Critical Thinking: Deciding What To Believe & What To Do

Introduction

Every day we are bombarded with messages apparently telling us what to do, or not to do, what to believe or not to believe. Some messages we just ignore, some we unreflectively obey and some we unreflectively reject. Critical Thinking is just about becoming a better thinker in every aspect of your life. It is a process in screening all the information or messages received and deciding what to believe and what to do.

You'll gain the critical thinking skills to become a more effective problem solver, decision maker, and communicator. By learning how to expand your critical thinking skills, you'll be able to think strategically, see the big picture and consider all sides of an issue - everything you need to do to become a better problem solver and decision maker.

Key outcomes

• MECE Consciousness. Understand the importance of organizing the massive amount of information so that in-depth analysis is done.
• Critical & Analytical Thinking Fundamentals. Learn the 3 fundamentals of critical thinking that will assist in the thought process.
• Critical Thinking Process. Understand how to use a fact based hypotheses followed by data gathering to analyse the real issue.
• Structured Critical Thinking Analysis. Learn how to conduct a structured critical thinking analysis to analyze a document, proposition or problem solution.
• Default Behaviors & Hidden Forces. Be aware of the default human behaviors that makes a person irrational in thinking.
• Analytical Data Gathering. Learn how to collect, research, and organize data using critical thinking standards.
• Advanced Questioning Skill. Learn how to use Socratic questioning technique to uncover beyond the obvious information and think thoroughly in all factors.
• Analytical Decision Making Technique. Use critical thinking tools and methods to come up with a more rational decision.

Key content

Module 1: The Fundamentals in Critical & Analytical Thinking

• The 3 Fundamentals in critical thinking & reasoning
• MECE Consciousness in critical & analytical thinking
• The five type of thinking and its dynamics
• Default behaviors and hidden forces that shapes your reasoning & decisions
• Applied critical thinking - critical thinking in action

Module 2: Structured Critical Reasoning Analysis

• Conducting a structured critical reasoning analysis
• 11 type of common logical fallacies
• Methods in analyzing reasons and evidence in a conclusion or argument
• Evaluating assumptions and evidence

Module 3: Advanced Questioning Skills Using 6 Socratic Questions

• Questions about the question or problem statement
• Questions for clarification
• Questions that probe assumptions
• Questions that probe reasons and evidence
• Questions that probe viewpoints and perspectives
• Questions that probe implications and consequences

Module 4: Data Gathering Using Analytical Thinking

• Generating key questions to focus the thought process
• Designing data gathering template (DGT)
• Using Socratic questioning skills to consider all factors
• Organizing the data's using Affinity techniques
• Generating a statement/conclusion based on evidence

Module 5: Decision Making Using Analytical Thinking

• Using focus method to ensure that we are directing our thinking towards results
• Designing decision making criteria
• Using CT decision making analysis
• Avoiding fatal flaws in group decision making
• Conducting adverse consequences on the decisions