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Every day, a sea of decisions stretches before us.
我们无时不刻都在做各种各样的决定。
Some are small and unimportant, but others have a larger impact on our lives.
有些微不足道，有些却会对我们的生活造成很大影响。
For example, which politician should I vote for?
比如说，我该投票给哪个政客？
Should I try the latest diet craze? Or will email make me a millionaire?
要不要试试最新的减肥食谱？或是这封电邮会让我成为百万富翁吗？
We're bombarded with so many decisions that it's impossible to make a perfect choice every time.
我们被大量的决定围攻着，很多时候没法做出最好的决定。
But there are many ways to improve our chances, and one particularly effective technique is critical thinking.
但有很多提高正确几率的方法，其中最有效的方法就是批判性思维。
This is a way of approaching a question that allows us to carefully deconstruct a situation, reveal its hidden issues, such as bias and manipulation, and make the best decision.
这种解决问题的思维方式，能让我们更仔细地分析形势，发现隐藏的问题，比如一些偏见和操纵，并作出更好的选择。
If the critical part sounds negative that's because in a way it is.
如果你觉得“批判性”有点儿否定意味，那正说明它在起作用。
Rather than choosing an answer because it feels right, a person who uses critical thinking subjects all available options to scrutiny and skepticism.
一个具有批判性思维的人，不会因为哪个听起来不错就选哪个，而会仔细审查每一个选择，并抱有怀疑态度。
Using the tools at their disposal, they'll eliminate everything but the most useful and reliable information.
他们会用一切手段排除其他选项，只留下最有用、最值得信赖的信息。
There are many different ways of approaching critical thinking, but here's one five-step process that may help you solve any number of problems.
运用批判性思维的方法有很多，这里讲的方法只需五步，就可以帮你解决各种问题。
One: formulate your question. In other words, know what you're looking for.
第一：明确你的问题。换句话说，知道你想要什么。
This isn't always as straightforward as it sounds.
这有时并不如想象中的直接。
For example, if you're deciding whether to try out the newest diet craze, your reasons for doing so may be obscured by other factors, like claims that you'll see results in just two weeks.
比如说，你在考虑尝试最近流行的饮食方法，声称“两周内就能看到效果”，你的初衷可能被其它因素而遮盖。
But if you approach the situation with a clear view of what you're actually trying to accomplish by dieting, whether that's weight loss, better nutrition, or having more energy, that'll equip you to sift through this information critically, find what you're looking for, and decide whether the new fad really suits your needs.
但如果你面对选择时有更明晰的观点，你真正想要通过这个饮食方法达到什么效果——为了减重也好，为了更均衡的营养也好，或是为了更有活力，就使你更批判地筛选信息，从而找到你真正想要的答案，决定这个点子是否能真正符合你的需要。
