Critical Conversations

The notion of assumption plays an important role in the literature on critical thinking. However, the critical imperative of revealing one’s assumptions forces one either to follow some predefined scheme in which they are defined—in which case it restricts thinking and runs counter to the critical ideal—or to recognise that one cannot know those assumptions— in which case it is impossible. In this paper I firstly argue that assumptions made in/by a set of beliefs or sentences are relational in that they arise out of the relation between differing beliefs systems. Secondly, I attempt to describe the way in which that scope is crafted in critical conversations within a community of inquiry, hence establishing a relation between the community scope and that of the beliefs systems of individuals. Thirdly, based on this analysis, I present some elements which characterise the ways in which conversations can be critical, thus enhancing [or diminishing] the scope of the individuals’ beliefs systems, and therefore also of the community of inquiry. And lastly, some questions and issues concerning the [lack of] completeness of the analysis given are discussed.