Critical thinking is the study of improving or making the best thoughts and choices that a person is capable of making. Within the concept of critical thinking, students must be familiar with rational decision making. Having an understanding of both critical thinking and rational decision making is crucial for a student to succeed in today’s work environment.
Critical thinking concerns the thought patterns of any type of any topic, issue or predicament in which the person enhances the value of his or her thinking skills. Critical thinkers use theories to explain how the mind works. Then they apply those theories to the way they live every day. The general goal of thinking is to figure out some situation, solve some problem, answer some questions, or resolve some issue (Paul & Elder 2006).
Critical thinking has three dimensions: an analytic, an evaluative and a creative component. When people think critically, he or she realize that thinking must not be recognized at face value but must be evaluated and measured for its precision, truthfulness, importance, and breadth. Because problems in thinking can occur in any of these dimensions, each dimension must be monitored.
To think critically, he or she must be willing to examine and take apart their own thinking and identify weaknesses and strengths. He or she must be willing to overcome the natural tendency of the mind to be rigid, and to want to validate one’s current thoughts rather than improving them.
Critical thinking can improve a person’s decision making. When people bring critical thinking tools into their decision making, they are more likely to solve the problems they face and make rational decisions. Rational decisions maximize our chances for happiness, successful living and fulfillment (Paul & Elder 2006).
Becoming skilled at decision making is intimately connected with becoming skilled at thinking. An excellent decision maker has self-understanding, understands how to use the fundamentals...