一起翻译一本书，公众号“追随己心”将带领大家一起翻译《Beyond Feelings: A Guide to Critical Thinking》，将学习了多年的英语真正用起来，体会原版书籍和英文的美。

Characteristics of Critical Thinkers

批判性思维者的特点

A number of misconceptions exist about critical thinking. One is that being able to support beliefs with reasons makes one a critical thinker. Virtually everyone has reasons, however weak they may be.The test of critical thinking is whether the reasons are good and sufficient.

对批判性思考存在不少误解。一是认为，能够通过推理来支持自己的信念，就可成为批判性思考者。实际上，每个人都有自己的推理，无论这些推理是多么的不充分。对批判性思考的检验是看这些推理是不是好的推理、是否充分。

Virtually  adv.  实际上，实质上，事实上，几乎; 无形中; 无形;

sufficient  adj.  足够的; 充足的; 充分的;

misconceptions  n.  误解; 错觉; 误解，错误想法，错误印象( misconception的名词复数 );

Another misconception is that critical thinkers never imitate others in thought or action. If that were the case, then every eccentric would be a critical thinker. Critical thinking means making sound decisions, regardless of how common or uncommon those decisions are.

另一个误解是批判性思考者从不模仿他人的思想和行动。如果事实如此，那每个古怪的人都会是批判性思考者。批判性思考意味着作出合理的决定，无论这些决定是多么的普普通通。

eccentric adj.  古怪的，异常的; 偏离轨道的; 离心的;

It is also a misconception that critical thinking is synonymous with having a lot of right answers in one’s head. There’s nothing wrong with having right answers, of course. But critical thinking involves the process of finding answers when they are not so readily available.

第三个误解是，批判性思考等同于一个人头脑中拥有许多正确的答案。当然，有正确答案没有什么错。但是，当正确答案不易获得时，批判性思考还包括寻找答案的过程。

synonymous  adj.  同义的，类义的; 同义词的;

readily  adv.  乐意地; 快捷地; 轻而易举地; 便利地;

And yet another misconception is that critical thinking cannot be learned, that one either has it or does not. On the contrary, critical thinking is a matter of habit. The most careless, sloppy thinker can become a critical thinker by developing the characteristics of a critical thinker. This is not to say that all people have equal thinking potential but rather that everyone can achieve dramatic improvement.

还有一个误解是批判性思考不能通过学习来获得，人们要么“有”、要么没有批判性思考。恰恰相反，批判性思考是一个习惯问题。通过培养批判性思考者的特性，最疏忽、草率的思考者也能成为一名批判的思考者。这不是说所有人都有同等的思考潜力，而是说每个人都可以实现引人注目的提高。

dramatic  adj.  戏剧的，戏剧性的; 引人注目的; 突然的; 巨大的;

sloppy  adj.  懒散的，草率的; 稀薄的; 多雨的，泥泞的; 过于伤感的;

We have already noted one characteristic of critical thinkers—skill in asking appropriate questions. Another is control of one’s mental activities. John Dewey once observed that more of our time than most of us care to admit is spent “trifling with mental pictures, random recollections, pleasant but unfounded hopes, flitting, half-developed impressions.” 7 Good thinkers are no exception. However, they have learned better than poor thinkers how to stop that casual, semiconscious drift of images when they wish and how to fix their minds on one specific matter, examine it carefully, and form a judgment about it. They have learned, in other words, how to take charge of their thoughts, to use their minds actively as well as passively.

我们已经注意到了批判性思考者的一个特征—提出恰当问题的技巧。另一个则是控制人的心智活动。约翰·杜威(John Dewey)曾指出，我们把比大多数人在意的更多的时间，承认浪费在了“琐碎的脑海图景，随机的回忆，愉悦但无根据的希望，掠过的、半生不熟的印象”。好的思考者也不例外。但是，只要他们愿意，他们就会比差的思考者更好地学会如何停止随意的、恍惚的景象漂移，以及如何把自己的心智固定在一个具体的问题上，仔细地考察它，并形成关于它的判断。换言之，他们已经学会如何控制自己的思想，积极和消极地运用心智。

Here are some additional characteristics of critical thinkers, as contrasted with those of uncritical thinkers:

下面是补充的有关批判性思考者的特征，和那些非批判性思考者的对比。

As the desirable qualities suggest, critical thinking depends on mental discipline. Effective thinkers exert control over their mental life, direct their thoughts rather than being directed by them, and withhold their endorsement of any idea—even their own—until they have tested and confirmed it. John Dewey equated this mental discipline with freedom. That is, he argued that people who do not have it are not free persons but slaves to whim or circumstance:

正如所提倡的这些可取的品质表明的，批判性思考依靠的是心智的自律。有效的思考者对自己的精神生活施加控制，引导自已的思维而不是受其控制，在他们检验并证实任何思想观念（即使是他们自己的）之前，拒绝对其予以认可。约翰-杜威把这种心智自律等同于自由。也就是说，他认为没有心智自律的人不是一个自由的人，而是情绪、环境的奴隶：

desirable  adj.  令人满意的; 值得拥有的; 可取的; 性感的;

withhold vt.  扣留; 拒绝给予; 抑制（某事物）; 制止，阻挡;

endorsement  n.  背书; 担保; 认可;

equated  v.  认为某事物（与另一事物）相等或相仿( equate的过去式和过去分词 ); 相当于; 等于; 把（一事物） 和（另一事物）等同看待;

whim  n.  一时的兴致; 突然的念头; 怪念头，奇想; 幻想;

If a man’s actions are not guided by thoughtful conclusions, then they are guided by inconsiderate impulse, unbalanced appetite, caprice, or the circumstances of the moment. To cultivate unhindered, unreflective external activity is to foster enslavement, for it leaves the person at the mercy of appetite, sense, and circumstance.

人的行动如果不受深思熟虑的结论所指导，那就受不假思索的冲动，不平衡的偏好，怪念头或一时的情境所引导。养成不爱限制、不假思索的外部行为习惯就是助长奴性，因为它把人置于喜好、感觉和情境的控制之下。

cultivate  vt.  耕作，种植; 教养，栽培; 改善; 交朋友;

unhindered  adj.  不受妨碍的，不受阻碍的; 顺畅;

inconsiderate  adj.  不替别人着想的; 不体谅别人的; 轻率的; 考虑不周的;

appetite  n.  欲望; 胃口，食欲; 嗜好，爱好;

enslavement  n.  奴役，强制;

foster  v.  培养; 抚育; 促进; 代养;

at the mercy of  任…摆布，在….前毫无办法

记：看到上面的文章，有没有发现是对自己以往的剖析，呵呵；批判性思考对人生的方方面面的影响太大了，思考的质量决定人生的质量这句话一点也没有言过其实。践行克制，练习自律，掌控自己的注意力、情绪和大脑，然后才能掌控自己的人生。当我们不再受外界的影响，甚至是来自内心的某些欠缺深思熟虑、经不起推敲的想法左右时，也许离真正的自由和幸福就更进一步啦。