Exxon Valdez

In March of 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in the Prince William Sound, Alaska. Initially bound for Long Beach, California, the oil tanker hit the Bligh reef and released an estimated 11 million of the ship's 55 million gallons of crude oil into the surrounding ocean. The spilled oil eventually covered 1300 miles of shoreline and amounted to the largest oil spill in history at that time. The spill was catastrophic to the surrounding ecosystems and had an immense environmental impact. The captain of the tanker, Joe Hazelwood, suggests he was wrongly blamed, and he did not offer an apology until twenty years later, in 2009.

Thinking Critically in Engineering

The classes I have taken within the field of engineering promote and teach critical thinking more so than do classes in other subjects. Mechanical engineering classes cater well to the development of critical thinking skills as the classes are heavily based in problem solving situations. In solving given problems or accomplishing assigned tasks, students are inherently demonstrating aspects of the critical thinking process. In having students problem-solve, engineering classes lead students to ask and, in turn, answer several questions that embody the critical thinking process;

What exactly is the end result I am trying to achieve?

What are the possible means of achieving this result (or parts of it)?

Of these means, which can I employ practically and efficiently?

By facing students with tasks and challenges relevant to the field, the engineering program does a good job of fostering the growth of critical thinking skills in its students.

Reflection

In writing this essay, my views on what the California dream is have not changed in a notable way. I still think of it as a glorious and concentrated version of the American dream. However, the song did bring to mind questions of the actuality of the California dream. I feel as though the song encourages me to look deeper into my local surroundings here in Los Angeles. Rather than only thinking of the fame and extravagance often connected with Los Angeles (and Hollywood specifically), the song kept in my mind thoughts of all the other parts of L.A.-the parts that are not pristine and welcoming. I wonder who in Los Angeles shares the same view as the Decemberists and what has happened to make them believe in such a negative image of the city.

What is Critical Thinking?

I believe the process of thinking critically entails a few specific skills that compliment each other. The first skill or part of the critical thinking process is to fully understand the question or issue at hand. This requires the thinker to define unknown concepts. This step also demands an understanding of the context of whatever is being evaluated and a knowledge of why it is being evaluated. This skill leads right into the second, in which a person must come to know all information relevant to whatever is being thought about. This step is important as it can help lead to an objective view on the subject. If the person is taking all information into account before creating an individual opinion, he can see the subject in an initially objective way. Another skill required in the process is to find out information about the information about the subject. This is crucial because finding background to what something is can lead a person to discover why something is the way it is. People frequently add an additional step in the process-forming an individual opinion. I find this unnecessary in the process. Thinking critically about something does not require the formation of an opinion, although critical thinking does help in creating a well-formed view.