Critical Thinking and Intelligence Analysis Second Printing (with revisions): Containing Eight Additional Critical Thinking / Intelligence Analysis Publications

by David T. Moore

In addition to "Critical Thinking and Intelligence Analysis" ... now also includes the following publications:

1. Improving Leadership Through Better Decision Making: Fostering Critical Thinking

2. How Critical Thinking Shapes the Military Decision Making Process

3. Critical Thinking and the Development of Innovative Problem Solvers

4. Critical Thinking Training for Army Officers Volume One: Overview of Research Program

5. Critical Thinking Training for Army Officers Volume Two: A Model of Critical Thinking

6. Behavioral and Psychosocial Considerations in Intelligence Analysis: A Preliminary review of Literature on Critical Thinking Skills

7. Enhancing Critical Thinking Through Creation of Learning Organizations Within the Confines of an
Overarching Mechanistic Organization

8. Modeling and Simulation in the Army Intermediate Level Education Critical Thinking Curriculum

Preface
The world in which intelligence analysts work has changed
dramatically over the 67 years since the beginning of the Second
World War. Adversaries have shifted from large armies arrayed on
battlefields to individuals lurking in the shadows or in plain sight.
Further, plagues and pandemics, as well as floods and famines, pose
threats not only to national stability but even to human existence. To
paraphrase a Chinese curse, we certainly live in interesting times.
Our times demand fresh, critical reasoning on the part of those
tasked to assess and warn about threats as well as those tasked to act
on those threats. Education in the bases and practices of intelligence
foraging and sensemaking – often called intelligence collection and
analysis – is a means by which this can be accomplished. Indeed, the
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 legislates
improved education for intelligence analysis. But, that education is
not specifically defined. This volume provides a framework for one
area of the act’s educational requirement: improving how analysts
think – and by extension, how policymakers act. It asserts that
people who are skilled critical thinkers are better able to cope with
interesting times than those who are not.

The model for thinking developed here also provides specific
tools for coping with accelerating disruptive technologies. Such
technologies routinely appear in the hands of adversaries. They
also offer intelligence professionals capabilities to counter adversaries
in novel ways. The key is knowing which technologies are truly
disruptive in advance, which pose threats, and which can be
harnessed to mitigate threats. Critical thinking – as it is here defined
and developed – provides part of the solution as it encourages
careful consideration of the available evidence, close examination of
presuppositions and assumptions, review of the alternate implications
of decisions, and finally, discussion of alternative solutions and
possibilities. In short, it equips intelligence professionals with an
essential tool for their work.

Genres: Military Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2007

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

with every book I read about critical thinking comes a reduction in how fun I am at parties

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book, position paper, because of a course I'm taking not because I have any expertise in either critical thinking or intelligence analysis. I was able to draw parallels from it and believe that the concepts and methologies discussed within can be used in many aspects of problem solving. I think it's a greating jumping point from which to dive into further readings on critical thinking.

[Darren Tindall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on insights into how intelligence analysts go about problems, their bias’ and what needs to be done to create a effective analysis.

What’s somewhat hard to read and understand at times and I would have values more examples of intelligence that demonstrates bias’ or critical thinking - the book focused only on Cuban Missile Crisis and even then it felt a bit too much of skimming the surface.

[VIXEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting. It is written by a leader of the NSA and IC. This is his though on what would make our analysts better and more affective. I can largely agree with this thought process. More training in Critical Thinking in the public school system would be nice.

[Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

Examples are relevant but I was hoping for more substance.

[Yehani]

good book

[Riris · Rating 4 out of 5]

that book is very usefull as references for my final project.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for beginners in any brand of analysis. Any field. History, anthropology, forensics, whatever. You name it and this book will tell you how to defeat your own self defeating personal biases.