Week 1 Reflective Journal
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School
Lone Star College System, Woodlands *
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Course
347
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
4
Uploaded by caithomasadn
Week 1 Reflective Journal
Caitlin Thomas
Chamberlain University
Phil 347: Critical Reasoning
Dr. Barkauskas
November 5, 2023
Critical Thinking
My understanding of critical thinking involves intelligent and comprehensive consideration of all available information and evidence to arrive at a thorough understanding and
solution. It requires reflection and the ability to connect concepts, as well as the capacity to step back and view a situation from multiple perspectives before making decisions. Critical thinking is characterized by creativity, adaptability, and reflection, as well as the ability to analyze evidence to It is essential to arrive at precise and applicable conclusions.
Heart of the Matter
The term "the heart of the matter" represents the fundamental principles of a dispute or subject. The book "Think Critically" sheds light on the true meaning of critical thinking through its chapters 12, 13, and 14, offering a comprehensive description of the concept. Critical thinking
requires identifying pertinent information, analyzing the sources of the information, and evaluating different types of evidence to form my point of view (Falcione & Gittens, 2016). These chapters cover the essential steps and skills required for critical thinking, making them the "fundamentals" of this concept. By the end of the chapters, I will have a thorough understanding of these concepts and skills, allowing me to apply them effectively.
The concepts of "conceptualizing" and "reasoning" are emphasized strongly in the text. Conceptualizing is defined as the act of forming a concept by collecting data from the main point, forming generalizations, and gaining an understanding of the meaning of the topic or subject. Reasoning is the process of forming logical and reasonable judgments and conclusions, and is considered the foundation of critical thinking. One has to follow a series of careful steps to
become a "critical thinker", and failure to learn and master these skills will only result in weak
solutions. Since these chapters are the most important parts of the book, the expectation is that they serve as a go-to reference whenever one encounters confusion or uncertainty.
Challenges and Insights
Managing my time and resources will be the biggest challenge I face this semester. I'm enrolled in a Community Health class that requires a twelve-hour clinical day once a week, and I work full-time while caring for my 10-year-old son and two stepsons who are 6 and 8 years old. All three boys are involved in sports and extracurricular activities, and I also have two birthdays to plan and Thanksgiving coming up around the time of midterms. I remember the course description mentioning that this class would require extensive writing, which poses a challenge as I often struggle with balancing school, work, and life. Nonetheless, I hope to finish this class as a critical thinker. I plan to apply critical thinking skills to real-life nursing situations. Nurses must be able to make timely, informed decisions to save a patient's life. As I have done with textbooks from previous courses, like psychology and adult health, if I ever do not fully understand, or need a refresher on a certain concept, I will be able to use this book to gain a better understanding.
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References:
Facione, P. A., & Gittens, C. A. (2016).
Think critically (3rd ed.
). Boston: Pearson.