System of Inquiry

Patrick Turner

Mgt350

Charles Millhollan

November 12, 2007

What is critical thinking? The definition can mean what one interprets it to mean. When used I would say it means looking at a problem and trying to solve it. Others could say it means something else. Wikipedia, an online reference source, says, “Critical thinking consists of mental processes of discernment, analyzing and evaluating. It includes all possible processes of reflecting upon a tangible or intangible item in order to form a solid judgment that reconciles scientific evidence with common sense (wikipedia, 2007).” That really does sum up a good definition of it. We have gotten a good definition of what it is now where do we use it and why should we use it?

A lot of problems arise in life. It can be in work, it sports, it can be at home, with the family, or pretty much anywhere you go. Problems just happen. Since no one is perfect everyone will have problems that require a solution. Critical thinking applies to any situation that may arise in one’s life. Critical thinking helps one create solutions to big problems that can’t simply be solve by just asking someone else.

Work gives me a lot of problems. There is a lot of times when I just do not know what do to with myself because it seems that I don’t know the fix to certain issues. When I get into a pickle I have to stop and really think it out. I realize that I need to start to think my problems through. I look at the situation and analyze what it really is. I then think about many possible outcomes that might arise from the many different solutions I have been able to come up with. A situation came up at work when I had a deadline to submit a video I had produced. It seemed that half of my footage had been damage and it was not usable. I only had a few hours to come up with a solution on how I was suppose to edit this video to high production quality with the footage I was able to save. I looked at all of my options and I was able to come up with a solution after evaluating and thinking about what I should do. I scraped together what I had and I was able to add computer generated graphics to most of the commercial along with the saved footage and make a great looking commercial.

It was very important that I used my critical thinking skills because otherwise I would not have been able to get things done by the deadline I had gotten and I would have had to go out and reshoot the spot. Why is it important to critically think? The best ideas and solutions come out of critical thinking. “Critical thinking skills give students