Lecture Notes Critical Thinking Part 1 of 3

Critical Thinking
… something to think about …

SECTION I

Dr Matthew Stafford
Chief Academic Officer
We Produce the Future Squadron Officer College

The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
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Carl von Clausewitz

Lessons from Clausewitz

War Theory Leadership Insights
War is the realm of physical exertion …in war these truths are better served
and suffering. by a commander who has absorbed
their meaning in his mind rather than
…in war, all action takes place so to one who treats them as rigid external
speak in a kind of twilight which like fog rules…
or moonlight, often tends to make
things seem grotesque and larger than The commander must trust his
they really are. judgment and stand like a rock on
which the waves break in vain
Political Theory
Critical Analysis
War is not merely a political act, but
also a real political instrument, a We distinguish between the critical
continuation of political commerce, a approach and the plain narrative of a
carrying out of the same by other historical event, which merely
means. arranges facts one after another, and
at most touches on their immediate
causal links

Overview

• Clausewitizian Critical Analysis
• Thinking about thinking – meta-cognition
– Levels of thinking
– Enhance efficiency and effectiveness
– Seek opportunities to practice and improve
• Comparative techniques for critical thinking
– Many different approaches
– Ultimately a single process we can employ
• Putting thinking to practice


Clausewitzian Critical Analysis

1. The discovery and interpretation of equivocal facts.
This is historical research proper, and has nothing
in common with theory.
2. The tracing of effects back to their causes. This is
critical analysis proper. It is essential for theory;
for whatever in theory is to be defined, supported,
or simply described by reference to experience
can only be dealt with in this manner.
3. The investigation and evaluation of means
employed. This last is criticism proper, involving
praise and censure. Here theory serves history, or
rather the lessons to be drawn from history.


This is historical researchinterpret factsnothing
Discover and proper, and has
for whatever in theory is to be defined, supported,


for whatever ineffects back defined, supported,
Trace theory is to be to causes


for whatever ineffects back defined, supported,
Trace theory is to be to causes
Investigate and evaluate –
consider alternatives. serves history, or
praise and censure. Here theory
Look for
rather thebetter courses offrom history.
lessons to be drawn action.

Custer’s Defeat

• Was it …
‒ Personalities?
‒ Weaponry?
‒ Sheer Numbers?

• Supports Clausewitz’s approach
‒Exhaustive analysis
‒Link causes and effects
‒Consider alternatives

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Section II

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36

Lecture Notes Critical Thinking Part 1 of 3

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