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CRITICAL THINKING STYLES.
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Discusses problems of thinking and problem solving.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses problems of thinking and problem solving. Basic methods of thinking (logical, analytical, scientific, ratiocinative, emotive, intuitive). Major forms of thinking processes. The logical thinker. The critical thinker. The counterfactual thinker. Barriers to achieving high levels of critical thinking skills. How people acquire, structure and process information.

Paper Introduction:
Critical Thinking Styles and Forms of Influence Introduction “An excellent thinker is a person who can approach an analysis with an open mind; one who can digest the information presented, separate the relevant from the irrelevant, and come to logical conclusions regardless of any prior knowledge about a situation or any perceptions, pet ideas, or biases" (Altier, 1999). This quote from William Altier,in his book, The Thinking Manager’s Toolbox, defines the challenge of providing a concise guide to the problems of thinking and problem solving. There are, says Altier, as many ways of thinking and analyzing problems as there are people. Some of the basic methods of thinking are logical, analytical, scientific, ratiocinative, emotive, intuitive, and so on. However, there are certain e

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A primary distinction isbetween upward comparisons of reality to better possible alternatives anddownward comparisons of reality to worse possible alternatives. Critical Thinking Styles and Forms of Influence Introduction "An excellent thinker is a person who can approach an analysis with anopen mind; one who can digest the information presented, separate therelevant from the irrelevant, and come to logical conclusions regardless ofany prior knowledge about a situation or any perceptions, pet ideas, orbiases" (Altier, 1999). Much concern is being expressed in academia concerning whether or notcritical thinking can be taught. In other words, we are what we think we are, and our criticalthinking processes reflect clearly who we think we are. Styles are also thought, at least by some, to vary across context and specific tasks as well as developmental period, and to be socialized by the predominant culture (Galotti, 1999, (Sternberg, 1997). The Counterfactual Thinker According to an article in the Administrative Science Quarterly, acounterfactual thinker is one who maintains a stance or opinion, regardlessof evidence to the contrary. This quote from William Altier,in his book, TheThinking Manager's Toolbox, defines the challenge of providing a conciseguide to the problems of thinking and problem solving. It is a type of reasoning that usesformulas for determination. Thedifferential consequences of upward versus downward counterfactualcomparisons are much like those of upward versus downward socialcomparisons"(Morris, 2 , 14). Premise Two: A math student is a computer. Social scientists are struggling to find out if thereare, stable, predictable, individual differences in the way people acquire, structure, or process information, and approach or perform different learning or problem-solving tasks. A fine book, The Creative Process, (1996), edited by Ghiselin,suggests the diverse thinking methods used by artists and thinkers. Some of the basic methods of thinking arelogical, analytical, scientific, ratiocinative, emotive, intuitive, and soon. As you read this book, you seehow people tend to think -- Einstein in numbers and math, Marc Chagall incolor and shape, and so on. The same is true inbusiness, in government, in teaching, in every profession" (Altier, 1999,34). Describing this concept in some detail, Morris (2 ) points out thatsocial psychologists are distinguishing types of counterfactual thoughtsthat "have different functions or consequences. Galotti givescredence to this assumption when she points to the real issue indetermining whether gender, age, background, environment or heredity affecthow a person thinks. (1996), The Creative Process:Reflections on the Inventionof Art, Los Angeles: University of California Press Morris, M.W. (2 , Dec.), The Lessons We (Don't) Learn:Counterfactual Thinking and Organizational Accountability after a CloseCall, Administrative Science Quarterly, 14 Both of these books suggest the wide range of research now going onconcerning "how people think." This paper will consider some of the majorforms of thinking processes that have been analyzed, and suggest how anunderstanding of those forms is essential to good management. Conclusion: All math students are machines. (1999), The Thinking Manager's Toolbox:EffectiveProcesses for Problem Solving and Decision Making, London: Oxford UnivPress Browne, M.N.(1999, June), Teaching how to teach Critical Thinking,College Student Journal, 22 Galotti, K.M., (1999, May), A New Way of Assessing Ways of Knowing:The Attitudes Toward Thinking and Learning Survey, Sex Roles: A Journal ofResearch, 13 Ghiselin, B. For instance, one of the classics ofthis type of reasoning is this syllogism. The Critical Thinker "In medicine, in flying, in golf, it's the knowledge of the processesinvolved and the skill and experience built up by continually using themthat separates the leaders from the also-rans. Barriers to Critical Thinking Just as there are as many types of critical thinking processes asthere are people, so too are there as many barriers to achieving highlevels of critical thinking skills as there are people. Styles are thought to be distinct from abilities, and to involve preferences (not necessarily conscious) in the use of whatever abilities one has. Pedagogical habits are clearly established in a manner that would necessarily be disrupted were critical thinking to be come paramount (Browne, 1999, 22). There are, says Altier, as many ways of thinking and analyzingproblems as there are people. The counterfactual manager, therefore, (or thecounterfactual company, for that matter) is one that believes inmaintaining status quo and is resistant to change, even though the need forchange is demanded. For instance, we couldmaintain logical consistency with this syllogism: Premise One: All computers are machines. For instance, the most basic form of logicalreasoning is the syllogism, which is a method of blending two statements,or premises, into a third statement. Browne (1999) points out that, even witha great academic emphasis on the concept of critical thinking and itsimportance, the Typical [college] classrooms are not encouraging critical thinking, and we must presume that there are substantial reasons for that observation. Often, counterfactual reasoning isconfused with intuitive reasoning. References Altier, W.J. However, there are certain elements of thinking and problem solvingthat all people share, regardless of the type of thinking process they use. Note that this statement is logically correct, yet illogical andinaccurate. Thebook anthologizes writings from public documents and private journals of 38creative geniuses -- ranging from Albert Einstein to Amy Lowell, and fromMozart, to Rudyard Kipling and Carl Jung. Premise One: All men are mortal Premise Two: Socrates is a man Conclusion: Socrates is mortal Altier gives a certain amount of structural credence to this type ofthinking, as long as it is used with reservations, since arguments can belogically correct yet lacking in intelligence. The Logical Thinker Logic, or logos, is derived from the Greek concepts of clear thinkingthat were proposed by Aristotle.

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