Thinking Matters: Critical Thinking As Creative Problem Solving PDF Download

Author: Gary R Mar
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9811216266
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 232

View

Book Description
The ancient Roman orator Horace (65 B.C.-8 B.C.) wrote, 'Control your mind or it will control you.' In today's society we are faced with more information, and more complex information, than ever. Faced with making decisions, we can feel overwhelmed and helpless. One way to become less helpless — to gain control over our lives — is to gain control over our own thinking. We can feel helpless when faced with this barrage of information, opinions, data, and conflicting arguments if we lack the skills to quickly grasp and critically evaluate them. This book is designed to impart these kinds of skills.Any course in a university should do more than teach information — in nearly every field, 'facts' become obsolete quickly. The goals of Thinking Matters are to help you: The text is punctuated with exercises or 'personal experiments' to challenge and stimulate your curiosity. These exercises may take the form of an inventory to be taken, a puzzle to be solved, or some thoughts to ponder.The first module Thinking Matters: Critical Thinking as Creative Problem Solving introduces the student to all the above topics — logic, probability, argument forms and fallacies, ethical reasoning, algorithms, and computational thinking — through logic puzzles and games and mathematical magic tricks.

Author: Gary Mar
Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Company
ISBN: 9789811216244
Category : Critical thinking
Languages : en
Pages : 190

View

Book Description
The ancient Roman orator Horace (65 B.C.-8 B.C.) wrote, "Control your mind or it will control you." In today's society we are faced with more information, and more complex information, than ever. Faced with making decisions, we can feel overwhelmed and helpless. One way to become less helpless - to gain control over our lives - is to gain control over our own thinking. We can feel helpless when faced with this barrage of information, opinions, data, and conflicting arguments if we lack the skills to quickly grasp and critically evaluate them. This book is designed to impart these kinds of skills. Any course in a university should do more than teach information - in nearly every field, 'facts' become obsolete quickly. The goals of Thinking Matters are to help you: to be more creative, fluid, and perceptive in solving problems; to identify the implicit premises, fallacies, or moral principles that are presupposed in the arguments of others; to be able to advocate for what you believe by effectively refuting opposing arguments and presenting persuasive arguments of your own; to understand the logic of scientific testing to distinguish between science and pseudo-science; to develop your own style and intuitive powers of logical deduction, probabilistic reasoning, and computational thinking. The text is punctuated with exercises or 'personal experiments' to challenge and stimulate your curiosity. These exercises may take the form of an inventory to be taken, a puzzle to be solved, or some thoughts to ponder. The first module Thinking Matters: Critical Thinking as Creative Problem Solving introduces the student to all the above topics - logic, probability, argument forms and fallacies, ethical reasoning, algorithms, and computational thinking - through logic puzzles and games and mathematical magic tricks.

Author: Edward Lumsdaine
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 510

View

Book Description

Author: Carl Patterson
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781914134456
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

View

Book Description
Is your life in the right direction? Are you in control of your destiny? How our lives go depends on how we think? Shoddy thinking usually creates more problems that you don't anticipate. On the other hand, critical thinking is like an avenue for endless possibilities. We use it in managing businesses, budgeting, deciding whether to proceed with plans or not, and even in simple things like knowing the appropriate words to say in a particular situation. Critical thinking brings about excellent resolutions to problems, yet, it needs to be developed so that it can work, which requires you to have a sound strategy for success. It is important to bear in mind the fact that your own brain is unique: after you will read this pages you will learn what you need to do in terms of exercises, in order to keep your brain elastic and working in a logical manner. This book has been carefully written with the aim to handle the shortcomings that face the thinking process. What will you meet in this book? 6 Simple Steps for Solving All Your Problems 4 Sure-Fire and Lifesaver Skills for Decision Making Several Traits of Critical Thinkers you Should Imitate Useful and Effective Skills for Problem Solving Why Logic is the Most Crucial Skill you Need to Develop as a Critical Thinker Personal Decision-Making Styles that Seem to be Tailormade for You How to Win an Argument Obstacles Facing Critical Thinking How to Tackle Your Challenges Problem Solving Exercises to Boost Critical Thinking Skills Every person on this planet has problems. Now, many of us sit back, close our eyes, and hope that our problems will go away on their own. But they don't. In order to solve your problems, you are going to have to think about them in a critical manner. Pick those problems apart. Look for solutions. Look for ways you can use aspects of the problem to your own advantage. Think about the problem personally, and independently. Advice from others is great, but at the end of the day, it is still your problem, and you are the one that is left to deal with it while it is there and ultimately solve it. Critical thinking is the one aspect you are going to use most in your life if you want to take your life from something that is just plain and simple, to the next level. So what can stop you? Buy your copy of this book!

Author: Michael Kallet
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118871251
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 240

View

Book Description
Train your brain for better decisions, problem solving, andinnovation Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solvingand Decision-Making Skills is the comprehensive guide totraining your brain to do more for you. Written by a criticalthinking trainer and coach, the book presents a pragmatic set oftools to apply critical thinking techniques to everyday businessissues. Think Smarter is filled with real world examplesthat demonstrate how the tools work in action, in addition todozens of practice exercises applicable across industries andfunctions, Think Smarter is a versatile resource forindividuals, managers, students, and corporate trainingprograms. Thinking is the foundation of everything you do, but we relylargely on automatic thinking to process information, oftenresulting in misunderstandings and errors. Shifting over tocritical thinking means thinking purposefully using a framework andtoolset, enabling thought processes that lead to better decisions,faster problem solving, and creative innovation. ThinkSmarter provides clear, actionable steps toward improving yourcritical thinking skills, plus exercises that clarify complexconcepts by putting theory into practice. Features include: A comprehensive critical thinking framework Over twenty-five "tools" to help you think more critically Critical thinking implementation for functions andactivities Examples of the real-world use of each tool Learn what questions to ask, how to uncover the real problem tosolve, and mistakes to avoid. Recognize assumptions your can relyon versus those without merit, and train your brain to tick throughyour mental toolbox to arrive at more innovative solutions.Critical thinking is the top skill on the wish list in the businessworld, and sharpening your ability can have profound affectsthroughout all facets of life. Think Smarter: Critical Thinkingto Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills providesa roadmap to more effective and productive thought.

Author: Michael Kallet
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118729838
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 249

View

Book Description
Train your brain for better decisions, problem solving, and innovation Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills is the comprehensive guide to training your brain to do more for you. Written by a critical thinking trainer and coach, the book presents a pragmatic set of tools to apply critical thinking techniques to everyday business issues. Think Smarter is filled with real world examples that demonstrate how the tools work in action, in addition to dozens of practice exercises applicable across industries and functions, Think Smarter is a versatile resource for individuals, managers, students, and corporate training programs. Thinking is the foundation of everything you do, but we rely largely on automatic thinking to process information, often resulting in misunderstandings and errors. Shifting over to critical thinking means thinking purposefully using a framework and toolset, enabling thought processes that lead to better decisions, faster problem solving, and creative innovation. Think Smarter provides clear, actionable steps toward improving your critical thinking skills, plus exercises that clarify complex concepts by putting theory into practice. Features include: A comprehensive critical thinking framework Over twenty-five "tools" to help you think more critically Critical thinking implementation for functions and activities Examples of the real-world use of each tool Learn what questions to ask, how to uncover the real problem to solve, and mistakes to avoid. Recognize assumptions your can rely on versus those without merit, and train your brain to tick through your mental toolbox to arrive at more innovative solutions. Critical thinking is the top skill on the wish list in the business world, and sharpening your ability can have profound affects throughout all facets of life. Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills provides a roadmap to more effective and productive thought.

Author: Carl Patterson
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781655221712
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 170

View

Book Description
Is your life in the right direction? Are you in control of your destiny? How our lives go depends on how we think. Shoddy thinking usually creates more problems that you don't anticipate. On the other hand, critical thinking is like an avenue for endless possibilities. We use it in managing businesses, budgeting, deciding whether to proceed with plans or not, and even in simple things like knowing the appropriate words to say in a particular situation. Critical thinking brings about excellent resolutions to problems, yet, it needs to be developed so that it can work, which requires you to have a sound strategy for success. It is important to bear in mind the fact that your own brain is unique: after you will read this pages you will learn what you need to do in terms of exercises, in order to keep your brain elastic and working in a logical manner. This book has been carefully written with the aim to handle the shortcomings that face the thinking process. What will you meet in this book? 6 Simple Steps for Solving All Your Problems 4 Sure-Fire and Lifesaver Skills for Decision Making Several Traits of Critical Thinkers you Should Imitate Useful and Effective Skills for Problem Solving Why Logic is the Most Crucial Skill you Need to Develop as a Critical Thinker Personal Decision-Making Styles that Seem to be Tailormade for You How to Win an Argument Obstacles Facing Critical Thinking How to Tackle Your Challenges Problem Solving Exercises to Boost Critical Thinking Skills Every person on this planet has problems. Now, many of us sit back, close our eyes, and hope that our problems will go away on their own. But they don't. In order to solve your problems, you are going to have to think about them in a critical manner. Pick those problems apart. Look for solutions. Look for ways you can use aspects of the problem to your own advantage. Think about the problem personally, and independently. Advice from others is great, but at the end of the day, it is still your problem, and you are the one that is left to deal with it while it is there and ultimately solve it. Critical thinking is the one aspect you are going to use most in your life if you want to take your life from something that is just plain and simple, to the next level. So what can stop you? Buy your copy of this book!

Author: Joe Y. F. Lau
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118033434
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 215

View

Book Description
A valuable guide on creativity and critical thinking to improve reasoning and decision-making skills Critical thinking skills are essential in virtually any field of study or practice where individuals need to communicate ideas, make decisions, and analyze and solve problems. An Introduction to Critical Thinking and Creativity: Think More, Think Better outlines the necessary tools for readers to become critical as well as creative thinkers. By gaining a practical and solid foundation in the basic principles that underlie critical thinking and creativity, readers will become equipped to think in a more systematic, logical, and imaginative manner. Creativity is needed to generate new ideas to solve problems, and critical thinking evaluates and improves an idea. These concepts are uniquely introduced as a unified whole due to their dependence on each other. Each chapter introduces relevant theories in conjunction with real-life examples and findings from cognitive science and psychology to illustrate how the theories can be applied in numerous fields and careers. An emphasis on how theoretical principles of reasoning can be practical and useful in everyday life is featured, and special sections on presentation techniques, the analysis of meaning, decision-making, and reasoning about personal and moral values are also highlighted. All chapters conclude with a set of exercises, and detailed solutions are provided at the end of the book. A companion website features online tutorials that further explore topics including meaning analysis, argument analysis, logic, statistics, and strategic thinking, along with additional exercises and multimedia resources for continued study. An Introduction to Critical Thinking and Creativity is an excellent book for courses on critical thinking and logic at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The book also serves as a self-contained study guide for readers interested in the topics of critical thinking and creativity as a unified whole.

Author: Selma Wassermann
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1475873891
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 115

View

Book Description
Making decisions intelligently, rationally and with a sense of personal investment requires a considerable degree of critical thinking. To choose badly based on disinformation or high emotionality, rather than on the intelligent interpretation of data, leads us down a path from which there is often no safe return. Thomas Jefferson wrote that a well-informed electorate is a prerequisite to democracy. That is why one of the most important attributes for citizenship in that democracy is our ability to use intelligent habits of mind to interpret data, to distill disinformation from sound information, to use the best information to make sound and rational decisions to solve the many complex and varied problems that arise. Thinking Matters: A Guide to Making Wiser and More Thoughtful Decisions offers readers an opportunity to examine what it means to use intelligent habits of mind to make wise, rational and informed choices, and deal more logically with problems that impact their lives.

Author: Donald J. Treffinger
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000948757
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 112

View

Book Description
Creative Problem Solving is a process that allows people to apply both creative and critical thinking to find solutions to everyday problems. Creative Problem Solving eliminates the tendency to approach problems in a haphazard manner and, consequently, prevents surprises and/or disappointment with the solution. Used by thousands of group leaders seeking a friendly introduction to using Creative Problem Solving, this book is a time-honored classic. Creative Problem Solving: An Introduction is based on more than five decades of extensive research, development, and field experience in educational settings, businesses, and many other organizations. Written for both group leaders and individuals seeking a systematic way to build innovative and effective solutions, Creative Problem Solving is perfect for any type of setting. This definitive guide shows you how to find successful solutions to important challenges. Creative Problem Solving (CPS) can help your students to approach problems and deal with change in a deliberate and constructive way, building their confidence and success in working with complex issues. This revised and updated fourth edition includes: easy-to-follow instructions for using Creative Problem Solving; practical tools for understanding the challenge, generating ideas, and preparing for action; expanded guidelines for planning your approach to Creative Problem Solving; strategies that ensure successful group dynamics; the latest trends in creative thinking and group problem solving; and practical suggestions for those new to Creative Problem Solving. Educational Resource