Critical thinking skills encourage a person to process information cautiously, seeking to interpret it effectively, and to uncover any fallacies in the information or its interpretation. By contrast, a person who uses skills of intuition may be predisposed to accept or to criticize ideas on the basis of "gut instincts." While the use of critical thinking skills may be appropriate in scholarly or white-collar environments, people who lead action-oriented lives or who are employed in blue-collar pursuits may prefer to rely on their powers of intuition when trying to choose the best solution to a problem.
A person's use of critical thinking skills is characterized by his deliberate analysis of data, whereas a person's use of intuition can lead him to rapidly reach conclusions on the basis of the same data. While certain disciplines such as mathematics or applied sciences commonly require students to employee critical thinking skills as they analyze data, the use of these skills is optional depending on the ease with which a person is able to work within these disciplines. For example, a math savant may be able to calculate large sums at lightning speed, and may rely much more on his skills of intuition than any critical thinking skills that are taught to him (see Reference 1).
Since critical thinking skills are grounded in logical analysis of information, the use of such skills often augments a person's ability to remember noteworthy features of this information. In a real-world environment, critical thinking skills may be used to prevent fraudulent schemes of would-be criminals (see Reference 2). Applicants to law enforcement posts are often required to be trained in the use of critical thinking skills. Nevertheless, use of intuition is often what makes the difference between a skilled investigator and an experienced, masterful investigator.
Appreciation is a subjective act. While a person's use of critical thinking skills may yield understanding as he analyzes a literary or artistic work, intuitive appreciation provides him with the power to uncover a richness of meaning within these works that might not otherwise be accessible. Thus, a viewer may analyze Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" for hours upon end but may not be able to appreciate the simplicity of her smile without the help of his powers of intuition.
Because critical thinking skills rely heavily on a person's reasoning powers, they are uncommonly valuable to participants in a debate. Skills of intuition are also valuable in the context of communication, since they allow a speaker to gauge interest in those who listen to him.