Based on the analysis of socialization context within modern society, we justify development of critical thinking as an important educational goal, as well as the necessity of thoughtful, theoretically founded approach in its realization. Discussed difficulties in understanding the genuine meaning of critical thinking concept are related to the complexity of concept itself, but also with diverse and heterogeneous context it is used in, and superficial, purely pragmatic and theoretically unfounded practice. Thus, the paper is an attempt to identify the key theoretical problems regarding the conceptualization of critical thinking, and an invitation to serious consideration of its meaning, importance and practical implications.