Module #1 Response

[Leslie Reid]

 Critical thinking is the ability to build upon the information you possess enabling you to better see the "whole" picture. Critical thinking pulls back the layers of your own biases, misconceptions and traditions to give you a more informed perspective which might cause you to rethink/reimagine what you believe. Critical thinking is important because it fosters deeper knowledge and understanding. I think it also reduces the incidence of reacting solely based on your emotions and helps bring you to a more informed decision.  I believe Dr. Martin L. King Jr. was an exceptional critical thinker. Dr. King understood the politics of race and culture in the world and specifically America. Through his crusade for social justice he was able to galvanize the beginnings of a moral shift. He had the ability to assess the impact of change on systems, and the power of the masses to force an unwanted, but needed change in America. Dr. King moved beyond what he already knew about race and culture in America in order to think independently and differently outside that norm; strategically forcing America to grow beyond what it knew. 


My "Take Home" message: Leaping to flawed conclusions because you can't tolerate the ambiguity of not knowing is not about truth and curiosity ... it's about comfort

[Lori Hebert]

Leslie I appreciate your words about Dr. King, thank you for highlighting him. The "take home" truly resonated with me, getting to a place where we are comfortable in the uncomfortable is so important in business and in life, thank you for this!

[jamiestrickland]

Your response is amazing! I particularly love your "take home" message.

[jennfriesen]

I appreciate that you highlight the necessity of understanding your own biases in order to think critically. There is a strong link between this and being "comfortable with being uncomfortable." Thank you, too, for highlighting Dr. King; I agree he is a great example of a critical thinker.

[Michael Bernier]

Hi Leslie,

Thank you for your post. You said, "Critical thinking pulls back the layers of your own biases, misconceptions and traditions to give you a more informed perspective which might cause you to rethink/reimagine what you believe."



Is there an acceptable level of cognitive bias in the critical thinking process? Regarding the decision-making process, is it possible for a cognitive bias to be beneficial?

Wonderful example of a critical thinker.