“Critical Thinking Approach” as a Neo-Socratic Dialogue, a Way to Wisdom and Inner Development?

Abstract This chapter examines whether the Critical Thinking Approach, a philosophical approach to Neo-Socratic dialogue, can be a way to wisdom and inner development. It discusses the Critical Thinking Approach’s main principles and compares them with the findings of psychological wisdom research. The results indicate strong theoretical commonalities between the cognitive dimension of wisdom and Critical Thinking Approach principles, such as multiperspective and integrative thinking, self-reflection, and cognitive humility, but there are differences in conceptions of emotion. In the Critical Thinking Approach, thinking dominates over emotions, whereas in wisdom research emotion and thinking are often assumed to be integrated. The chapter understands the Critical Thinking Approach as a form of philosophical practice that brings philosophy into everyday life. The Critical Thinking Approach employs a number of wisdom-enhancing methods, such as reflective dialogue, self-reflection in various forms and ego-decentering techniques. This chapter concludes that there are similarities between Critical Thinking Approach principles and psychological wisdom. However, the impact of the Critical Thinking Approach for developing wisdom requires further empirical research.