Critical Thinking and Decision-MakingType of thinker that I am

I am a logical thinker. I usually base my thoughts on evidence and facts. If a
conclusion is not backed by clear facts and evidence, I am unlikely to take it seriously.

Analysis of Intellectual Traits

Intellectual humility
A person who has intellectual humility is aware of their own ignorance.
Intellectual humility pertains to awareness of one’s limitations, prejudices, biases, and
viewpoints (Manning, 2016). The concept of intellectual humility is best exemplified
by the senate judiciary committee hearings regarding Souter’s nomination to the
Supreme Court. During the hearings, members of the committee made remarks that
women witnesses to the hearings found patronizing and inappropriate. Senator
Thurmond made remarks praising the looks of the women. When one of the women
witnesses, Ms. Yard, protested at such treatment, her concerns were dismissed by the
other senators as being of no importance (Hoeffler, 1994).
The encounter between the women witnesses to Souter’s nomination and the
members of the senate judiciary commission revealed that the senators lacked
intellectual humility. The senators lacked awareness of their ignorance about language
or remarks that women would find patronizing and objectionable. It is this lack of
intellectual humility that made them to dismiss the concerns of the women as if they
were of no importance.
The element of intellectual humility can be developed through increasing one’s
knowledge. The more a person knows, the more they are likely to understand their
own ignorance.
Intellectual courage

3
This characteristic makes one to be willing to challenge their beliefs. This quality
allows a person to face and fairly address viewpoints, beliefs, and ideas that they may
have strong negative emotions towards but which they may not have given serious
consideration or thought (Manning, 2016). When Saddam Hussein decided to remain
in Kuwait during the Gulf War and fight a losing battle against the Americans and
their allies instead of withdrawing, his actions were considered irrational by the
Western press (Hoeffler, 1994). The Western press’ treatment of Saddam Hussein’s
actions was an example of lack of intellectual courage. With intellectual courage, the
Western press would have realized that Hussein’s actions were rational from his point
of view because the choice for him was between losing courageously without losing
face or withdrawing as a coward.
Intellectual courage can be developed through always standing up and supporting
my views regardless of how unpopular they are as long as they are backed up by facts
and evidence.
Intellectual integrity
A person with intellectual integrity holds themselves to the same standard as the
one with which they hold others (Manning, 2016). It involves acting towards others in
the same way that you want them to act towards you. This quality allows one to
recognize inconsistencies and discrepancies in their actions and thoughts. During the
senate judiciary committee sittings for the hearing of Souter’s nomination, the
senators in the committee did not act with intellectual integrity. Had they had
intellectual integrity, they would have realized that they themselves would have been
offended had someone focused on their physical appearance instead of their views and
ideas in such a setting.
I can develop this element through learning to apply the same vigorous standards

4
of evaluation to my own writings and speeches as I would when evaluating the
writings of other students.
Intellectual autonomy
A person with intellectual autonomy is a person who is an independent thinker.
Such people do not allow others to control or direct their thinking (Manning, 2016).
They are the authors of the values and beliefs that they hold. The panelists discussing
the “optical illusions with an Einstein mask” on BBC Two showed intellectual
autonomy as each panelist expressed their take on the mask’s position without
deferring to other panelists (BBC, 2011).
The best way to develop this element is through always asking for information
sources or citations to verify whatever one is expressing either in verbal or written
form.

5

References

BBC (2011, Sept. 9). Optical Illusions with an Einstein Mas – Q1 Series 9 Ep 1 –
BBC Two. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORoTCBrCKIQ
Hoefler, J. M. (1994). Critical thinking and the use of optical illusions. PS: Political
Science & Politics, 27(3), 538-545.
Manning, S. (2016). Diagrams Helpful for Understanding Critical Thinking and Its
Relationship with Teaching and Learning.