Critical Thinking

This weeks module was about critical thinking. Critical thinking is defined as the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion. Even though we don't normally realize it we use critical thinking every day. An example I came up with was driving. We have to use critical thinking when we're driving and coming up on light and it turns yellow. Right then we have a split second to analyze how far we are away from the light which determines if we hit the gas and go through or stomp on the brakes and stop for the safety of ourselves and everyone else at the intersection. In that process we analyze what we should do, synthesize what could happen in each situation and evaluate what we did. Critical thinking helps strengthen our decision making skills. It is a vital part to excelling and improving ourselves in life.