Critical Thinking
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| Date: | 31.08.2026 - 24.01.2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aim of the course: | The aim of this course is to: - develop learners’ ability to make reasoned and well-informed decisions in situations involving manipulation, disinformation, persuasion, and misleading rhetorical devices; -develop the ability to distinguish facts from opinions, claims, beliefs, and knowledge; -provide an overview of the logical foundations of reasoning, including inductive and deductive reasoning and the three laws of thought; -teach students to recognize linguistic and conceptual fallacies, logical errors, heuristics, biases, and decision-making traps; -support students in avoiding reasoning errors in problem-solving, decision-making, and argumentation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Target group: | The aim of the programme is to develop learners’ ability to ensure organisational and societal continuity in complex environments characterized by hybrid threats, disinformation, and rapid technological change. The programme combines the strategic design of resilient digital systems—covering connectivity, infrastructure, governance, environmental impact, sustainability, and technologies—with advanced evidence-based reasoning skills. It prepares leaders to make well-informed, ethical, and legally sound decisions while navigating risks related to information warfare, manipulation, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Topics: | This course develops students’ ability to make reasoned and evidence-based decisions in situations where business continuity is affected by hybrid war, disinformation, manipulation, persuasion, and misleading rhetorical devices. The learning process combines seminars, discussions, practical tasks, and game-based situations that mirror real-life contexts of reasoning, persuasion, and decision-making. The course covers the foundations of evidence-based reasoning; the distinction between facts, opinions, claims, beliefs, and knowledge; the relationship between thought and language; the three laws of thought; and inductive and deductive reasoning. Students analyse common logical fallacies, linguistic and conceptual errors, heuristics, biases, narratives, and techniques of persuasion and manipulation. Independent work includes reading | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Study results: | A student who has completed the course: - distinguishes facts, judgments, claims, beliefs and knowledge when evaluating information related to business continuity; - analyzes arguments, evidence and rhetorical techniques used in crisis communication, persuasion and disinformation; - identifies logical errors, cognitive biases, manipulation techniques and decision-making traps that can affect organizational decisions; - assesses business continuity risks arising from hybrid threats, information operations and misleading communication; - applies structured reasoning tools to make reasoned decisions in unclear and influence-related situations; - develops practical recommendations for maintaining business continuity and stakeholder trust in conditions of hybrid threats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comments: | Kava avatakse vähemalt 20 in grupi puhul. BA või 10 a töökogemust (tõestamine CVga). Motivatsioonikirja küsimustik, mille palume lisada registreerumisel (lisaks CV-le) asub https://forms.gle/FR7mHtZ8Yakkd4Gz6. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Main Module: | Äritegevuse järjepidevus hübriidsõjas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning outcomes: | Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Course language: | in English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Volume: | lectures: 39 academic hours independent studies: 117 academic hours | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit points (ECTS): | 6.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Graduation document: | TalTech certificate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecturer: | Riina Palu, Mart Pöör, Juri Mets | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contact: | Riina Palu, riina.palu@taltech.ee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Price: | 1440 EUR / participant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registration deadline: | 21.08.2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Timetable: |
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