Critical and Creative thinking:

General introduction
• Course divided into two broad kinds of thinking
 Creative thinking- ability to think innovatively/or to use
the mind to come up with a new idea or product
 Critical thinking- ability to think clearly and rationally
The two kinds of thinking are different but intertwined.
By the end of the course a student should:
 master both the elements of creative thinking and of
critical thinking.
 Introduction continued…
 Tell the difference and the interconnectedness of
creative and critical thinking
 Apply the skills learned to solve real life problems
 Be able to think outside the box/norm as well as
clearly and rationally.
 Be able to interact with reality/existence whether self
or other from a different but an enhanced perspective.
 Acknowledge the relevance of creative and critical
thinking course in the contemporary world.
 Course Expectations
• Course Assessment
• CAT 1 15 Marks
• CAT 2 15 Marks
• Final Exams 70 marks
• TOTAL 100 Marks
• Special Course Requirements
• 2. Students are encouraged to read books on Logic and
Critical thinking besides the recommended texts.
• 3. Class attendance must be at least 70% for students to
be permitted to Sit for CATs and Exams
 Problem Identification

Understanding what constitutes a

problem.
 What is a problem?
Quote : “problems do not go away. They must be worked through
or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and
development of the spirit” Scott Peck
Derives from Greek word problema which means obstacle.
A problem is an uncertain issue or question that needs to be
examined and resolved.
Uncertain issues or questions are all over our daily lives since our
existence.
A problem becomes a problem due to the fact that there is a felt
need that drives one toward a resolution.
Solving a problem must therefore result to some value either
social, political, economic, cultural or intellectual among others.
 What is problem solving?
 The process of identifying a potential problem,
defining and representing the problem, exploring
possible strategies, acting on those strategies,
and looking back and evaluating the effects of
those activities. (Bransford & Stein, 1984)
 problem solving therefore involves
understanding a problem, making a plan, carrying
out the plan and evaluating the effectiveness of
the plan.
 Techniques for identifying a problem

Problem identification involves:

 Ensuring that one is solving an actual problem
but not merely the symptoms of a problem.
 Establishing the objectives of the problem
solving process
 Determining evidence that the problem has
been solved: how will I know the problem has
been solved?
 Questions to ask when seeking to identify a
problem
 What happened?/ what will happen?
 Who does it affect?/ what does it affect?
 Where did it have an impact?/ where will it
have an impact?
 When did it happen?/ when will it happen?
 How did it occur?/ how will it occur?
 What could I do to be more successful?
 Techniques for identifying a problem
continued…
Bounce it off someone else : two heads are better
than one
Consensus building: involves discussing the problem
until you agree on an appropriate definition of the
problem
Drawing a picture of the problem to enhance visual
representation. Pictures aid creativity
Use of experience kit: putting problem solvers through
an experience that enables them understand the
problem better.
 Techniques for identifying a problem
continued…
fishbone diagram
Fishbone diagram: to identify and list all
possible causes of the problem mainly by a
group of persons.
• A fishbone diagram helps a problem solver to
identify and list all the possible causes of the
problem in form of a diagram which
eventually looks like the skeleton of a fish.
 Fishbone diagram
Image downloaded from https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/fishbone-diagram-template/
 How to construct a fishbone diagram
 Draw a shape (circle, triangle, rectangle, oval) at
the right hand center of a blank page
 Write down the problem within the shape
 Draw a straight line from the shape to the left so
to appear as the fish backbone
 Draw primary stems from the main line
intersecting it at 45 degrees
 Write down brainstormed primary causes of the
problem at the end of every primary stem.
 How to construct a fishbone diagram
continued….
 Draw secondary stems stretching from the
main stems and intersecting at 45degrees at
the main stems
 Indicate the secondary causes of the primary
cause at the end of each secondary stem.
 Repeat this process on every new stem until
you exhaust the possible causes.
 Techniques for identifying a problem continued…
why-why diagram
• Used to identify the possible causes of a
problem
• Unlike fishbone diagram it moves from right to
left and has no backbone
• Problem is stated in a shape at the right center
of a blank page
• Draw a straight line vertically parallel to the
shape containing the problem.
 why-why diagram continued…
• Draw primary stems perpendicular to the
vertical line answering the problem’s primary
“why?” on every stem drawn.
• Draw secondary stems from the primary stems
answering the “why?” to the primary “why?”
for every secondary stem drawn.
• Repeat this process until you reach the
simplest possible cause of the problem.
 Why-why diagram
IMAGE DOWNLOADED FROM https://online.visual-paradigm.com/es/diagrams/templates/why-why-diagram/why-why-analysis-template/
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES/TOOLS

Abstraction
 Also known as divide and conquer.
 Break down the complex problem into simpler
problems.
 Solve each of the smaller problems.
 Use the solutions obtained to solve the big
problem.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES/TOOLS
continued…
Brainstorming
 Applied by a group of persons in problem
solving
 Involves pointing out every solution that
comes to the mind.
 Solutions can be crazy, stupid or even wild.
 Best solutions are selected in convergent
thinking
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES/TOOLS
continued…
Hypothesis testing
 Make assumptions to explain the problem
 A hypothesis is an assumption with two variables
(dependent and independent)
 For instance: if the problem is to identify the relationship
between corruption and education we may make the
assumption that “the vulnerability of a person to
corruption depends on the person’s level of education.”
 Research techniques are applied to establish whether
the assumption is true or false.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES/TOOLS
continued
 If the hypothesis is proved to be true, then we
must look for solutions to the problem of
corruption in relation to education.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES/TOOLS
continued…
Fishbone diagram plus abstraction
 Organizes and displays possible causes of a
problem.
 Illustrates the relationship between effect and
the causes
 Revisit the fishbone diagram studied in
problem identification.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES/TOOLS
continued…
• Identify and discuss 6 other problem solving
techniques as appearing in the book “101
creative problem solving techniques”
featuring under the section “creative thinking
tools and techniques”
 Creativity
Definitions of creative thinking
Boden M.A defines creativity as “…the ability to
come up with ideas and artifacts that are new,
surprising and valuable.
• As such, creativity is an aspect of human intelligence.
Every one of us is creative in their own way and to a
certain degree.
Namwamba Destiny (2005) defines creative thinking
as bringing into being something which did not exist
before…or working on the old with a view of
producing a harmonized new.
Definitions of creative thinking continued.

• For Namwamba we are creative when

 We invent something that has never existed
before
 We invent something that exists elsewhere
but we were not aware of its existence
 We invent a new process for doing things
 We reapply an existing process or product into
a new or different market
Definations of creative thinking continued…

 When we bring a new idea into existence

 When we change the way someone else looks
at something
The creativity cycle/ phases of creativity/ the
problem solving cycle.
1.Preperation
 Identify, define and reformulate the problem
 Gather relevant information a bout your problem
through research, literature review, data collection
etc.
2.Exploration/generative phase
 Involves analyzing and digesting the information
gathered.
 Classify the materials
 Creativity cycle continued..
 Reorganize the materials
 Approach the materials from different
perspectives
 Connect ideas
 Draw conclusions
 The connection of ideas helps to come up with
new and useful ideas.
 Creativity cycle continued…
3.Incubation
 Time to relax and keep your mind off the task
and wait.
 Could be taking a good afternoon nap, a cold
shower in summer, or a walk in the park.
 Solution to the problem may just pop up in the
mind.
 Look for an activity that stimulates your mind
most, e.g .listening to your favorite music.
 Creativity cycle continued…
4. Verification
 Check whether the ideas arrived at are
workable or they can be improved.
 Revisit/review the whole creativity cycle to
improve success.
 Learn from your failures and seek remedies for
those failure.
 Creativity cycle continued…
• Failure may arise due to
 Lack of knowledge
 Failure of concept when there is something
amiss with the initial theory
 Failure of judgment involves making the
wrong decision in executing the right ideas.
 Characteristics of creative thinkers
• Receptive/non-conservative- they welcome new ideas and
new ways of doing things.
• Curious- seek to explore unfamiliar possibilities/desire to
know more
• Seekers of connection between ideas
• Realistic dreamers
• Not weighed down by rigid gender roles
• Sensitive and open to experience
• Risk takers
• Independent thinkers
 Characteristics of creative thinkers
continued…
• Have capacity for fantasy
• Open mindedness—ability and willingness to
see things differently.
Creative thinking tools and techniques

Brainstorming
 Used for generating ideas in groups
 As many as possible ideas are generated.
 Ideas can be farfetched, seem crazy or lazy but
nevertheless are pointed out as they present
themselves to the mind.
 Ideas are not to be evaluated or criticized at
the point of brainstorming
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued…
SCAMPER
 It is an acronym that stands for:
• Letter Method
• S substitute something
• C combine it with something else
• A adapt something to it
• M modify or magnify it
• P put it to some other use
• E eliminate something
• R reverse or rearrange it
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued….
 Used to change an existing product or idea in
order to arrive at a harmonized new.
 List down all the features of the product/idea
you are working with
 Use scamper to see whether you can make
innovative changes.
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued….
Analogies
 A comparison between two things
 Is applied when one seeks to solve a problem
by copying the features of a given thing and
applying those features in coming up with a
new thing altogether.
 For instance, the features of a flying birds
applied in the construction of aircrafts
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued…
Brute search
 Trying out from a list of possible solutions each
at a time until you get to the one that works
best.
 In designing the light bulb, Thomas Edison
tested over 6000 times to alive at the material
for a filament that would be a good conductor
of electricity, would produce enough light and
withstand the heat without melting.
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued…
Keeping an idea notebook
 Helps in recording creative ideas as soon as
they pop up in the mind as opposed to
recording them later.
 Remedies the forgetful nature of the human
mind.
 Ideas are written down and examined later
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued…
Mind mapping
 A graphical representation of creative ideas.
 Based on the supposition that the brain works
with key concepts in an interrelated and
interconnected manner.
 It is an individual brainstorming technique.
 Mind maps are diagrams that connect ideas
around a central subject.
 How to draw a mind map
 Write down the problem within a circle at the center
of a writing material
 Brainstorm the primary facets of the problem and
indicate them on other circles extending from the
problem circle
 On each primary circle, brainstorm on the secondary
facets of the problem and indicate them on secondary
circles extending from the primary circle.
 Repeat the process for every circle produced until the
furthest you can go
 Mind mapping continued
Study the mind map to establish the
connection/relationship between the ideas
Advantages of mind maps over plain brainstorming
 Being graphical and incorporating images, colors and
pictures, it is more memorable and exiting to work
with
 They link and group concepts thus aiding the
generation of more ideas and to find deeper
meaning of the problem.
Advantages of mind mapping continued…

 Breaks down a complex problem into its

component parts.
 Concept mapping inspires creative thinking
Mind map sample
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued…
• Picture stimulation
 Applies pictures to transcend brainstormed ideas.
 Participants must not discuss what is or is not to appear in
the pictures.
 It involves :
 Selecting the pictures: should be showing some action
 Examining the pictures and describing them to a recorder
 Using each line of the description to trigger new ideas to
be recorded separately
 Repeat the process for all pictures.
 Creative thinking tools and techniques
continued…
Identify and discuss TEN other tools and
techniques of creativity
Read page 36 to 112 of 101 creative problem
solving techniques _ the handbook of new ideas
for business.
Creative thinking dispositions and behavior

Read the entire book “The art of creative

thinking” appearing in the folder “Book on
creative thinking” under the section “creative
thinking dispositions”
Creative thinking disposition and behavior

• To be a great creative thinker you need to familiarize

yourself with and practice some behavior and
dispositions. Below is a list of creative dispositions and
behavior.
Using analogies
 Borrow analogies from nature. Nature is a rich store of
analogies that can be used in coming up with artificial
inventions.
 Many inventions have been suggested by observation
of things in the natural world such as:.
 Using analogies
continued
 1903- observing the flight of birds inspired the Wright
Brothers into inventing the first powered airplane, Kitty
Hawk.
 Study of whales led to the invention of submarines.
 1948- George de Mestral observed the burrs of burdock
stuck on his dress and dog and used the analogy to
invent the Velcro (a fastener for clothes with two strips
one covered with tiny loops and the other with tiny
flexible hooks. When the two are pressed together they
adhere and can be separated easily when pulled apart)
 Using analogies
continued
 1687- Isaac Newton seated under an apple tree
observed an apple fall down and discovered the
law of gravitational force from the idea.
 Observed ducks swim in water with the help of
webbed feet inspired the invention of flippers
used by divers to push themselves in water
Give ten other examples of analogies from nature
that have been used in inventions.
Images
 Creative thinking dispositions and behavior
continued…
Keep a note book
Read and Make notes on 10 other creative
dispositions and behavior. Give detailed
examples in your notes.
Read the entire book “The art of creative
thinking” appearing in the folder “Book on
creative thinking” under the section “creative
thinking dispositions”
 Barriers to creative thinking
• Barriers are blocks or impediments that hinder the performance of creativity
skills. They include:
 Habits- following the ways things have always been done or are supposed to be
done. This hinders the desire to explore new possibilities or new ways of doing or
looking at things.
 Rules and traditions- these are procedural barriers such as procedures, policies
and regulations. Rules and traditions are restrictions and prohibitions which
suppress creativity and innovation. While some rules and traditions may be
beneficial such as codes of ethics for conducting research with human subjects
they also restrict creativity.
 Perceptual barriers: this is the custom of seeing things in your own ways.it
involves mental sets, perceptual set or functional fixedness. This custom makes it
difficult for one to see new meanings. New ideas and new connections in things.
Perceptual sets lead to hasty and rigid decision making as opposed to flexibility
and exploring all possible alternatives.
 Barriers to creative thinking continued…
 Cultural barriers and taboos-formed due to conformity. Social influence
within the context of social and institutional norms. E.g. complying to the
ways other people think others expect them to behave and the fear of
standing out different from others. This leads to loss of individuality and
creativity.
 Emotional barriers-excessive anger, fear, hate, anxiety, fear of failure, fear
of criticism, fear of being different, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown
and low self esteem among others.
 Resource barriers- genuine resource inadequacy and resource myopia.
 Psychological barriers- Negative attitude, executive stress, mental illness
 Intellectual barriers- over-reliance on logic leading to rigidity as opposed
to flexibility, haste to judge ideas leading to inability to further diverge
on them and early dismissal of ideas.
 Overcoming the barriers.
• Switching to positive attitude- see possibilities not obstacles
• Readiness to learn and to allow new ideas- overcomes conservatism and conformity
• Utilize the available resources in the most creative way. Resources are scarce. Those
that are available must be used in the most productive and creative way to realize value
and usefulness.
• Circumvent status quo- enables you to think beyond the expected ways of doing things.
Enables you to see new alternatives and possibilities.
• Open mindedness- allows you to be idea receptive and to listen to alternative and at
times opposing ideas to one’s own
• Doing thorough research to accumulate adequate information on the problem/idea
• Boost your courage- it is okay to be different. It is okay to fail and learn from your
failure. It is okay to be criticized and learn something from criticism. Ignore negative
criticism.
 The Dark side of creativity
• Read and make notes on chapter 1 and chapter 2 of the book “The
dark side of creativity” appearing in the folder “Book on creative
thinking” under the section “creative thinking dispositions”
• Your reading should be geared to answering the following questions
 Does creativity has a dark side?
 What are the arguments for and against the claim that creativity has
a dark side?
 What are the main arguments raised in chapter one “Dark Side of
Creativity: What Is It?” by Arthur J. Cropley?
 What are the main arguments raised in chapter 2 “Creativity Has No
Dark Side” by Mark A. Runco?
 What is the relationship between the two chapters?
 Convergence thinking/Critical thinking
• Why convergence thinking?
• Whereas creative thinking is concerned with producing as many
solutions to a problem as possible (divergent thinking), critical thinking
is committed to evaluating and testing the solutions proposed.
• Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and
skillfully coceptualising, analysing and evaluating available information
as a guide to action.
• Information could arise from reasoning, observation, experience,
reflection, or communication.
• Critical thinking is a combination of skills and habit of using the ssskils.
• Ability to think clearly and rationally.
 Characteristics of critical thinking
• Dispositions of critical thinkers such as skeptical in
nature, fair-minded, open-minded, respect for
clarity and precision, respect for evidence and
reasoning etc
• Applies criteria..for some claim to be considered
believable it must meet certain conditions.
• Involves argumentation and Reasoning
• Critical thinkers are open to many points of view.
 Benefits of critical thinking
• Drives social change
• Helps us to uncover bias and prejudice
• Frees us from half truths and deceptions
• In classroom students learn variety of skills that improve their
performance such as the art of argumentation, evaluating
arguments
• At work place employers are looking for employees with good
thinking skills achievable only through learning critical thinking
• In real life critical thinking comes in handy especially during
decision making. Prevents one from hasty decision making,
Making foolish personal decisions.
• In governance critical thinking promotes democratic processes.
Citizens of a government for the people and by the people must
be informed and able to critique the rules that govern them. Lack
 Argument
Definition
*A group of statements in which one (called the conclusion)
is claimed to follow from other(s) (called the Premises) with
necessity or with some degree of probability.
• The definition gives us two kinds of argumentsa a) one type
the conclusion follows with necessity from the premises
• b) another type the conclusion follows from the premises
with some degree of probability
• The definition gives us two important concepts
a) premise
b) Conclusion
 Purpose of arguments
• 1. Arguingg to inquire
• To form opinions
• To question opinions
• Helps to identify truth about things
• In decision making
• To think through dilemmas
• The result of inquiry is forming a conviction or
an opinion
 Purpose of argument continued...
• 2. Arguing to convince
• Seeking to have others believe in our convictions.
• We inquire to elaborate what we think
• We convince to have others agree with what we
think
• We inquire to establish what is true
• We convince to get others to accept the truths
we have established
 Purpose of argument continued...
• 3. Arguing to persuade
• To get others to act based on our convictions
to which we have made them(convinced
them) accept.
• Examples include commercial advertisements
• When we persuade we exploit the audience’s
emotions and feelings
Purpose of arguments continued...
• 4. Arguing to negotiate
• Involves two or more parties/sides in conflict
• When when convincing and persuading fails to get
either side to assent to the convictions of the
other
• However, the situation calls fo a corse of action
• A mediator may lead the negotiations
• Each side may compromise and meet at an
equilibrium
 Structure of argument
• An argument is composed of a premise/premises and a conclusion.
• A premise is a proposition in an argument that provides
grounds/reasons for accepting another proposition called the
conclusion.
• A conclusion is the proposition in an argument whose grounds for
accepting are provided by other propositions called the premises
• A conclusion is arrived at through the process called inference.
• Inference is the process by which a conclusion is reached and
affirmed on the basis of one or more other propositions/premises
accepted as the starting point of the process.
 Structure of argument
• Premises are identified by premise indicators such as, since,
for, because, given that, considering that, inasmuch as, seeing
that, as, in the view of the fact that, judging from, on account
of etc
• Premise indicators indicate that a premise is being offered
• Conclusions are identified by conclusion indicators such as,
therefore, hence, this, consequently, so, accordingly, for this
reason, which shows that, this implies that, as a result, this
being so, this suggests that, we may infer that, that is why,
etc.
• Conclusion indicators show that a conclusion is being offered.
 Types of arguments
• Arguments claim to provide support/evidence for
accepting a conclusion through their premises.
• The nature of support that the premises give to a
conclusion determines the type of argument
constructed
• When premises give absolute/100% support to
the conclusion, the argument is deductive
• When premises give partial/probable support for
the conclusion, the argument is inductive.
 Types of argument
• Deductive arguments
• A deductive argument is one in which the premises
provide conclusive grounds for the conclusion.
• If the premises is accepted as true then the
conclusion must be true.
• Examples
• All mammals give birth to young ones
. A lioness is a mammal
. Therefore lioness gives birth to young ones
 Examples of deductive arguments
• All students are human beings
. Jane is a student
Therefore Jane is a human being
Give your own examples
 Inductive arguments
• An inductive is one in which the premises provide probable support for the
conclusion.
• If the premises are accepted as true then the conclusion is likely to be true.
• Example
1.Elephantss are mammals and they give birth to young ones
. Cows are mammals and they give birth to young ones
Humans are mammals and they give birth to young ones
Therefore probably all mammals give birth to young ones.
2. 70% of all politicians are corrupt
. Therefore probably all politicians are corrupt
 Types of argument continued...
• Differences between deductive and inductive
arguments
• 1. In a deductive argument If the premises are true
then the conclusion must be true. In an inductive
argument if the premises are true then the
conclusion is probably true.
• 2. In a deductive argument the conclusion follows
necessarily from the premises. In an inductive
argument the conclusion follows probably from the
premises.
 Fallacies
• A fallacy is an error in reasoning
• Fallacies of (Ir)relevance
• They occur when an arguer provides reasons that are logically irrelevant to the conclusion
• A premise is relevant to the conclusion of it gives some reasons for thinking that the conclusion is true or
false.
• List of fallacies of relevance
• Personal attack
• Appeal to mercy
• Appeal to force
• Appeal to ignorance
• False cause
• Bandwagon fallacy
• Strawman
• Accident
• Redherring
• Missing the point
• Equivocation
• Begging the question