Critical thinking: Difference between revisions

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!References
!References
|-
|-
|'''Internal links'''
|'''Internal links'''
[[Main Page|Engineer-it]]  main page
[[Main Page|Engineer-it]]  main page
[[Strategies for engineered outcomes|Strategies]] page
[[Strategies for engineered outcomes|Strategies]] page
|-
|-


|'''Definitions'''
|'''Sources'''
 
[[wikipedia:Critical_thinking|Wikipedia]]


[https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766 The Foundation for critical thinking]
[https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766 The Foundation for critical thinking]
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[https://engineers.scot/office/resources/publications/ies-journal-2020-mbarr-paper.pdf Experiences of a critical thinking approach in engineering practice]  A 3-page IES Journal paper
[https://engineers.scot/office/resources/publications/ies-journal-2020-mbarr-paper.pdf Experiences of a critical thinking approach in engineering practice]  A 3-page IES Journal paper
Lucas B, Hanson J and Claxton G, [https://www.stem.org.uk/elibrary/resource/35085 Thinking like an engineer,] Implications for the education system, Royal Academy of Engineering, 2014.
|-
|-
|'''Case Studies'''
|'''Case Studies'''


[http://info.iesis.org/papers/Journal V156_web_secure.pdf Manufacturing robot cranes] (page 27) A manufacturer uses critical thinking  
[http://info.iesis.org/papers/Journal V156_web_secure.pdf Manufacturing robot cranes] (page 27) A manufacturer uses critical thinking    


I[http://info.iesis.org/papers/Journal V156_web_secure.pdf nventing a bionic hand]  (page 39)
I[http://info.iesis.org/papers/Journal V156_web_secure.pdf nventing a bionic hand]  (page 39)
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[[File:Athena-2.png|alt=|left|thumb|160x160px|Athena, godess of wisdom]]
[[File:Athena-2.png|alt=|left|thumb|160x160px|Athena, godess of wisdom]]
[[File:Thinker-2.png|left|alt=|thumb|Rodin's thinker]]Critical thinking implies the adoption of principles that are effective when addressing  situations of complex uncertainty, i.e. situations that may involve: competing goals; high levels of risk; technical, environmental and societal issues.      
[[File:Thinker-2.png|left|alt=|thumb|Rodin's thinker]]The Wikipedia [[:en:Critical_thinking|defintion]] of critical thinking is: 'the analysis of facts to form a judgment'. A complementary definition is: 'the use of guiding principles that support the achievement of good outcomes'.        


It isconcerned with ''ethos'' i.e. the principles that guide actions.                          
Critical thinkers discipline their minds to reduce the risk of unsatisfactory outcomes.                              


Critical thinkers discipline their minds to reduce the risk of unsatisfactory outcomes.                            
=== Guiding principles ===
Critical thinkers constantly look for guiding principles. They seek to identify and use the principles that will lead to success.  The use of guiding principles can be viewed as ethos i.e. the principles and and attitudes that are associated with  a particular type of activity.


Use of the word ''critical'' here imlies that this mode of thinking (a) is critical in the sense of making challenges to  proposals and (b) is an essential strategy in situations of complex uncertainty.                             
Here are some guiding principles:


'''Guiding principles'''                             
==== Actions ====
 
*Proposals should be thorougly tested before they are accepted.
Critical thinkers constantly look for guiding principles. They seek to identify and use the principles that will lead to success.  Here are some guiding principles:
*Use intuition but never trust it.
 
*Adopt a refelective ethos: question, review, consult, challenge, be challenged, expect to be challenged, be sceptical about the validity of all information; avoid preconceptions and bias.
'''Actions'''
*Use logic and evidence to the limits of their potential before making informed judgements.
*Test proposals, critique, review.
*Use, where appropriate, the Engineer-it [[Chapter 1:Strategies for engineered outcomes|strategies]]
*Use, where appropriate the Engineer-it [[Chapter 1:Strategies for engineered outcomes|strategies]]
*Reflect: question, consult, challenge, be challenged, expect to be challenged. Be sceptical about the validity of all information.
* Submit to reason: use logic and evidence to the limits of their potential before making informed judgements.
*Think for yourself but not by yourself.
*Think for yourself but not by yourself.
*Adopt a system approach: consider the system as a whole as well as its parts.
*Adopt a system approach: consider the system as a whole as well as its parts.
*Adopt a holistic approach: take account of all relevant issues.
* Adopt a holistic approach: take account of all relevant issues.
*Be humble, be prepared to change your mind.
*Learn from successes and from failures.
*Learn from successes and from failures.
*If a feature can be quantified, quantify it: use predictive models, use data.
*If a feature can be quantified, quantify it: use predictive models, use data.
*Monitor the results of actions and compare the actual outcomes with the intended outcomes.
*Monitor the results of actions and compare the actual outcomes with the intended outcomes.
*When working with standards, seek to identify and address issues that are not covered by the standards.
*Constantly seek to improve products and processes.
*Constantly seek to improve products and processes.


'''Seek to:'''
'''Seek to:'''


*embrace integrity without question: honest, trustworthy, reliable,
*embrace integrity without question: honest, trustworthy, reliable
*be humble, be prepared to change your mind.
*be open, friendly, respectful
*be open, friendly, respectful
*be committed
*be committed
*be collaborative, inclusive
* be collaborative, inclusive
*be dispassionate about outcomes
* be dispassionate about outcomes


'''Avoid being:'''
'''Avoid being:'''
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*autocratic
*autocratic
*deferential
*deferential
===Proposal testing===
An appropriate amount of resouce should be allocated to testing of proposals for action. The amount of resource should be proportional to level of risk of negative outcomes.
Before accepting a proposal it should be tested:
*taking account of all requirements, both objectives and constraints, addressing the complexity
*against other proposals
*using the most appropriate testing methods for the context
*by a multidisciplinary team, if that is needed
*by being open-minded, sceptical, not relying on intuition, avoiding bias
*using reliable evidence and logic to the limits of their potential


===Learning for critical thinking===
===Learning for critical thinking===
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*Be a student of crtitical thinking. Collect guiding principles. Write them down,memorise and use them.
*Be a student of crtitical thinking. Collect guiding principles. Write them down,memorise and use them.
*Watch how other people operate and identify the principles that guide them to be successful. Discuss the issues with them. Add their good ideas to your list of principles.
*Watch how other people operate and identify the principles that guide them to be successful. Discuss the issues with them. Add their good ideas to your list of principles.
*Read about contexts where critical thinking was needed to identify principles
* Read about contexts where critical thinking was needed to identify principles
*Identify the reasons for people to be unsuccessful. Actively avoid copying them.
*Identify the reasons for people to be unsuccessful. Actively avoid copying them.
*Remember that some guiding principles are context specific. You are not using a set of fixed rules that result in success.  You need to use critical thinking about your critical thinking strategies.
* Remember that some guiding principles are context specific. You are not using a set of fixed rules that result in success.  You need to use critical thinking about your critical thinking strategies.
*If you have a [[leadership]] role, work with your colleagues to develop the principles under which the team will operate.
*If you have a [[leadership]] role, work with your colleagues to develop the principles under which the team will operate.
*
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Revision as of 05:37, 26 April 2022

References
Internal links

Engineer-it main page


Strategies page

Sources

The Foundation for critical thinking

Papers

The discipline of critical thinking An IES strategy report

Experiences of a critical thinking approach in engineering practice A 3-page IES Journal paper


Lucas B, Hanson J and Claxton G, Thinking like an engineer, Implications for the education system, Royal Academy of Engineering, 2014.

Case Studies

Manufacturing robot cranes (page 27) A manufacturer uses critical thinking

Inventing a bionic hand (page 39)

Athena, godess of wisdom
Rodin's thinker
The Wikipedia defintion of critical thinking is: 'the analysis of facts to form a judgment'. A complementary definition is: 'the use of guiding principles that support the achievement of good outcomes'.

Critical thinkers discipline their minds to reduce the risk of unsatisfactory outcomes.

Guiding principles

Critical thinkers constantly look for guiding principles. They seek to identify and use the principles that will lead to success. The use of guiding principles can be viewed as ethos i.e. the principles and and attitudes that are associated with a particular type of activity.

Here are some guiding principles:

Actions

  • Proposals should be thorougly tested before they are accepted.
  • Use intuition but never trust it.
  • Adopt a refelective ethos: question, review, consult, challenge, be challenged, expect to be challenged, be sceptical about the validity of all information; avoid preconceptions and bias.
  • Use logic and evidence to the limits of their potential before making informed judgements.
  • Use, where appropriate, the Engineer-it strategies
  • Think for yourself but not by yourself.
  • Adopt a system approach: consider the system as a whole as well as its parts.
  • Adopt a holistic approach: take account of all relevant issues.
  • Learn from successes and from failures.
  • If a feature can be quantified, quantify it: use predictive models, use data.
  • Monitor the results of actions and compare the actual outcomes with the intended outcomes.
  • When working with standards, seek to identify and address issues that are not covered by the standards.
  • Constantly seek to improve products and processes.

Seek to:

  • embrace integrity without question: honest, trustworthy, reliable
  • be humble, be prepared to change your mind.
  • be open, friendly, respectful
  • be committed
  • be collaborative, inclusive
  • be dispassionate about outcomes

Avoid being:

  • autocratic
  • deferential

Proposal testing

An appropriate amount of resouce should be allocated to testing of proposals for action. The amount of resource should be proportional to level of risk of negative outcomes.

Before accepting a proposal it should be tested:

  • taking account of all requirements, both objectives and constraints, addressing the complexity
  • against other proposals
  • using the most appropriate testing methods for the context
  • by a multidisciplinary team, if that is needed
  • by being open-minded, sceptical, not relying on intuition, avoiding bias
  • using reliable evidence and logic to the limits of their potential

Learning for critical thinking

The development of good habits should start as early as practical. That learning for critial thinking should start in primary school and be addressed continuously in education is becoming recognised. Critical thinking should be treated as a discipline in education i.e. as a branch of learning - see Section 4 (page 10) of the Discipline for critical thinking paper.

However, you cannot rely on being coached to be a critical thinker. People need to discipline their minds to develop critical thinking skills, Strategies for doing this include:

  • Be a student of crtitical thinking. Collect guiding principles. Write them down,memorise and use them.
  • Watch how other people operate and identify the principles that guide them to be successful. Discuss the issues with them. Add their good ideas to your list of principles.
  • Read about contexts where critical thinking was needed to identify principles
  • Identify the reasons for people to be unsuccessful. Actively avoid copying them.
  • Remember that some guiding principles are context specific. You are not using a set of fixed rules that result in success. You need to use critical thinking about your critical thinking strategies.
  • If you have a leadership role, work with your colleagues to develop the principles under which the team will operate.