Critical_Thinking__Strategies_in_Decision_Making

Critical Thinking Gary Varnell University of Phoenix MGT 350 Critical Thinking: Strategies in Decision Making BSAW0OJZE2 Ly-Huong Pham Critical thinking is an important ability that each individual uses when making decisions and it is also an ability that everyone should learn more about. This paper is designed to show the importance of critical thinking as it relates to decision making. It will give a detailed description of an experience that was as a result of the use of critical thinking. Finally, it will discuss the importance and benefits of critical thinking in the decision-making process. Critical thinking can be defined as “the disciplined are of ensuring that you use the best thinking you are capable of in any set of circumstances” (Paul & Elder 2005). In other words, critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and in a rational manner. “Critical thinking is the process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment” (Facione 2008) which gives reasonable consideration to not only evidence, but also contexts, concepts, methods, and criteria. The goal of critical thinking, which many consider to be a judgment process, is to decide what to believe and/or what do as it relates to the evidence of any given problem as well as the possible solutions and the results of the possible solution(s). Just because a person accumulates a large amount of information does not mean that they are a good critical thinker. Neither is a person with a good memory or a person who knows a lot of facts necessarily good at critical thinking. A critical thinker can be easily defined as someone who is able to look at the evidence of the problem in an unbiased manner, deduce the consequences of the problem, seek all possible relevant sources that can be used to better inform him/her in a way that allows them to make the best possible decision to rectify the solution at hand. People use critical thinking skills on almost a daily basis. They use these skills to help them make critical decisions that are involved in their daily work. Some decisions do not allow people to have a large amount of time to make a decision which is why people must be able to think in a critical manner in a short amount of time. One instance of this would be when a person is already working at one job and offered employment at another company. This author had this happen on one particular occasion in which he was already employed at one company but was offered employment at another company. Even though he was making more money at the first employer, the second employer offered him the chance to work closer to home and be able to spend more time with his new family. He had to not only weigh the fact that he would be giving up more money just to be closer to home, but also the added stress that would come as a result of his new position as an assistant manager. The importance and benefits of critical thinking as it relates to the decision-making process are numerous. “Critical thinking, then, provides the tools of mind you need to think through anything and everything that requires thought – in college and in life” (Paul & Elder 2005). As the intellectual skills of a person are developed, they gain tools necessary to deliberately and thoughtfully reason through the thinking tasks that are necessary to reach their short-term and long-term goals. According to Paul & Elder, a person who is a well-cultivated thinker will be able to do the following: raise vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively comes to well-reasoned conclusion and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems. Critical thinking is something that we all use on a daily basis and at numerous times throughout the day. Whether it be deciding what we are going to have for breakfast or deciding which supplier our employer should use on a certain job. Critical thinking is the mode of thinking as it relates to any subject, content, or problem that allows the thinker to improve the quality of their thinking by carefully analyzing their thinking, assessing their thinking, and then reconstructing it. References Facione, N., & Facione, P. (2008). Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment. Optometric Education, 33(3), 97-102. Retrieved April 3, 2010 from Education Research Complete database. Paul, Richard, & Elder, Linda. (2005). Critical thinking. Prentice Hall.