Content: How do humans reason to their beliefs? This course first examines the three major ways humans think. One is Top-Down Axiomatic Thinking. The second is Bottom-Up Experiential Thinking. And the third is This-Is-Like-That Comparative Thinking. Learn the strengths and limitations of all three. Learn how to analyze, interpret, and evaluate the kinds of inferences that each yields.
How do humans make decisions and find the courage to act on them? We use our critical thinking to make well-reasoned decisions about what to do and what to believe. But human decision-making includes much more. Our reactions and impulses influence our decision-making. Discover the Top 12 human thinking shortcuts (“cognitive heuristics”). These natural shortcuts drive our reactive decision-making. Discover how to apply critical thinking to guard against over-reliance on heuristic impulses. Learn about the process that leads us to have the confidence to act on the choices we make. And learn ways to overcome locking-in prematurely on a choice that is less than optimal.
Elements: This course includes 5 learning elements:
You will be able to navigate back and forth through each course element. This enables you to return to a prior question and change your answer. The estimated engagement for this course is five hours of learning distributed over the five elements.
Results Reports: When you complete an element of the course, you will see on screen your scores, detailed personal feedback, and a summary of key ideas. You will be able to download a PDF copy of your results report. That PDF will include the number of minutes that you engaged with that course element. It will also include your percent correct on the “Personal Feedback – Overall” score. Use your PDF results reports to document that you have passed this course.
Saint Mary’s College of California CEU course # 838.0322 and course title: “How to Reason Well in Precise Contexts.” See “How to Receive CEU Certification” tab for detailed instructions on how to receive CEU certification.
This-Is-Like-That Comparative Reasoning
Like sharp kitchen knives, comparative reasoning is extremely useful, yet potentially risky. This 60-minute Deep Dive short interactive course examines our natural human way of using comparative reasoning to generate new, interesting, creative ideas. And, as a tool for trying to understand things that are less familiar.
Bottom-Up Experiential Reasoning
Bottom-Up experiential reasoning is the best process yet invented for determining what to believe about all natural phenomena, including ourselves. This 60-minute Deep-Dive short interactive course examines our natural way of understanding and adapting by using experience to build our personal and scientific knowledge of the world.
Top-Down Axiomatic Reasoning
Top-Down axiomatic reasoning begins our basic principles and values to shape our choices and opinions. This 60-minute Deep Dive short interactive course examines our reliance on the authority of deeply held convictions. Top-Down reasoning gives purpose to billions, but, as history shows, there are grave risks associated with axiomatic thinking.
Optimize Decision-Making Part 1 – Reactive and Reflective Thinking
This 60-minute interactive Deep Dive course examines the realities of human decision-making. Our reactive and reflective thinking processes impact all our choices. Our decisions are influenced by the thinking shortcuts (heuristics) evolution scripted in us. Part 1 begins the countdown of the Top-12 heuristics, their advantages, risks, and strategies for optimization.
Optimize Decision-Making Part 2 – Arriving at a Dominant Option
Complete the countdown of the Top-12 heuristics, their advantages, risks, and decision optimization strategies. Then use this 60-minute interactive Deep Dive course to examine “Dominance Structuring” - the natural process that gives us the confidence to sustain, lock-in, and act on our decisions. Learn to optimize your decision-making at every phase of dominance structuring.
Certification of .5 CEU is awarded by Saint Mary’s College of California for successfully completing this CEU Pack. This Course Pack has been assigned Saint Mary’s College CEU course number 838.0422 and course Title “How to Understand Human Thinking and Optimize Decision-Making.”
This course has 5 learning elements. Successful completion of this course requires (1) correctly answering at least 80% of the questions on “Personal Feedback – Overall” in each learning element. And (2) engaging the learning elements for a combined total of 5 or more hours.
You can document fulfilling both requirements using your Results Reports. One Results Report appears onscreen at the end of each learning element you complete. Download those Results Reports. Each shows the percent of questions answered correctly on “Personal Feedback – Overall” for that element. And each shows the number of minutes (“Session Duration”) engaged with the content of that learning element.
Download and print this PDF: “Course 838.0422 CEU Reg Form” Follow the simple instructions on Page 1. Use the Saint Mary’s College of California course registration form, page 2.
Saint Mary’s College of California is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges for the purpose of issuing CEU certifications.
Saint Mary’s College advises participants to confirm with their professional association, state licensing authority, school district, or employer that this CEU course is in compliance with mandates for prior CEU approval.
