The Bridge - Issue 3, 2020 - 42

IEEE-USA

New IEEE-USA E-Books Encourage Engineers
to be Open-Minded, Analyze Information Sans
Judgement; Provide Strategies for Expanding Creativity
Georgia C. Stelluto

In an article in Psychology Today, on Open-Mindedness
and Skepticism in Critical Thinking, Dr. Christopher
Dwyer offers readers a thorough definition of openmindedness: "Open-mindedness refers to an
inclination to be cognitively flexible and avoid rigidity
in thinking," Dwyer wrote. Further, open-mindedness
includes tolerating divergent or conflicting views;
and treating all viewpoints alike, prior to subsequent
analyses and evaluation, he said. It also involves
detaching from one's own beliefs-to consider, seriously,
points of view other than one's own-without bias, or
self-interest.
In his new e-book,
Critical Thinking Skills for
Engineers-Book 4: On
Open-Mindedness, author
Sridhar Ramanathan
maintains that the world
would be a much different
place without the foresight
and open-mindedness
of visionary, and creative
and curious thinkers and
investors. These people saw the huge potential for
Amazon, Tesla and Netflix-among many others. He
also builds a persuasive argument for why engineers,
and other technical professionals, should enhance their
critical thinking skills- by putting aside preconceived
notions and assumptions-and simply analyzing the
information at hand.
Six different components comprise the heart of
Ramanathan's newest book in the Critical Thinking
series. These are the qualities that nurture openmindedness: overcoming cultural bias, objectivity,
humility, inclusivity, observation and reflection.
"In short," Ramanathan writes, "open-mindedness is
about being willing to change your mind, in light of new
evidence. The key word here is "evidence," meaning
based on data; rather than one's attitudes, opinions,
beliefs, assumptions, interpretations, or judgments.

THE BRIDGE

IEEE Members: You can download Critical Thinking
Skills for Engineers-Book 4: On Open-Mindedness
for free. Nonmembers pay $4.99.
Go to:
https://ieeeusa.org/shop/careers/career-resources/
critical-thinking-skills-for-engineers-book-4-on-openmindedness/;log in to your IEEE Web Account; add
the book to your cart-and checkout!
Learn to Think Creatively-It's a Skill!
People in the profession often consider creativity the
core of engineering. It is from creativity that engineers
devise unique solutions to society's challenges. In his
third e-book of IEEE-USA's Critical Thinking Skills for
Engineers series, author Sridhar Ramanathan builds
further upon critical thinking, by exploring creative
approaches for both individuals and groups. Don't
just take his word for it: The World Economic Forum
moved Creativity up from No. 10 to No. 3 in its ranking
of important attributes required for jobs of the future.
LinkedIn's Learning Study ranked Creativity No. 1 in its
poll of critical job skills.
Ramanathan believes that without self-awareness
and some preliminary effort, thinking creatively can
be an obstacle for engineers. "Creativity demands
that we suspend disbelief, put aside practicality, let
go of judgments coming from yourself and others,
and overcome the fear of being wrong and appearing
stupid," he says. "Engineers are trained to be problem
solvers and rational thinkers, and they rarely feel
comfortable taking such risks-especially in front
of peers."
Published in 2019, Books 1 and 2 in Ramanathan's
Critical Thinking e-book series focus on analytical skills
(Book 1) and communication (Book 2). Here in Book
3, the author provides many ideas to stimulate fresh
thinking. In it, he discusses nine different approaches
to fueling creativity -- ranging from divergent and
convergent thinking to cognitive flexibility
and visualization.

The Bridge - Issue 3, 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Bridge - Issue 3, 2020