Zachary Daniels
CRT/205
August 6, 2013
Kimberly Corpening
What is Critical Thinking?
Every big decision begins with the process of critical thinking. Critical thinking plays a huge role in everyday decision making whether it be at work or personal. There are a few main elements to critical thinking. Understanding these elements can help someon use critical thinking in the decision-making process.
Issues
Issues in the role of critical thinking are simply questions. “The first order of business when it comes to thinking critically about an issue is to determine what, exactly, the issue is” (Moore & Parker, Critical Thinking, Ch. 1). Determining what the real issue or question is can sometimes be difficult but this must be the first step. Also, issues can be subjective or objective. A subjective issue is a question with someone’s opinion of the truth. An objective issue is a question witch doesn’t matter whether a person believes it to be true or not because if it is true no single person’s opinion matters.
Arguments
An argument contains two parts. One of these parts is the premise or premises. A premise is a reason for accepting a claim or belief. The premise only supports the conclusion if it is true and relevant to the claim. The second part of an argument is the conclusion to the claim. Truth and Knowledge. Truth is something you can prove without reasonable doubt. If something is to be true then a person using evidence to support that truth. Knowledge is something that we accept to be true if we believe in it. Believing something, can present an argument that justifies the belief, and we have no reason to suspect that we are mistaken.
Conclusion
By understanding the elements of critical thinking, you will clearly be able to make logical decisions. Being able to make logical decisions is a great way to help you with your everyday professional and personal life.
References
Moore, B. N., & Parker, R. (2012). Critical thinking (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
References: Moore, B. N., & Parker, R. (2012). Critical thinking (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Critical thinking is analyzing and evaluating the information that one has. After evaluating the information one will have a clear view of what is the next step to make and will has a good judgment.…
- 156 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Critical thinking can occur within any given subject field, As the text book stated in Chapter one, “critical thinking” is not synonymous with good thinking,” “hard thinking,” “clear thinking,” “constructing arguments,” problem solving,” or “thinking outside the box. “Critical thinking kicks in after you have done these and other kinds of thinking.Critical thinking is the purposeful and reflective judgment about what to believe and what to do in response to the observations, experience, verbal or written expressions or arguments. Critical thinking is a well-defined term. It is not subject to the miss-interpretation of people who do not know exactly what it means, again, in my opinion. Critical thinking, as I understand it, and also believe to be accurate, is examining presented information for both internal and external consistency with what is known. It is the spotting of miss-information in that way. You take facts and events without using your personal opinions or feeling. You must rely on reason and follow the evidence, we must think about our own thinking. A person who develops these critical thinking skills is able to raise vital questions and problems about the issues. The critical thinker gathers and evaluates information that is relevant to the question or problem at hand and is able to use abstract ideas to interpret these questions or problems effectively. In Chapter one in the text book for this course in my understanding, Critical thinking is the process of deducing events and statements logically and drawing a conclusion that best fits the scenario. Critical thinking requires comprehension and excellent communication…
- 269 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is more than just thinking through a situation. It is the use of fallacies and rhetorical devices that allow you to better prepare your argument to cause certain actions or reactions from yourself and those around you. It is being able to identify creditable information from false information and the way the media is giving you that information. Critical Thinking is not quickly jumping to conclusions but taking time to think through all sides and finding all information to make the best decision that needs to be made for yourself or the situation at hand. In my week one response I simply thought critical thinking was just taking the time to think through things and not making decisions without thinking them through. That is part of critical thinking but it isn’t it entirely. From week one to week nine in this course I have learned what critical thinking really means and I understand now what it means to think critically and what it involves. I have learned how to use critical thinking. I am able to identify fallacies and different techniques the media uses to manipulate certain reactions out of me. I am able to recognize factual information from false information better now than before. I have learned that my week one response to what is critical thinking wasn’t even half of what the answer really is. Critical thinking takes focus and time. In my opinion. I have found myself thinking critically a lot more often than I did before. I catch myself before making snap judgments or decision and remind…
- 379 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Skillful decision making starts with a decisive and tactical thought process. Many sources characterize critical thinking as the ability to direct one's thinking. Critical thinking includes the capability to evaluate the premises of one's reasoning, and/or the interpretation of another viewpoint. It also involves the controlled assessment of information sources. There is no authoritative classification of critical thinking though.…
- 315 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Critical thinking is basically critiquing the thinking of yourself or another individual. According to the text, Critical Thinking “You might say that critical thinking involves thinking about thinking; we engage in it when we consider whether our thinking (or someone else’s) abides by the criteria of good sense and logic” (p.2). Mistakes are made in reasoning and this is where critical thinking helps. Critical thinking is a process that takes skilled thinking. Critical thinking is reflecting on your reasoning and trying to make it better. According to the text, Critical Thinking, “We think critically when we evaluate the reasoning we (and others) use in coming to a conclusion about something” (p.25). The result in critical thinking is making a wise decision, coming to correct conclusions, and not having to do the same process over and over. Logic and good sense are a part of critical thinking. If there is no logic and good sense then there is no critical thinking. Critical thinking involves in depth thinking and consideration. Things such as emotion, greed, and stupidity get in the way of critical thinking. Critical thinking involves being a rational thinker in other words the thought process has to make sense. Analyzing, examining everything that comes with the situation or decision that has to be made. Critical thinking is important because it allows for everything to be on the table and then it can be evaluated to form a correct conclusion. Overall, critical thinking is a process that can be mastered and will only be beneficial.…
- 260 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Critical thinking and decision making has a lot in common. In order to arrivie at a conclusive decision, one must be able to think rationally. To think rational is to think critically. Eichhorn (1991) came to a conclusion that people believe that people have to understand what someone else is thinking as well what they are thinking. "Critical thinking emphasizes logic and requires the questioning of assumptions; therefore, it can challenge people 's biases and prejudices and cause students discomfort."(Eichhorn, 2001, p.4). "Judgment refers to cognitive aspects of the decision-making process." (Bazerman, 2002, p.2). Life can be viewed as a constant series of decisions. Only by making rational decisions does one "take charge" of their lives. Some decisions seem unimportant but are important. For example, every minute or two we answer, by our behavior, the question: What is the best use of my time right now? Any one decision about the next couple of minutes of our lives may be trivial but taken altogether the cumulative effect of making those millions of decisions determine the outcome of our lives, religion to accept and what to do socially with peers.…
- 973 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
The concepts of critical thinking and perception are both gaining increasing importance in the world today. Critical thinking allows one to understand difficult concepts in a manner that is clearer and more defined. One can more readily understand those concepts if they employ critical thinking. In all portions of everyday life, a person is expected to make independent judgments. Those judgments are based on experience and knowledge. Without the ability to think critically, every situation that a person comes across would have to be considered in isolation from all other situations. When a person encounters a problem that is a new one, he or she may be able to use critical thinking to solve those problems. One manner in which a person can develop critical thinking skills is through using them in all situations. By doing this, a person can discern when to use certain skills. One way of using critical thinking is to review material and analyze that material. There are many times when critical thinking is an important concept. It is important in the classroom. It is important in the boardroom. It is important for not only the student, but also the CEO. The mother or the teacher can apply critical thinking. Doctors employ critical thinking, as do nurses. Everyone employs critical thinking at one time or another whether or not this is even realized. This critical thinking needs to be channeled as well as focused. While critical thinking is important in all occupations, it must begin in childhood. Teachers must help their students to develop critical thinking modalities. Critical thinking helps considerably in problem solving. Without critical thinking, one must rely on old and outdated information. All businesses, from the simplest to the most technologically advanced, need critical thinkers. Critical thinking also helps in decision-making. Both problem solving and decision-making abilities are vital to a prosperous business. Persons who are…
- 1264 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
Since critical thinking begins with assumptions we must first be aware of the assumption, then make the assumption and finally assess it. Critical thinking is how a person assesses the reasons for or against a decision being made so the assumption is neither good nor bad until fully assessed. Critical thinking is also done by being completely unbiased. This can be hard sometimes due to our emotions. Our emotions make up who we are which can sometimes cause barriers when making a critical decision. So the trick is to not ignore or deny our emotions but learn how to manage and handle them. In order to manage our emotions we may need to argue with ourselves or others whether or not something is true or not. An argument will allow the issue to be assessed along with the reasons of why or why not a decision is valid. The argument will also lead to one or more conclusions in determining what the final decision should be. The ultimate objective in thinking critically is to come to conclusions that are correct and to make decisions that are wise. (Critical thinking (10th ed.) (Moore & Parker). So to me critical thinking is not ill formed decisions but decisions that have been thought through and weighed to come up with the best conclusion. It usually isn’t our first thought that comes to mind. You have to critically think about the conclusions you are trying to come to without being biased in the process, which as I said can be difficult because we all have emotions.…
- 282 Words
- 9 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
According to Foundation for Critical Thinking (2009), Edward Glaser (1941) stated critical thinking “involves three things: (1) an attitude of being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems and subjects that come within the range of one’s experiences, (2) knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning, and (3) some skill in applying those methods” (Defining Critical Thinking, para. 12). Whereas Scriven & Paul (1987) based critical thinking “on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness” (Defining Critical Thinking, para. 2).While…
- 645 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Evaluating the effect of the problem establishes the potential consequences and results of a problem. Applying critical thinking to this step allows one to evaluate the effects factually while…
- 1146 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Critical thinking is the talent to rationally think. It includes the ability to involve in reflective and liberated thinking. While involved in critical thinking, you are able to understand the reasonable connection with ideas. You will also be able to identify, build, and evaluate opinions. Also, critical thinking helps you identify and find the importance in the ideas of what you are trying to figure out.…
- 260 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
An essential element of critical thinking is learning how to ask questions that will uncover the information needed to make an informed decision. Many decisions that citizens make have direct impact on their day to day lives.…
- 1052 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Critical thinking is a very important part of any business. In order for successful decisions to be made, a thorough analysis of options is vital. While some decisions can be more important than others, all decisions in business should be considered with critical thinking skills in mind.…
- 1028 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
“Thinking is skilled work. It is true that we are naturally endowed with the ability to think but to do so clearly and logically require effort.” (Mandler,1976). As humans, we are innately inclined to think. It is a frequent occurrence and may happen anywhere and at anytime of the day. Critical thinking is a process of utilizing logic and reasoning to separate facts from opinions as well as controlling our minds to better understand the thinking of both ourselves and others. It is an essential tool we can use to evaluate and challenge the thoughts and ideas that occur to us. Thus, Critical thinking is very beneficial to society as it is key for academic success, absolutely necessary in the workplace where it promotes healthy decision making all in an effort to limit the effects of egocentricity in one’s life.…
- 1141 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Critical thinking is an important and valuable skill to have. Critical thinking affects both your professional lifestyle as well as your personal lifestyle. Critical thinkers should encompass skills needed to thoroughly analyze all the variables in a problem. During critical thinking, decisions should be based upon logic, and relevant and accurate data. Problem-solving and decision making is part of our everyday lives. It is important to use critical and creative thinking when solving problems and making decisions. Without thinking critically, you may miss out on important details that may help you come up the best solution or make the best decision.…
- 1118 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays