are critical thinking skills required to make critical decisions?

Question

...go with this one where you will...

...i think someone's using the 'line item veto' on c-span's coverage of the attorney hearings right now.... that could be critical...

Answer 1

Permaculture and critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking skills are not required to make a decision. A decision can be made on the toss of a dice or coin. However, critical thinking skills help to make better informed, more balanced decisions. They give tools and a framework in which to evaluate problems and find solutions.
So how can we use different thinking skills to create and model these solutions? In the link below Toby Hemenway tries to define Permaculture in one sentence. Difficulties arise because of the fluid nature of Permaculture. Hemenway Discusses this definition exploring thinking tools.
http://www.ibiblio.org/InterGarden/permaculture/permaculture-list-archives-1999-2002/msg00315.html

Edward De Bono's thinking tools are often used in Permaculture as they provide an assessment framework for evaluating situations and seeking solutions. Perhaps best known for the concepts of , YES NO & PO rather than Plus, Minus and Interesting quoted on the site below but well worth a look. Also briefly covers other critical thinking skills such as input and output analysis and SWOT analysis. http://www.permaculture.org.uk/mm.asp?mmfile=pcdesignmethods.
Have a look at Mind mapping as a representation of thought and a way of ordering it. Also assessment frameworks can be 'borrowed' from a variety of disciplines.

Answer 2

They are useful for all kinds of decisions.

Unfortunately, folk who benefit from other folks bad decisions prefer that critical thinking not be a widely held skill. Unfortunately also there is considerable evidence that there is a common pathology called Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) that is evidenced by poor critical thinking skills, among many other factors.

There are some folks who think RWA is brought on by ignorance and propaganda, and others who believe that a true RWA lacks an empathy response,and that this is largely caused by severe Trauma, either in childhood, or something like PTSD in later life.

Wingers like Dobson and the US military apparently believe the latter as they use the same cult like abuse methods for both small children as well as Military recruits.

Abuse late in life apparently does not stick as well as many find that after they leave the cult like atmosphere of the military, and are able to reflect on what they remember they are overwhelmed with guilt.

One can protect ones own life from being manipulated by learning basic rules of logic, standard propaganda techniques, and how to watch for the rise of Fascist tendencies so one can resist them. Learning actual information of course is critical. Otherwise what can you think critically about?

If we all learn those skills most of the Cult propaganda from Neocons, Libertarians, Dominionists, and all the other theocrats, kleptocrats, fascists, and bigots would be the stuff of jokes rather than real threats.

Answer 3

No.
I make critical decisions frequently. It is critical that I make them but the thinking process itself isn't necessarily critical.

Obviously I am going to make poor choices, and it is a measure of quality as to how often this happens, but a poor decision is often less critical to the outcome than making no decision at all. That is I think, a reflection upon the world we live in. In years passed an architect could design a church and it would take 200 years to build. Imagine that. I think architects are the only artists that don't physically create their art... you know a sculptor actually makes that stuff personally .. whereas we always engage a team of artisans to do it for us. Decisions have to be made.

Now I could sit around and wait for God to guide me... like someone I know.. but he is completely indecisive, which is why he bacame a Christian Evangelist to make his fortune and why I did not. As he says.. the Holy Spirit gave us different gifts... whatever that means.

Answer 4

Yes it does, and consequently it undermines religious authority, employer authority and state authority later in life. The education system, much like church, is at least partially designed to 'brainwash' us into becoming obedient little workers as adults. Critical thinking is a threat to the system - if we think enough, we'll start to realize it needs changing. It is not in their interests to see change.

Answer 5

I'm laughing so hard, I don't believe I have the thinking skills to proceed further....
Have there been any critical decisions made in the last few years by...anyone with skills??

Ah, there is another dragon on the horizon! Please don't confuse with ME, the original.

Answer 6

One would think so.. But it turns out critical thinking and facts are a NO NO if looking for Democratic voters... During the progressive "Take Back America" conference,Drew Westen a psychology professor and brain researcher at Emory University and former associate professor at Harvard Medical , told the democrats that their constituents are stupid. He told them to appeal to constituents' emotions because "it doesn't make sense to argue an issue using facts and figures ... or to count on voters to make choices based on sophisticated understandings of policy differences or procedures." And there you have it. Avoid the facts, just go right for the heart!Dr. Westen is suggesting that manipulating a voter's emotions is better than boring them to tears with sophisticated understandings. He said "The brain prefers conclusions that are emotionally satisfying rather than conclusions that match the data." Don't bore your constituents with facts. Just tell them whatever makes them comfortable, warm, happy and all fuzzy. If Democratic voters actually did the research into any liberal platform issues, they would realize that the Democrats are wrong and playing to emotion...
So, in answer to your question, that depends on which group of peers one listens too.....

Answer 7

Of course not. Critical thinking skills are only needed if you want to make good critical decisions.

But--as our president has shown, you don't need to think at all to make bad decisions.

Answer 8

critical thinking, wisdom or blind luck are required to make the RIGHT decision.. assuming there is one.. but to make any decision.. right or wrong.. takes nothing more than a brain.

Answer 9

Yes, and they are two skills BUSH is critically lacking.

Answer 10

It's a very good question... They certainly should be, but lately I wonder if they are even allowed in the process at all....