Critical Thinking: Tools For Taking Charge Of Your Professional And Personal Life

Everything you do in life is determined by the quality of your thinking. If you aren't thinking clearly, you're at the mercy of everyone else-from dishonest politicians to aggressive, stop-at-nothing ad agencies. Unfortunately, many people never give any thought to how they think. No wonder they're susceptible to the frustration, pain, ineffectiveness, and financial loss that result directly from poorly considered thinking.

"Critical Thinking" is about becoming a better thinker in "every" aspect of your life--as a professional, as a consumer, citizen, friend, parent, and even as a lover. Drs. Richard W. Paul and Linda Elder, leaders of the Center for Critical Thinking, identify the core skills of effective thinking, then help you analyze your own thought processes so you can identify your weaknesses "and overcome them,"

As you learn how to think more effectively, you'll empower yourself as never before, discovering new opportunities, avoiding disastrous mistakes, and gaining new clarity throughout your entire life. * The six stages of thinking: which stage are you in?Discovering where you stand in the hierarchy of effective thinking * The poor thinking habits everyone falls into-and how to get out of themGetting past the egocentrism and sociocentrism that shackle our progress* Setting higher standards for our thinkingImbuing our thinking with clarity, relevance, logic, accuracy, depth, significance, precision, breadth, and fairness* Thinking more effectively in the workplaceOvercoming the unique obstacles to effective thinking in businesses and organizations* Strategic thinking: taking responsibility for your own growthDirecting your thinkingtoward your most important goals and purposes* Critically assessing the views of expertsAssessing matters of fact, matters of opinion, and matters of judgment * Practical techniques for making more intelligent decisionsApplying critical thinking to life's key decisions* The ethical implications of effective thinkingWhy thinking and character are inextricably linked-and how to become a more ethical thinker

Get smarter--in every part of your life!

• Practical skills for thinking more clearly-and making more effective decisions
• Thinking strategically: using effective thinking to achieve your goals and enhance your life
• Evaluating thinking: yours and everyone else's
• Overcoming the obstacles to effective thinking
• Thinking more effectively in your personal and business relationships
• Includes exercises for honing your thinking skills every day

The world gets more complex every day. There's only one way to cope--"get smarter," Thinking more effectively gives you greater control over your life, helps you overcome adversity, and makes it easier to transform your dreams into reality. Effective thinking is no mystery. It consists of practical skills anyone can learn, practice, and improve. "Critical Thinking" gives you those skills.

Richard W. Paul and Linda Elder show you how to "take thinking apart" and assess it for quality. You'll learn how to improve all three components of thinking--analysis, evaluation, and re-thinking. Then, through "brains-on" exercises, you'll discover and hone new thinking skills that'll soon become second nature.

"Critical Thinking" will help you in hundreds of ways. It will enable you to solve problemsmore effectively, make better decisions, recognize pathological thinking, and avoid being manipulated. Above all, it will give you the confidence and courage to recognize the path that's right for you--"and take it,"

Get smarter -- in every part of your life

-- Practical, common-sense approaches to "critical thinking" that help you take control of your life, cope with any challenge -- and pursue your dreams and values more successfully

-- Addresses all three key components of thinking: analysis, evaluation and re-thinking.

-- Presents practical activities that give you practice testing powerful new ways of thinking

The world gets more complex every day -- and you have to cope with that complexity in every part of your life, personal and professional. This book gives you the practical critical thinking skills you need to take control of your life, help you cope with virtually any situation -- and be more successful in pursuing your ultimate dreams and values. You'll learn how to "take thinking apart" -- both yours, and others -- and assess that thinking for quality. You'll understand all three components of thinking: analysis, evaluation and re-thinking -- and, through "brains-on" exercises, learn new thinking skills you'll use constantly. The skills you'll learn will help you think more clearly, accurately, precisely, deeply, logically, and broadly. The result: you'll be able to solve problems more effectively, make better decisions, avoid manipulation by individuals or the media, recognize pathological thinking when you encounter it, and become more intellectually autonomous and courageous. For everyone who wants to become more effective in their professional and personal lives.