99108 - Laboratory: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Academic Year 2025/2026

Learning outcomes

At the end of the workshop, the student acquires the basic conceptual tools that enable him or her to approach problem analysis rationally, to avoid cognitive bias, as well as to evaluate possible solutions for achieving one's goal and to select the best one under the given conditions, being able to argue persuasively about one's choices.

Course contents

The jurist is a problem solver by vocation: aside from preparing for legislators/regulators normative texts useful in addressing community problems, the jurist constructs defensive strategies to satisfy clients' interests from their narratives; drafts contracts to provide a legal framework for old and new economic relationships; and does everything that precedes the application of the law, that is, finds solutions to cases. This workshop is intended to introduce students to the cognitive activities that enable them to devise the most effective legal solutions (interpretive and applicative), but also to avoid the cognitive and reasoning errors into which jurists in particular most frequently fall.

Readings/Bibliography

D. Canale et al. (dir.), Critical thinking: un'introduzione, EGEA, Torino 2021.

Teaching methods

Given the theoretical-practical nature of the seminar, attendance is mandatory. In fact, it will alternate between frontal lectures - characterized, however, by a strong interactive component - and collective discussion activities of texts and problems.

The workshop is intended for Ravenna students in the second year of the master's degree and is structured in 8 lectures of 3 hours each. It will take place in the first didactic semester starting in the first half of October.

Assessment methods

To obtain the qualification, participants must complete both an oral and a written examination. These will assess their argumentative skills, capacity for critical analysis, communicative effectiveness, and understanding of the concepts covered in the course.

Office hours

See the website of Andrej Kristan

SDGs

Quality education Gender equality Reduced inequalities

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.