ABSTRACT
Inchapter1Iarguedthatitwasappropriatetoidentifyeffective thinkingwiththevirtueorcharactertraitofthoughtfulness.Iclaimed thatcharactertraitsarelinkedtohabitsordispositionsbutthat, followingLesterHunt(1978),theycontainanideationalelementas well,anappreciationforthevalueorimportanceofcertainthings. Thethoughtfulpersonavoidsbothimpulsiveandstereotyped responsesbecauseheorsheiswonttodoso.Thoughtfulnessbecomes instinctive,butitisnotblindormechanicalsinceitderivesfroman appreciationofitsownvalue.Onemotiveforconceptualizingthinkingintermsofvirtueratherthanskillwastofocustheattentionof educatorsontheenvironmentwithinwhichthinkingtakesplace.
