To me, intellectual perseverance is thinking on your feet and
staying on your feet…figuratively speaking.
If I find myself in a verbal dispute or argument, I try to volley back
with fact and not with fallacies or conjecture.
I avoid finding myself on the proverbial ropes and throwing my “gloves
up” while not using the boxing ring ropes in a
Mohamed Ali “Rope-A-Dope” to wear out my intellectual sparring
partner. I “punch” back with fact. I swing my mental punches with steely
knowledge of fact and do not duck and weave with nonsense.
Intellectual perseverance will be very important as I progress in
my studies. I am here to increase my
knowledge base and not just sharpen it. I
am on a constant odyssey to improve and refine my intellect. I wish to lead by example and not be the
example of what not to do. In my current
occupation, I teach teenagers to be better citizens. This course will help me do a better job at
it.
I have ingested the required reading and have also done additional
research to improve my chances of doing well.
I found the definitions of “Critical Thinking” in keeping with my
existing knowledge and expectations. I
learned much from reading the variety of intellectual traits at http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/valuable-intellectual-traits/528.
As I scrolled through the website, I was reminded of the
intellectual traits that I either practiced or did not. Below, I will touch on each and indicate my
practice or nonpractice.
·
Intellectual Humility: Practiced.
I am a very humble person. I try
my best to appreciate others and their input.
I do not claim to know more than I actually do and, if I do not, I
inform the other that I am unaware but will do the research to educate
myself. If I find that the other
person’s input is unjustified, I provide them with the correct information and
where to find it.
·
Intellectual Courage: Practiced.
This goes hand in hand with Intellectual Humility. I have no qualms with disputing with others
and if I am confident in my knowledge, I have no problems arguing fact. However, if I find myself incorrect, I also
have no problem coming into compliance with proven and justified fact. While on Active Duty, I often found myself
being stared at with bewildered eyes when questioning a General about their
comment or input.
·
Intellectual Empathy: Practiced.
I may be too empathetic to fault.
I cry when people cry and stress when others stress. It has become one of my perceived
weaknesses. I even cried the first time
that I watched Charlie Brown’s “Snoopy Come Home”. I often find myself being sucked into other’s
tomes and stories. More often, than not,
I feel their feelings as they wind their yarns.
Sometimes even emphatically agreeing with them.
·
Intellectual
Autonomy: Practiced. I own all of my beliefs. I do not fear to share them and all of my
decisions and opinions are my own. I may
be offered input but may graciously decline it.
I think for myself. If something
seems rational and true, I fall in line.
I am a fan of reality. I am a fan
of vetted fact.
·
Intellectual Integrity: Practiced.
I try to practice what I preach.
When I share information with my subordinates I know it is true, but if
I find that it is not, I will correct myself and let all that I have shared
information with that I was incorrect and provide the correct information.
·
Confidence In Reason: Practiced.
As an Army Leader, I always encouraged my Soldiers to come to their own
conclusions. As a High School teacher, I
do the same. I want my Cadets to think
for themselves. Do their own
research. I never give them the
answer. I want them to do their own
research and find the answers on their own.
I correct them and steer them if they are off track and praise them and
share their findings if they are correct.
·
Fairmindedness: Always practiced. I accept all input with grace and treat them
with the same output. Basically, I treat
everyone the same.
Good leaders are
developed. It has taken me years to get
to the point that I am at. A good leader
should be a critical thinker. They
should think on their feet and always admit when they are wrong.
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