Critical thinking is essential in our everyday decision-making process. Our knowledge is limited when making decision between good or bad.
In our lecture video, it explains the who, what, where and when of critical thinking. It also pointed out the importance of asking the how and why when making a decision and never to be afraid in asking questions of how and why because it is through them that we find a clear answer we did not know we had.
The video on critical thinking also talked about researching, reading, and asking questions from the information’s gathered. The ranking of answers based on level of importance to least of importance is key.
From the material on Learning the Art of Critical Thinking; it tells us the advantage of the skilled thinker.
The reason why good thinking pays off and the deficiency of a poor thinker. The problems that emanate from poor thinking skill.
The material explains in a concise definition and the description of critical thinking which can be summed up as a disciplined art of ensuring we use the best thinking we are capable of in any set circumstances and being able to ask questions at a given situation.
The material also spoke on six perturbing questions about how deep thinking can successfully answer those questions but not without first learning to become an effective critic of those possible answer after deep thinking and the quality of such answers.
We learn about thinking through several means –
- Asking ourselves unusual questions. This is through thinking about how the mind processes information.
- Trying to understand how to analyses, evaluate, or reconstruct ones thinking.
However, it is essential in trying to understand what has just been said, there is need to summarise those words in our own words for clarity.
It is important to clarify our own thinking for better understanding in other to ensure others understand it as well because from our standpoint it is clear, but as for others it might be vague, ambiguous and even misleading. For deep thinkers, the art of clarifying is essential through pinning such down, spelling it out and ensuring specific meaning is given to what has been said.
On figuring out the real meaning of what people are saying, we need to go beneath the surface to understand clearly.
We need to also ensure we understand the standpoint of others and they clearly understand ours as well. It is baseless to agree or disagree when we don’t understand others.
We were also taught in the material the strategies for clarifying our thinking. They are:
- To state our point one at a time.
- Elaborate/Explain what we mean by what has been said.
- Connecting through examples to pass the message through our experiences.
- Clarifications and explanation to seek if the ideas have been understood clearly or clarity is required.
There is need to learn to stick to the point. This is essential for a disciplined thinking mind. To be able to focus on the point in question and avoid wandering away from such issue(s). While undisciplined mind is the reverse of the disciplined mind.
A disciplined thinker is an asset and only focuses on the main task at hand. And only takes what is salient, pertinent, and related to the issue at hand.
The third aspect points on how our question or questions are not fully loaded with solutions to solve problems or make better decision. How good thinkers routinely ask questions in other to solve problems within their environment. Also, how those who ask powerful questions learn a fulfilling life.
Finally, with all these, the hallmark of a critical thinker is the disposition to change one’s opinion when given a reason to. One must be skilled to reason when better decision is given.
#MMBA-04
