Part 3 of 3 PowerPoint Lecture Notes on Critical Thinking (Dr. Matthew Stafford) for the NMP at Air University, Air Command and Staff College

1. Critical Thinking
… something to think about …
SECTION III
Dr Matthew Stafford
Chief Academic Officer
We Produce the Future Squadron Officer College

2. Section III
We Produce the Future

3. Four Issues
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
• Linearization
‒ Most models linear
‒ Most problems systemic or process-based
• Cognitive Dissonance and Recidivism
‒ Cognitive Dissonance
• Multiple potential solutions cause anxiety
• Decision maker may switch paths repeatedly to avoid failure
• Focus becomes decision-making process vs making decisions
‒ Recidivism – Behavior is repeated at each step
• Problem-Solving Creep
‒ Problems expand to consume available resources
‒ Continued tinkering may ruin viable solutions
• Avoidance – Fear of failure
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 3

4. Uses… Create Theory
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
History
Theory
Doctrine
Strategy
Execution
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 4

5. Uses… Create Theory
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
History
Theory
Doctrine
Strategy
Execution
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 5

6. Uses …. Interpret History
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 6

7. Uses …. Interpret History
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 7

8. Uses … Build toward the Future
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
Battlespace Awareness
Near-Perfect Battlespace
Mission Assignment ISR Knowledge
Accurate,
Precision, C4I
Application
Precision Nodal Targeting
Force Near-Perfect and
Mission Assignment Communication
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 8

9. Uses … Self-Reflection
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
How do you go about loving your
enemies? I think the first thing is
this: In order to love your
enemies, you must begin by
analyzing self.
Martin Luther King, Jr
If you know your enemies and
know yourself, you will not be
imperiled in a hundred battles;
if you do not know your
enemies but do know yourself,
you will win one and lose one; if
you do not know your enemies
nor yourself, you will be
Hand with Reflecting Sphere imperiled in every single battle.
M. C. Escher
Sun Tzu
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 9

10. Uses … Solve Problems
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 10

11. Summary
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
• Critical thinking … nothing new
‒ Ancient Greeks
‒ Carl von Clausewitz
‒ Today’s Air Force
• Important to “think about thinking” – meta-cognition
‒ Maximizes effectiveness and efficiency
‒ Leverages strengths
‒ Overcomes weaknesses
• Multiple Approaches
‒ Many models
‒ Ultimately we must find what works best for ourselves
• Many benefits
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 11

12. Thank you.
We Produce the Future

13. The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
We Produce the Future…
One Student at a Time
One Faculty Member at a Time
One Idea at a Time
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 13
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