A500.5.3RB_Critically Thinking

             MLSD 500: Leadership Found in Research

     A500.5.3RB – Critically Thinking About Critical Thinking

Submitted to ERAU Worldwide

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of MBAA

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Worldwide

Online Campus

September 11, 2015

         

Critical thinking is an intellectually, self-guided and self-disciplined process at the highest level of analysis, in an unbiased way, that functions as a guide to belief and action. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, emphatically (Glaser, 2013). 

To think critically, one should:

* Strive to diminish the power of egocentric and socio-centric tendencies.   

* Use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers – concepts and principles that enable them to analyze, assess, and improve thinking.

* Work diligently to develop the intellectual virtues of intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, intellectual civility, intellectual empathy, intellectual sense of justice and confidence in reason.   

* Realize that no matter how skilled the thinkers, reasoning abilities can always be improved. They may at times fall prey to mistakes in reasoning, human irrationality, prejudices, biases, distortions, untested or trending social rules and taboos, self-interest, and vested interest. 

* Strive to improve the world in whatever ways are possible and contribute to a more rational, civilized society.    

* Recognize the complexities often inherent in doing so.   

* Avoid thinking simplistically about complicated issues and strive to appropriately consider the rights and needs of relevant others. 

* Recognize the complexities in developing as thinkers, and commit to life-long practice toward self-improvement.   

I have always had an interest in developing intellectual virtues. I think it is critical to reflect upon humility, civility, empathy, justice and confidence in reason. We all learn at different rates, but I believe it is important to reflect and make decisions from a solid foundation regardless. There have been many lessons that I have learned from this critical thinking advantage point. An important lesson I learned just recently, through the analysis of divergent viewpoints on a particular subject, is that it is crucial to identify as many valid facts as possible, comparing and contrasting the information, and objectively assessing the issue in order to arrive at a sound decision, one that is based on logic and fact, without prejudices, biases or distortions. 

As an example, I chose to compare and contrast facts from different sources of the Iran Nuclear Deal. Our President spoke about critical thinking numerous times in his speech. Iran's supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, demonstrated that he also thought critically about the destruction of a country and their people, immediately after the approval of the Iran Nuclear Deal. Here are some excerpts that identify the level of critical thinking among international leaders. 

President Barack Obama gave a press conference on August 5, 2015 stating that, "today, I want to speak to you about the Iran Nuclear deal, and the most consequential foreign policy debate that our country has had since the invasion of Iraq, as Congress decides whether to support this historic diplomatic breakthrough, or instead blocks it over the objection of the vast majority of the world. We need clear thinking in our foreign policy in order to respond to the Iranian nuclear program. The question is not whether to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but how" (The White House: Office of the Press Secretary, 2015).

"Under this deal, Iran cannot acquire the plutonium needed for a bomb.  The core of its heavy-water reactor at Arak will be pulled out, filled with concrete, and replaced with one that will not produce plutonium for a weapon.  The spent fuel from that reactor will be shipped out of the country, and Iran will not build any new heavy-water reactors for at least 15 years" (The White House: Office of the Press Secretary, 2015). 

Iran's supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave a speech the day after being approved in favor of the Iranian Nuclear Deal according to the IRN, that Israel will not see the end of the next 25 years. "God willing, there will be no such thing as a Zionist regime in 25 years. Until then, struggling, heroic and jihadi morale will leave no moment of serenity for Zionists" (McLaughlin, 2015).

And President Obama concludes his speech with, "to friends of Israel and to the Israeli people, I say this:  A nuclear-armed Iran is far more dangerous to Israel, to America, and to the world than an Iran that benefits from sanctions relief" (The White House: Office of the Press Secretary, 2015).  

Each leader believes his position is the result of efficacious critical thinking. Only time will tell.

References:

Glaser, Edward. (2013). Defining Critical Thinking: Another Brief Conceptualization of Critical Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766

McLaughlin, Eliott, C. (2015). Iran's Supreme Leader: There will no such thing as Israel in 25 years. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/10/middleeast/iran-khamenei-israel-will-not-exist-25-years/

Nosich, G. M. (2012). Learning to think things through: Critical thinking across the curriculum. Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall. (ISBN: 9780137085149)

The White House: Office of the Press Secretary. (August 5, 2015). President Barack Obama Speech: Remarks by the President on the Iran Nuclear Deal. The White House. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/08/05/remarks-president-iran-nuclear-deal