Who Is the Critical Being?

Is criticality discernible in terms of skills alone or does it extend to dispositions and virtues? Who is (and who is not) a critical being? I present two sets of claims. In relation to the features of the critical being, I argue, first, that the notion of criticality includes sets of abilities, propensities and character traits; second, that they are interrelated and not separated by sharp boundaries; and third, that the critical being needs an assortment of abilities and related dispositions together with a full complement of intellectual virtues. And in respect of how we may decide upon the makeup of the critical being, I argue that we cannot, in this process, forget about those persons we have excluded or silenced. I draw on educational philosophy to address these important questions.