Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Essentials

Critical Thinking – Definition & Dispositions

Purposeful, reflective judgment; weighs evidence, context, methods, standards
Key dispositions: inquisitive, well-informed, alert to opportunities, self-confident, open-minded, flexible, empathetic, fair, honest about biases, prudent, willing to revise views

5-Step IDEAS Process

I Identify problem & set priorities
D Determine relevant information; deepen understanding
E Enumerate options; anticipate consequences
A Assess situation; make preliminary decision
S Scrutinize process; self-correct

Core Cognitive Skills

Interpretation
Analysis
Inference
Evaluation
Explanation
Self-Regulation

Key Tasks & Guiding Questions

• Interpretation – clarify meaning (“What does this mean?”)
• Analysis – uncover arguments, assumptions (“What is your conclusion?”)
• Inference – draw reasonable conclusions (“Given what we know, what follows?”)
• Evaluation – judge credibility & logical strength (“How credible is that claim?”)
• Explanation – justify reasoning (“Please walk us through your reasoning.”)
• Self-Regulation – monitor & refine thinking (“What are we missing?”)

Obstacles to Critical Thinking

Fallacious reasoning
Bias in data gathering, assumptions, or conclusions

Frequent Logical Fallacies

• Straw Man • Ad Hominem • Appeal to Popularity • Appeal to Tradition • Genetic Fallacy • Equivocation • Appeal to Ignorance • False Dilemma • Begging the Question • Hasty Generalization • Slippery Slope • Composition • Division

Tools & Techniques

Ask basic questions (What do we know? How?)
Challenge assumptions; reverse causality
Monitor mental processes: heuristics & cognitive biases
Use: Checklists (process rigor), Mindfulness (awareness), Brainstorming (idea fluency)