I use those kinds of questions almost every day for practical problem-solving.
When at college, the kind of critical thought needed for literary criticism incorporates some of those questions. But it also requires various kinds of logic peculiar to linguistic analysis and emotional reasoning about human nature and social interactions.
There are many kinds of critical thought.
In colloquial speech, "critical" often means the abusive expression of negative judgments, usually as a mask which does not directly deal with the source or trigger for the anger that drives the criticism.
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critical
ˈkrɪtɪk(ə)l/
adjective
adjective: critical
1.
expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgements.
"there was critical agreement among Renaissance specialists"
(of a text) incorporating a detailed and scholarly analysis and commentary.
"a critical edition of a Bach sonata"
involving the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.
"professors often find it difficult to encourage critical thinking amongst their students"
3.
(of a situation or problem) having the potential to become disastrous; at a point of crisis.
"the floodwaters had not receded and the situation was still critical"
synonyms:
grave, serious, dangerous, risky, perilous, hazardous, precarious, touch-and-go, in the balance, uncertain, desperate, dire, acute, very bad; More
antonyms:
safe
extremely ill and at risk of death.
"she was critical but stable in Middlesbrough General Hospital"
having a decisive or crucial importance in the success, failure, or existence of something.
"temperature is a critical factor in successful fruit storage"
synonyms:
crucial, vital, essential, of the essence, all-important, important, of the utmost importance, of great consequence, high-priority, paramount, pre-eminent, fundamental, key, pivotal, deciding, decisive, climacteric, momentous; More
antonyms:
unimportant
4.
MATHEMATICSPHYSICS
relating to or denoting a point of transition from one state to another.
"if the density is less than a certain critical value the gravitational attraction will be too weak to halt the expansion"
5.
(of a nuclear reactor or fuel) maintaining a self-sustaining chain reaction.
"the reactor is due to go critical in October"
Origin
mid 16th century (in the sense ‘relating to the crisis of a disease’): from late Latin criticus (see critic).
tom jackson 