Critical Thinking

[DigitalShadow]

Does anyone seem to have it?

[Maxel]

Some do. I find the usual ideas about critical thinking is that 'I have it; the other person doesn't'.

Of course, I'm one of those people who actually possesses it. *Shifty eyes*

[pam]

I think there are fewer and fewer these days.

[Maxel]

The thing about critical thinking- from my perspective (obviously, but I have to pre-empt this twice)- is that no one really knows they're not doing it. Additionally, a person can be trained to do it, and do it wrong, or come to the wrong conclusions.

The biggest thing, however, is that a person's thought processes are directly affected by said person's standing before God and their intrinsic moral stature. That is to say, two people equally trained in critical thinking and similar in all other relevant aspects- one moral and one amoral- can come to completely different conclusions about the same set of data, depending on what the issue at hand is. Additionally, a person not trained in critical thinking that is moral and a person trained in critical thinking that is amoral can both come to different conclusions about the same data, and the former cannot support his/her conclusion when hard pressed (but the latter can). If the matter is a moral question, however, often the untrained thinker will ultimately be correct.

Isaiah 29:13-14

13 ¶ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

2 Nephi 9:28

28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

[ruthiechan]

Everybody hates a critic.

All joking aside, no people in general do not have good critical thinking skills. Why? Because it's not taught in public schools. Everything is geared towards passing the test.

I think some people avoid it because it challenges their world view and such challenges are scary.

I think critical thinking is expletively hard to do because of the above, because of the effort it takes to gather and interpret facts. Critical thinking is honestly something that I continuously work on. Sometimes I think I am really good at it, and other times I am full of suck. Habit? Maybe. It's only in the last few years that I really started stretching myself in such a vein. Might have something to do with going back to school. I had some awesome teachers.

Also, the word critical incites negative emotions from people. They think of being criticized in demeaning ways, or of movie critics that bash their beloved [insert movie here].

Really it means not taking things at face value, pondering things in depth, and "looking underneath the underneath" (yes, I stole that from Naruto, but I know they stole it from some place else so there).

[Snow]

Here's a good rule of thumb text:

Do you now or have you ever believed in Big Foot, the Bermuda Triangle, Crop Circles or the musical skills of Jessica Simpson?

[ruthiechan]

I'll have you know that the Bermuda Triangle does in fact exist. Crop circles too. Tho' not complete with aliens. lolz.

[Jbs2763]

people think what either keith oberman or bill o'riley tell them to think

[Elphaba]

If the matter is a moral question, however, often the untrained thinker will ultimately be correct.

What does this mean?

Elphaba

[MarginOfError]

If the matter is a moral question, however, often the untrained thinker will ultimately be correct.

What does this mean?

Elphaba

Perhaps it was lacking in critical thinking?

[DigitalShadow]

All joking aside, no people in general do not have good critical thinking skills. Why? Because it's not taught in public schools. Everything is geared towards passing the test.

Public schools only seem to teach wrote memorization with almost no emphasis on how to use that information (at least they did when I went to school), but beyond that though I really don't think most parents raise their kids to think for themselves. I grew up in a small town in central Illinois and my mom once told me she was giving a speech to the PTA and mentioned how "we all wanted our kids to be good little critical thinkers" and the other parents were bewildered and one of them responded "No we don't, I just want my kid to do what I tell them."

[LittleWyvern]

I think a good amount of people have critical thinking skills, the problem is that they don't use it nearly as much as they should.

[Traveler]

I think a good amount of people have critical thinking skills, the problem is that they don't use it nearly as much as they should.

It is because in most all cases thinking above the norm (not always critical) is the engine of change and will upset everybody. First those that did not want change and second those that did not think of it first.

The Traveler

[Elphaba]

All joking aside, no people in general do not have good critical thinking skills. Why? Because it's not taught in public schools. Everything is geared towards passing the test.

I am a product of the public schools, and:

a. Elphaba is the best critical thinker at lds.net.

b. No one on lds.net will admit Elphaba is the best critical thinker here.

c. Elphaba is NOT a hot head.

d. Elphaba is only the best critical thinker when she's in Oz.

e. lds.net is really Oz.

f. all of the above

g. all of the above

Elphaba

[prospectmom]

My wonderful and small public school is happily different... BUT its not always what yu learn but how you use it later.... I have a wonderful brain I choose not to let turn to mush so the ailens can eat it ( new commercial with ??? oh so forget his name....) See I have to constantly use it or I am gonna loose it.... :}

Edited April 16, 2009 by prospectmom
letters on keyboard keep switching :}

[MarginOfError]

I have a wonderful brain I choose not to let turn to mush so the ailens can eat it ( new commercial with ??? oh so forget his name....)

Irony anyone?

[ADoyle90815]

I think there are some people who use their critical thinking skills, but it's not being used as often as it really should. We're given a brain for a reason, to use it and critical thinking is one way to use our brains.

[Maxel]

If the matter is a moral question, however, often the untrained thinker will ultimately be correct.

What does this mean?

Elphaba

Simply put, in questions of ethics and morality- i.e., is such-and-such wrong- someone not versed in critical thinking, yet who still abides by the eternal principles of the Gospel of Christ, will usually be more correct in the answer (s)he gives than a person who is trained in critical thinking but completely unethical (amoral) in his/her lifestyle.

[DigitalShadow]

Simply put, in questions of ethics and morality- i.e., is such-and-such wrong- someone not versed in critical thinking, yet who still abides by the eternal principles of the Gospel of Christ, will usually be more correct in the answer (s)he gives than a person who is trained in critical thinking but completely unethical (amoral) in his/her lifestyle.

In questions of ethics and morality, of course someone who shares your religious beliefs will make more "correct" decisions in your opinion. That only demonstrates that you both take your morality from the same source. In order to live peacefully with people of other religions though, you also have to take in to account critical thinking skills to determine what is best for humanity and your fellow man rather than just blindly follow the morals imprinted upon you by your religion.

[Elphaba]

Simply put, in questions of ethics and morality- i.e., is such-and-such wrong- someone not versed in critical thinking, yet who still abides by the eternal principles of the Gospel of Christ, will usually be more correct in the answer (s)he gives than a person who is trained in critical thinking but completely unethical (amoral) in his/her lifestyle.

In questions of ethics and morality, of course someone who shares your religious beliefs will make more "correct" decisions in your opinion. That only demonstrates that you both take your morality from the same source. In order to live peacefully with people of other religions though, you also have to take in to account critical thinking skills to determine what is best for humanity and your fellow man rather than just blindly follow the morals imprinted upon you by your religion.

DS said this a lot nicer than I was going to. It's a good thing I'm not a hot head.

Elphaba