Question the Knowledge and Put it in the Order of Priority

In an environment where the digital revolution prevails, the speed of information sharing, the frequency and intensity of news or data are much different than it used to be. Within this flow and speed, it is crucial to distinguish meaningful data from meaningless, to question how valid and reliable the data is, and ultimately to reach the meaningful whole through the data we have, both for corporate and individual life. After all, one of the important components of the Industry 4.0 concept is analyzing the existing data in the most efficient and fast way.

Having a Critical Perspective is Also Important in Terms of Industry 4.0

Although we frequently come across concepts such as the digital world and artificial intelligence, the importance of the human factor that can manage and guide these systems should never be overlooked.

To what extent are we able to question the accuracy of the information or news provided to us about our individual world, our corporate life? While thinking about this information and making decisions, how effective can we think? At this point, the importance of critical perspective emerges.

There are two structures intended when we talk about critical perspective or critical thinking: competencies and tendencies. Competencies include analyzing, evaluating, interpreting, drawing conclusions, explaining the existing data and self-directioning about the individual’s abilities. Trends, on the other hand, symbolize the driving force, or motivation that plays a role in individual’s bringing these competencies into action. (1) All these tendencies and competencies are the underlying elements of any kind of intellectual and practical action we can characterize as vital in corporate, individual, or academic life.

For example, by means of this competencies and tendencies, we may have the opportunity to effectively question any news or any technology that we are provided to apply in our institution, and to assess pros and cons.

Determine the Order of Priority

In an interview on Industry 4.0, Kaeser, CEO of Siemens, points out the following topics while he puts forth the most important aspects of today’s world: the density of accessible information and the ease of doing this. In order to manage the speed of today’s world, he mentions the importance of prioritizing this information:

”There are two aspects to managing today. The information comes faster and is more accessible than ever before. There’s a lot of data, and the challenge is how to prioritize information. As a company leader — or as any manager, any person — you need to prioritize your tasks. It has become harder to set the priorities correctly because there’s so much information. You need to go after that information and understand what’s first and second and third [in importance].” (2)

For sure, before prioritizing, the validity and reliability of the information must be assessed according to the above-mentioned criteria.

Therefore, when talking about today’s people, we are actually talking about an individual who analyzes his system of thinking systematically and evaluates the information that comes out according to certain criteria, using both his tendencies and his competence, and ultimately handling this information in terms of importance. People who can use the technology of our age in the most efficient way will be those people who do so.

(1) In resources, there are many definitions regarding critical thinking. The competence and tendencies mentioned in this article are the components of the “critical thinking” definition obtained as a result of the Delphi Survey and they are mentioned in the Delphi Report.

(2) https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Siemens-CEO-Joe-Kaeser-on-the-Next-Industrial-Revolution?gko=efd41