Role of Organizing in the Critical Thinking ProcessAbstractOrganizing our thoughts in a logical way can help us think critically, find solutions to problems, and make correct conclusion. Understanding the origins of order, the four natural orders, mental orders, the proper steps in organizing and the methods in which we use these orders make critical thinking and problem solving an easier and more obtainable task.Role or Organizing in Critical ThinkingAs with anything, without order, there would just be chaos. There needs to be order in the universe, in our speech, in presentations, in our homes, as well as most areas in our lives. The same goes for the organization of our thoughts. By taking a closer look at the origins of order, the natural and mental orders, the steps in organizing, and the methods of using orders, one can better understand how to organize their thoughts. As a result, a person's critical thinking skills will improve.Some philosophers believe that human minds ...view middle of the document...
Topical order refers to the "natural" place of things in the universe. For example, days and nights correspond with the rotation of the earth, water flows downhill, and the way the moon affects the tides of the ocean. Analogical order is finding the similarities between objects. Chronological order is the sequence in which things happen. Causal order is the cause and effect of events. All four of the orders can be found in the world around us, and within our minds. (Kirby, Goodpaster, 1999).Mental orders are those that come mostly from humans. The mental orders do rely on the four natural orders, but are more specific to an individual. Carpenters, salesman, accountants, journalists all have mental orders that they rely on to organize. Some examples of these are the scientific order, the five W's of journalists, or the five P's of marketers. (Kirby, Goodpaster, 1999).In order to make sense of the information our brain has gathered, a three step process helps us organize and interpret the information. This process consists of clustering, analyzing, and prioritizing. Clustering involves grouping items together that are similar and what "naturally" should go together. When all of the information is clustered, the second step is to analyze. Analyzing involves making certain the items are clustered as they should be and information may be added or removed. The last step is to prioritize. Prioritizing is similar to making an outline for a paper or speech. (Kirby, Goodpaster, 1999).Of the four natural orders, chronological is probably used most often. We use the chronological order when we tell stories, and many books are written in this order. The topical order is most effective when dealing with description. Analogical order is often relied upon when clustering information. Causal order is beneficial when looking for a solution. (Kirby, Goodpaster, 1999).Results and DiscussionOrganization is a critical step in the thinking process. We must use one of the natural or mental orders to have a clear understanding of all the information we absorb. The methods that a person uses have impact the way they think. We can discover more about the way we think and how we organize our thoughts when we are knowledgeable of the process that takes place in our minds.ReferencesKirby, G., Goodpaster, J., & Levine,. (1999). Thinking. 2nd ed.: Prentice Hall.
