Question.3609 - Write a 350-700 word reflection on the scenario using the reflection template.
Answer Below:
Week 5: Summative Assessment: Critical Thinking: Reflection Kimberly Walters Critical Thinking in Everyday Life/ HUM_115_58385979 26 September 2024 Andrea Disque Reflection of Critical Thinking Scenario Throughout this critical thinking course, I have begun to explore particular concepts such as barriers to critical thinking, the aspect and role of reason, the assessment of arguments, and picking out fallacies. In Sally's case, various elements were displayed as she tries to balance her work and social environment, portraying the essence of critical thinking in everyday life. This reflection studies Sally's actions and gestures based on concepts covered from weeks 1 to 5, using examples from the course material to assess her strengths and challenges as a critical thinker. Elements of Critical Thinking In the video, we can see that Sally faces multiple barriers to critical thinking. One of the most glaring barriers is conformity where she is pushed into agreeing with the majority, even when her personal beliefs are different. As outlined in Week 1, this is an ongoing issue that people still face today and it obstructs the individual from translating their actual thoughts, particularly in social settings (Mayfield, 2021). During dinner with her work team, Sally differs from their discussion on workplace friction but remains quiet due to her lack of knowledge on the subject. This indicates the barrier of self-doubt, where she is afraid of expressing her understanding of the subject with confidence leading to a passive mode of accepting others' viewpoints. As Mayfield (2021) suggested good critical thinkers should have the space to question information and deliver alternative viewpoints, even if they are in the minority. Despite this setback, Sally does adopt strong critical thinking skills in her professional setting, especially when addressing customer complaints. After having a conversation with a customer about the warranty policy, Sally starts researching the companys warranty practices, documents, and stores data and backs it up with evidence to support her initial claim that the warranty should be extended. This skill to locate further information and offer a proper argument mirrors key attributes of a critical thinker, such as intellectual endurance and curiosity, both debated on Week 2. Sallys after-response shows that she has battled the previous barrier of self-doubt by confidently conveying a workplace issue with credible evidence (Paul et al., 2020). Reason, Emotion, and Communication The role of emotion and reason in critical thinking as explored in Week 2 does ask us to investigate the balance between the two while making decisions. In Sallys case, her emotional intelligence plays an important role in her professional decisions. When a customer describes how the printer issues hampers his livelihood, Sally empathizes with his predicament and shifts her perspective to a more sustainable solution. While emotions can sometimes get the best of us, in this scenario, it improves her reasoning skills by allowing her to look at it from the customers outlook (Paul et al., 20200. Empathy here embodies itself in a positive way where it guides her decision-making skills, which is previously shown in her initial discussions where her emotions took the driver's seat. Sallys communication style also becomes an interesting factor to put into play. At dinner with her colleagues, she fosters a passive communication style, likely determined by her emotional state after a long, stressful day at work. According to Week 2s material on communication, passive communication often crops up from a fire to avoid conflict, which can diminish the function of critical thinking (Mayfield, 2021). In contrast, Sallys communication with her manager regarding the warranty policy is forceful and well-informed, showing potential in her ability to communicate effectively in a corporate setup. As she puts forth her data to back up her argument, she uses firm communication, which is in direct contrast with the course materials attention to clear and direct communication for effective problem-solving (Paul et al., 2020). Fallacies and Argument Sallys conversation with her manager underscores a prime fallacy and a common one which is the ad hominem fallacy. Rather than acknowledging and giving due respect to Sallys argument about the warranty, her manager changes the conversation to her timeliness, probing about her character instead of the argument. This fallacy is an important concept discussed in Week 3, where we can see that poor arguments from the manager's side did delay productive discussions (Mayfield, 2021). Despite this Sally, stands her ground on the argument, portraying the fortification of her reasoning and commitment to addressing the issue based on facts rather than her character. Moreover, Sallys main point is that the warranty should be extended which is grounded on logical reasoning, supported by evidence she gathers about the printer malfunction after the warranty expiration. As studied in Week 4, assessing arguments is not only based on facts but also on the eagerness to address and counterargue (Paul et al., 2020). While her manager does not provide a formidable counterargument, Sallys commitment to speaking up for change shows her enthusiasm for solving problems through critical thinking. Conclusion In conclusion, Sallys journey through the video does paint a picture of the challenges and success of demonstrating critical thinking in a real-world situation. She overcomes barriers such as conformity and self-doubt, displaying the delicate balance between reason and emotion and effectively communicating her arguments even though she encounters fallacies from others. Her potential as a critical thinker, specifically in professional settings, is indicative of the fact that she shifts from passive acceptance to forceful problem-solving. The concepts explored in Weeks 1 to 5, from identifying barriers to evaluating arguments and fallacies, are crucial in understanding how critical thinking can be put to practical use in everyday life to make well-informed decisions, solve problems, and communicate effectively. References Mayfield, M. (2021). Thinking for yourself: Developing critical thinking skills through reading and writing (9th ed.). Cengage Learning. Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2020). Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your learning and your life (4th ed.). Pearson.More Articles From Others
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