Critical Thinking in a Post-Postmodern Age: Noble Endeavor … or Hopeless Cause?

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Abstract
In a previous editorial, I provided a few brief remarks about a complicated concept—critical thinking (Paul, 2018). In the present article, I attempt to unpack this construct a little further to explore the challenges of understanding and developing critical thinking skills. Here are a few questions for reflection: What does it mean to be a critical thinker? Can one be a "good" or "bad" critical thinker? Or, is it more appropriate to inquire whether an individual can be a "broad" or "narrow" critical thinker? Is it possible to teach critical thinking skills? Is it possible to "evaluate" a person's critical thinking abilities in an objective manner? In this so- called post- postmodern age (i.e., the era after postmodernism), is critical thinking a noble endeavor (e.g., necessary for a participatory democracy or advancing knowledge) or a hopeless cause (i.e., impossible due to relativistic worldviews or subjective approaches to knowledge)?