What is critical thinking - Essay Example

Discussion Questions What is critical thinking? What characteristics do critical thinkers demonstrate? What are the benefits of critical thinking? How is critical thinking beneficial in the decision-making process? What are examples of critical thought that should be considered when making decisions? (200-400 words) Critical thinking is the process whereby a person rejects the usual norms and values of people and start taking his own rational and unbiased judgments about the issues. Critical thinking involves the process where a person intellectual skills are fully utilized rejecting any influence of other forces like culture, people around, social boundaries and religious values.

There are a number of intellectual traits which critical thinkers possess. These include the intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, intellectual sense of justice, intellectual perseverance, intellectual fair-mindedness, intellectual confidence in reasoning, intellectual courage, intellectual empathy and intellectual autonomy. Critical thinking helps us in analyzing our thoughts for possible biases and discriminations about certain issues and personalities. The self-concept is changed and enculturation is lessened through critical thinking which helps us in making more informed and unbiased judgments and decisions.

We often make decisions based on the way the issues are presented to us. The media, culture, values, religion and other factors influence our decision making processes. Critical thinking directs us towards an open minded and unbiased judgment about issues. It helps us in making rational decisions without being affected by our self concept or other influences. Critical thinking requires an open mind which is not affected by feelings of anger, depression and tension. The ego defenses also need to be considered when thinking critically for making decisions.

DQ2 What are the steps in the University of Phoenix decision-making model? Which step in the University of Phoenix decision-making model is most important? Why? Why is it important to include processes for implementing and evaluating the decision? (200-400 words) The University of Phoenix provides a nine step decision-making model. The first step involves identification of problem or issue, second step includes definition of criteria, aims and objectives, third step aims to analyze the possible impacts of the issue or problem, fourth step is the analysis of causes which are giving rise to the issue, fifth step is to frame alternatives, sixth step is to analyze those alternatives effectively, seventh step is to make a decision based on those analyses, eighth step is to evaluate the impact of the decision chosen and ninth step is to implement that decision in the situation to resolve the issue.

The most important aspect is that of analyzing the problem. Proper identification of the problem leads to successful completion of the latter stages of the model. There is always a need to implement a decision. Mere identification of problem or selection of alternatives do not resolve the issue but proper implementation and action plan helps in curbing issues. The evaluation of decisions helps in identification of any problems or weaknesses that present in the decision or the situation. The plans or decisions may be reviewed if the evaluation of decisions provides a negative or inappropriate result as per expectations.

There is a need to properly formulate and implement the decision, yet, the decision made should be flexible in case of inconsistent results.