A cognitive bias is a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. They lead to errors in judgement. These  errors in judgment derail critical thinking and distort decision-making processes. Understanding and mitigating these biases is important for organizations to ensure their decision making process is not...

In the world of persuasive communication, fallacies and rhetorical devices hold a significant role in shaping opinions and influencing decisions. However, their use can lead to illegitimate persuasion, where individuals are convinced to believe something based on deceptive tactics. This article briefly examines the interplay between fallacies ...

Critical thinking is a very important skill for success on the job or in academics. It is also an indispensable skill for organizations. Failing to develop and apply critical thinking skills can lead to several negative consequences. This article examines the risks associated with a critical thinking deficit, specifically focusing on how it ne...

Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias that describes the tendency for people to rely too heavily on the first piece of information they receive when making subsequent judgments or decisions. The initial piece of information, or "anchor," serves as a reference point for all subsequent judgments or decisions, and may bias the final outcome towards that ...

Two systems of thinking Over the decades there has been plenty of research into how we think and make decisions. Daniel Kahneman is a noble prize winning researcher who did a lot of research on the cognitive processes of the brain and how it makes judgments under various conditions.  Kahneman in his book ‘Thinking fast and Slow’ states that we...

Convergent arguments are the most commonly used arguments in politics, business, day to day reasoning and even in science. In politics, each political party provides several independent reasons for why the voter should vote them into power.  In business, we use convergent reasoning to justify business investments, strategies, plans and decisio...

Critical thinking VS Creative thinking Creative thinking and critical thinking are two cognitive processes that are often considered distinct but can also be interconnected and mutually supportive. While they are different in nature, they can complement each other in problem-solving, decision-making, and intellectual exploration. Here's an overview...

For different people critical thinking means different things. The most common trait that everyone equates critical thinking is analytical thinking. However there is no agreement amongst scholars and academicians on what the definition of critical thinking should be, or what all it entails. I will not burden you with more definitions here, as a goo...

Critical thinking skills are essential in the workplace for several reasons: Problem-Solving: Critical thinking enables employees to analyze complex problems, identify root causes, and develop effective solutions. It involves gathering and evaluating information, considering multiple perspectives, and making reasoned judgments. With critical thinki...

There are many definitions of critical thinking out there. Some are short, sweet and simple, while there are others that are extremely long and try to include every single aspect of critical thinking. I prefer to go with the short one: "Critical thinking is the process of making clear  and  reasoned judgements ' by Beyer. There are t...

That critical thinking is an important skill and is essential to have is being increasingly recognized. As a matter of fact, the World Economic Forum puts critical thinking very high in the top ten jobs skills for success in the workplace. And six of the other skills listed there need critical thinking as a foundational skill. So what exactly is cr...

Shakespeare was the first known man to say ‘Alls well that ends well”.Was he a psychologist? Recent experiments by psychologists shows us that it is important for an experience to end well to feel good about it in the future. Experiments in psychology suggest that what we recall of our experiences and what we actually experienced are different. In ...

Through and the day and over the year, we are constantly required to form beliefs, solve problems, make decisions and to act. What is it that guides each of these processes? How do we decide what or whom to believe, what determines our formulating solutions to problems or making decisions, and what are the guiding variables that determine what acti...

Amongst the highest top of mind anxieties for parents and undergraduate students seeking the post, graduate admissions are whether the student will be able to get admission in a good post-graduation course or college. The competition for seats in good universities and institutions is intense In India. There are a hundred or more competent aspirants for each seat in reputed institutions. The admission criteria are of a very high standard, and then comes the intense elimination rounds where each student is pitted against the other to prove themselves as more deserving and competent than others.

  Critical thinking training results in better decision-making and problem-solving skills A good decision moves the company forward, while a poor one can set the company back. Critical Thinking training helps making sound inferences while avoiding fallacies. It also helps you take protective measures against cognitive biases. The powerful crit...

Why logic and evidence thoroughly fail to change opinions and beliefs Today,  supporters and opponents of Mr. Donald Trump in the USA and Mr. Modi in India are highly polarized. Supporters and detractors try very hard to provide to the other supporting their views. But contrary evidence only seems to harden and polarize opinions further. Why i...

I was invited to conduct a workshop on Critical Thinking at JIPMER. The workshop size I prefer is a maximum of 30 participants. However since 68 participants wanted to take the workshop, we ended up conducting two batches back to back on 30th November and 1st December 2015. Both the workshops witnessed very active participants from the Doctors, HOD's

 

What is Critical Thinking? Many times i have been asked to explain what is Critical Thinking as not many seem to be very familiar with this phrase, despite it being used extensively by Business and in Education. There are already many definitions of Critical Thinking out there - but I don't think they help us understand what are the elements of Cri...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Critical thinking helps students make better academic and work decisions  As a student you have to make several decisions about which college to join, courses to take and what areas to specialize in. Going forward you need to take decisions on what career to opt for. The...