What is the definition of critical thinking? Through everything I have read, there does not seem to be a specific definition of critical thinking. It is more of a combination of different things. What I can gather is that the definition of critical thinking is to identify and separate the issues or problems, examine the facts and base your decision on those findings. It is also a process of thinking creatively, knowing how to reason in solving problems and making decisions. In this paper I will be discussing the relationship between critical thinking and decision making as well as other points regarding each.
What is the definition of decision-making? According to a search engine, it is "the process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea" (www.books.md). In other words, we look at any and all alternatives and then decide the best course of action.
In the course readings, critical thinking is described as being an "ongoing search for better opinions, decisions are judgments" (Browne & Keeley, pg. 3). The readings also suggest that decisions are "streams of choices" (Browne & Keeley, pg. 119). They also suggest that the problem may not actually show up at the beginning of the decision-making process but actually evolve throughout the process.
How do critical thinking and decision making relate to each other? Through critical thinking, a person can see different alternatives to the process and therefore make a more informed decision on the course of action. According to an article by James D. Schlick, critical thinking skills are necessary for making decisions as well as preventing problems, teamwork, and empowerment.
Critical thinking is vital in today's businesses because in order to make the right decision leaders need to be able to recognize that a decision made for one opportunity may not be the best decision for a different one.
