MGT5720
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is among the most significant and practical tools for any individual, regardless of career status or life objectives. Philosophy is indeed the foundation of critical thinking, and a grasp of certain philosophical principles is essential to the most basic levels of logic, problem analysis, decision making, and creativity. In the areas of leadership and business it is imperative that critical thinking is the foundation that undergirds sound decision making and policy. This course will explore business related critical thought in the following ways: the concept of ‘thinking,’ perceptions, constructing knowledge, forming and applying concepts, relationships and organizing, morals, arguments, and reasoning.
COURSE COMPETENCIES:
Upon completion of this course the student will be competent in:
- Correctly employing a range of terminology related to thinking.
- Identifying the key elements of structured logic, deductive, and inductive reasoning.
- Recognizing the difference between valid and invalid arguments as compared to true and false propositions.
- Discussing contemporary theories of morality stemming from critical thinking.
- Demonstrate solving complex business problems using critical thinking.
- Developing criteria for evaluating, clarifying, and expressing beliefs, theories, methods, and conflicting issues.
- Describing fundamental aspects to critical thinking, such as perceiving and believing.
- Identifying how believing and knowing lead to knowledge construction.
- Recognizing and explaining the power of language and thought in business interactions.
- Applying knowledge of critical thinking to strategies and conceptual models.
- Linking and synthesizing the principles of critical thinking to organizational structures and employment relationships.
- Applying research, writing skills, and resource documentation to critical thinking.
- Understanding and applying reasoning as a critical thinker.
- Examine living creatively and consider the elements in life needed to nurture creativity.
- Explore the role of critical thinking habits of an active learner and the nature of life-long learning.
- Demostrate the stages of knowing and how reliable sources and veracity shape our decisions.
- Understand how the symbolic nature of language and denotation/connotation influence thought.