Critical thinking is not possible without organizing information within our minds as well as in the universe around us. To be able to organize effectively, it is helpful to know the origins of orders, some natural as well as mental orders, some effective steps in helping us organize, and lastly to realize which orders are being incorporated in this critical thinking process.
Order comes partly from us and partly from our environment, which includes the universe. Order in ourselves is seen in our brains where it seems to organize information and either distributes it properly, or stores it accordingly. Order outside of our human bodies is seen in such things as the rotation of planets, gravity, and seasons. .
Some of our minds" order comes from our world around us. This is called natural order. Natural orders that are both in our minds and our world are causal order, chronological order, topical order, and analogical order. (Kirby et al, p.120).
Causal order is generally known as cause and effect. Our minds recognize that all changes must have reasons. Those reasons would be the cause for the change, and the change brought about would be the effect. Chronological order is when we see changes around us over a certain time frame. Topical order is seen as something's natural place in the world, or its place in the universe. Lastly, analogical order has to do with the recognition of similarities or like qualities. (Kirby et al, p.120).
Mental orders are a second set of orders that, unlike natural orders, come directly from our minds. Mental orders can be logical, arbitrary, or even scientific.
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With all of these orders present at any given time, the need for steps in organizing is crucial. Grouping, or clustering, is a very effective first step in organization. Items or sets of information that seem to fit together should be grouped accordingly.
A second step after grouping, is to look at the groups of information and decide if anything should be added, deleted, or changed.