Book Launch of "Critical Thinking: Thought and Practice" by Dr. Sumaya Al-Zaabout in Salt
Amman4 min read
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The book "Critical Thinking: Thought and Practice," authored by Professor Dr. Sumaya Eid Al-Zaabout, was launched on Saturday morning at the Cultural Bodies Complex hall in the city of Salt. The event was held under the patronage of Engineer Ibrahim Al-Khalayleh, in cooperation between the Al-Khader Street Forum for Culture and Arts and the Cultural Thinking Association for Talent and Creativity, in the presence of those interested in cultural and educational affairs.
The patron of the book launch, Engineer Ibrahim Al-Khalayleh, emphasized the importance of returning to reading and books, in light of the growing need to consolidate knowledge, enhance awareness, and develop individuals' abilities to think, analyze, and evaluate. This contributes to preparing generations capable of dealing with variables and making informed decisions.
Dr. Wael Al-Atiyat provided an overview of the book's author, reviewing her intellectual journey and efforts in the field of thinking and creativity. He noted that the book represents the fruit of Dr. Al-Zaabout's thought, practice, and personal achievement, and constitutes an addition to the efforts of the Talent Association for Thinking and Creativity in spreading a culture of thinking and developing capabilities.
For her part, Dr. Sumaya Eid Al-Zaabout reviewed her experience in preparing the book, explaining that the writing journey lasted three and a half years, and the book was published in 2025. She indicated that she began her journey by giving lectures virtually before moving to in-person lectures, as part of her efforts to spread the concepts of critical thinking and enhance its applications.
Al-Zaabout emphasized that critical thinking has become a necessity in building societies and the progress of nations. She stressed the importance of preparing students who possess the ability to evaluate the information and knowledge they receive, rather than just receiving it without analysis or scrutiny, based on the principle of deliberation before making judgments.
She explained that critical thinking is linked to an integrated system of thinking patterns, including systemic and strategic thinking, and relies on skills of discrimination, independence in thought, induction, and deduction, in addition to the ability to build arguments, provide evidence, and evaluate them according to logical foundations.
She stressed the necessity of integrating critical thinking skills into the educational process and family environments, which enhances the ability of students and individuals to analyze information, form evidence-based opinions, develop dialogue and reasoning skills, and avoid rushing into judgments.
The launch ceremony included a panel discussion that addressed the importance of critical thinking and its applications in daily life and education, with the participation of Dr. Haya Al-Huwaiti and Dr. Ghadir Al-Qutaishat.
Dr. Haya Al-Huwaiti, who holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Jordan and works as a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Jordan, discussed the importance of thinking in developing cognitive and educational capabilities, based on her academic and research experience and her contributions to preparing specialized works in the fields of talent, creativity, and distinguished education.
Dr. Ghadir Al-Qutaishat, a business administration specialist and head of the Business Incubators and Development Department at the Innovation Center at Al-Balqa Applied University, spoke about the concepts of excellence, vision, and purpose. She emphasized that critical thinking is based on the ability to discriminate, clarity of vision, and goal setting, and that criticism should be a means of guidance and development, not for insulting or belittling others.
She pointed out that critical thinking is not limited to the academic aspect, but represents a way of life that helps a person understand and analyze situations, evaluate opinions and information, and deal with various issues with awareness and responsibility.
The book launch comes in the context of efforts aimed at promoting a culture of reading and conscious thinking, and highlighting the importance of critical thinking in developing the educational system and building an independent personality capable of analysis, deduction, dialogue, and making decisions based on knowledge and evidence.
The head of the Al-Khader Street Forum for Culture and Arts delivered a welcoming speech, in which he welcomed the attendees and participants in the book launch ceremony. He emphasized the forum's goals in supporting cultural and intellectual movement, enhancing the presence of books and reading, and hosting activities and events that contribute to spreading knowledge, encouraging dialogue, and exchanging experiences, in a way that serves the local community and enhances the cultural scene in the city of Salt.
