Critical thinking skills and principled decision-making processes

¶ … Versus Ethics

Critical thinking is an acquired skill according to the Ellis (2015). Higher education promotes analysing abilities in students making them see different inferring techniques and how others deduce results and come to various conclusions, providing them with a basis on how to deal with tough personal and career related decision-making (p. 69).

Critical thinking involves the following aspects

Goal-directed reasoning and inferential skills

Problem solving

Evaluation

Making decisions

Systematic understanding of facts

Critical thinking demands a very specific skill set and its development (Moore, 2010).

Critical Thinking Process

Learning to think critically is important not because it enhances you as a thinker but also as a decision maker (Ellis, 2015, p. 71). Following are the elements required in a critical thinking process:

Knowledge and understanding of the problem (Elmansy, 2016)

Comprehending the facts and the situation (Elmansy, 2016)

Application of information and resources (Elmansy, 2016)

A complete and thorough analysis (Elmansy, 2016)

Synthesis of a strategy after a complete analysis (Elmansy, 2016)

Taking an action based on the aforementioned steps (Elmansy, 2016)

Benefits of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

There are plenty of benefits of critical thinking but the following are the most crucial ones,

Critical thinking gives a sense of right and wrong. If you are a critical thinker, it will always be easier for you to see the difference between what is not and what is true. Critical thinkers are not fooled easily and they can always infer a situation for what it truly is, instead of what it appears to be. If it looks erroneous, sloppy, or deceptive, critical thinkers will never take it for the truth (Ellis, 2015, p. 70).

As a critical thinker, it is impossible to lie to yourself. One becomes prone to complete realities and the temporary comforts of half-truths and lies are never availed by a critical thinker, giving them the freedom to question what they see, hear, and/or read (Ellis, 2015, p. 70).

Social change can only be promoted through critical thinking. All the major establishments in a society; the courts, the government, schools, businesses, non-profit groups, are all products of cultural inclinations. Only the individuals who actively participate in their communities and question their surroundings, are capable of initiating social movements. As critical thinkers, we struggle to apprehend and effect the institutions in our society (Ellis, 2015, p. 71).

Both bias and partiality are uncovered through critical thinking. Only when we work through our preconceived notions, do we take the first step towards building healthy communication with people of other races, ethnic backgrounds and cultures. (Ellis, 2015, p. 71).

Applying Principles to Professional and Communal Responsibilities

Generally, principles apply to one's differentiation between right and wrong. An individual's personal principles are always under influence of the society, the norms of the society dictate one's definition of right and wrong. Hence, an individual will always act in accordance to the society's definition of acceptable and apposite.

Concerning professional activities, individuals are also responsible to act in a manner deemed principled. Many professions follow a certain code of conduct; this code acts as the basic outline of behaviour for employees and employers in their respective profession.