judgement: e.g. the rise of fear, anticipation, regret; memories and ideas bubble up into your consciousness. These are the raw materials that every clarification process has to work with. The more carefully we perceive them, the more likely we are to uncover their complexity and contradictions. And the less likely we are to mistakenly consider something obvious that does not seem obvious or compelling to others.

Clear thinking: Step 1 – what we think

In philosophy, the so-called standard form is often used to present the essence of a train of thought as clearly as possible. Expressing our thinking in standard form means, in simple terms, writing down a numbered list of premises from which a conclusion is drawn. If we have done it correctly, the numbered statements justify our conclusion.

Here is an example:

1. Both the consumption of meat and the use of animal products are associated with unnecessary suffering of animals.

2. In addition, they consume more energy and resources than most plant-based alternatives.

3. It is entirely possible to eat a healthy diet and live a fulfilling life without eating meat or using animal products.

4. As far as possible, I should try to avoid unnecessary animal suffering, excessive energy consumption and excessive resource consumption.

If I accept the above as true, I would have to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet.

The advantage of the standard form is not so much its logical rigour, but rather the breakdown of our thinking into individual steps and the formulation of two questions for each of them:

1. Why should a reasonable person accept this claim?

2. What follows from this claim if it is accepted?

When it comes to clarifying our thoughts and feelings, the strength of such an approach lies in the fact that everything essential can be included in our considerations – but only if we can put this meaning into words.

So, completely different thoughts could fit into the example:

• However, I am currently neither vegetarian nor vegan.

• So either I do not believe that the above reasons are true, or I believe they are true but still find them unconvincing.

• If I want to clarify my thinking on this issue, I need to examine the gap between my beliefs and my actions.

As you can see, the thoughts just added cause confusion in our previous conclusion. Our nice, simple conclusion becomes more complicated – but also more insightful.

Paradoxically, this is an essential step towards clear thinking: oversimplifications, no matter how compelling or seductive they may be, are replaced by honest acknowledgement of the facts. The logic of the initial argument in the example may have seemed admirably clear, but that clarity does not correspond to reality.

Honest self-examination is essential for clear thinking.

Have we accurately assessed our state of mind – or the issues at stake? (For example, is it true that there is no ethical way to eat meat? Are there nuances of meaning that we have neglected in order to establish clear categories of right and wrong? Or are we just too lazy to act on our convictions?)

Behind this lies a fundamental point: only by repeatedly questioning both the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of our arguments and the claims on which they in turn rely can we hope to strip away all the layers of habit, confusion and self-justification from our everyday thinking.

Clear thinking: Step 2 – what we assume

How can we justify arguments? Sometimes we resort to evidence or personal preferences and experiences – individually or in any combination. But at some point, we have to rely on certain assumptions that we are willing to accept as fundamental. But no matter how self-evident they may seem to us, the assumptions on which our ideas are based must also be clearly stated when necessary. And uncovering and analysing these assumptions provides important clarifications.

Assumptions are things we take for granted: everything our thinking is based on without us having to name it explicitly. Such assumptions are important. In fact, it is shared assumptions that make understanding (and much more) possible in the first place. It would be incredibly tedious to explain every word in a sentence. It would also be pointless in the end. We would have to explain our words with other words, ideas with other ideas, and so on. Without some shared assumptions, there would be no possibility for mutual understanding or even constructive disagreement.

Our assumptions are therefore not just untested ideas. Above all, they reflect our beliefs. They are the root of our identity and our sense of belonging. They provide the material for our narratives about ourselves and our community, including our morals. What we take for granted is nothing less than the foundation of our worldview. What follows from this? Clear thinking must clearly distinguish between our basic assumptions and what we build on them.

This is how we proceed step by step:

• Every train of thought starts from certain assumptions: the things we accept as given. No matter how deep we dig, we will not find any completely self-evident and uncontroversial claims.

• Careful analysis reveals where our assumptions come from and what follows if we assume that they are true or correct.

• If different arguments are based on different assumptions, they will probably lead in very different directions.

• So let's try to formulate our basic assumptions and examine what follows from them.

• We do the same with counterarguments.

• If we are sufficiently open-minded, we will discover common assumptions and can question opposing ones on both sides. This also helps us understand alternative points of view and engage with them.

Identifying the conclusions that follow from our assumptions and the differences between them is at the heart of formulating our views honestly and convincingly.

Clear thinking: Step 3 – Uncertainties

Clear thinking clarifies our point of view: not to prove ourselves right, but to sharpen our position and signal our willingness to exchange ideas.

We justify our position with evidence and analysis. We listen to other opinions and learn from them. We accept that, in the face of sufficiently convincing arguments or evidence, it may be reasonable to change our opinion.

As far as possible, we should try to extract the most truthful and reasonable content from what others say, especially when they disagree with us.

In the absence of decisive evidence to the contrary, we should initially assume that an opposing position is reasonable and sincere, rather than malicious, ignorant or wrong. Why? Not because it is nice, but because only with goodwill can we grasp another person's perspective and ensure that our judgement is based on a careful and fair assessment.

All of this brings us back to step 3: clear thinking means honestly acknowledging what we don't know and then placing those limitations at the centre of a controversy.

In fact, the most important tool of clear thinking is our ability to question (and further examine and refine) our ideas as if they were someone else's. Every belief stands or falls solely on its own terms, regardless of whether a thought is put forward by ourselves or others.

Source

Chatfield, Tom: How to think clearly to improve understanding and communication In: psyche