Abstract and Critical Thinking

[Foxfyre]

In my opinion there is far too little critical and abstract thinking in modern day society, most especially in education, government, science, sociopolitical concepts and policy. Not only is it becoming a lost ability for far too many, but far too many couldn't define the terms if their lives depended on it.

ABSTRACT THINKING is the ability to understand and think about complex concepts that are not tied to concrete experiences, objects, people, or situations. It is an essential factor in intuition, humor, understanding, problem solving.

CRITICAL THINKING is the ability to effectively analyze information and form a judgment based on whole concepts instead of isolated facts.

Those incapable of abstract thinking rarely utilize critical thinking but just go with group think or knee jerk reactions. They are fixed and rigid in their opinions, prejudices, beliefs and therefore are usually wrong or short sighted in one or more aspects. You get a lot of predictable knee jerk responses.

My point here is there is far too little abstract thinking/critical thinking taught in school these days. The teacher is much more likely to tell the students what they should think and not challenge it.

There is far too little abstract thinking/critical thinking demonstrated at USMB. There is far too much thoughtless insulting, childish quips, kneejerk reaction.

Am I wrong? Or just an idiot to think many care about or would be interested in really thinking about something?

 

[Foxfyre]

An example:

An example from my early high school days during a time highschoolers thought riding a bicycle to school was childish and nobody did it.

The teacher presented us with a scenario of a new student from south America. He dressed differently than American students and rode his bicycle to school. Would he fit in at Lovington High? Almost immediately the knee jerk response was eww, no. Nobody cool rides a bike to school. But one student, Alice Lopez, offered the comment that she thought he would be fine. He would adjust his dress and customs to adapt to American culture and if nobody else rode a bicycle to school he wouldn't either. But really. What is so bad about riding a bicycle to school?

The class fell silent and thoughtful. And there was much more productive abstract and critical thinking in the discussion once it resumed. Which of course is what the teacher hoped for. Those engaged in abstract and critical thinking do not go with their initial gut reaction but approach a question thoughtfully and with less prejudice.

I would like to say that we all started riding our bicycles to school but that didn't happen. But we were more wise and more careful in our thinking because of that simple exercise.

 

[BackAgain]

A teacher who educated.

That’s cool.

I don’t think it’s rare. But it’s a cool recollection all the same.

 

[Foxfyre]

Another example:

Hurricane Andrew devasted and laid waste the southern tip of Florida in 1992. And the media and conversation included condemnation of retailers who jacked up the price of water and other necessities, the price of motel rooms etc. presumably capitalizing on the tragedy.

Enter Thomas Sowell with abstract and critical thinking who saw it somewhat differently:

Abstract thinking: Some people, being people, would buy many jugs of water and rent multiple motel rooms for their families creating scarcities for everybody else. Abstract thinking takes in human nature in the equation of public policy.

Critical thinking: Those higher prices on the the jugs of water would discourage most from buying more than they needed leaving more for other people. Those higher prices on motel rooms would likely inspire more people to crowd into fewer rooms leaving more vacancies for others. It does not make the profiteers more commendable, but they likely unwittingly employed the law of supply and demand to the benefit of the whole.

 

[Foxfyre]

A teacher who educated.

That’s cool.

I don’t think it’s rare. But it’s a cool recollection all the same.

It wasn't at all rare back then. It was the norm. These days the teacher is far more likely to teach by rote than encourage students to utilize abstract thinking or critical thinking.

 

[wamose]

Much of todays education system would be against teaching critical thinking, abstract thinking, logic and common sense. Those things get in the way of the agenda-narrative that teachers use to brainwash kids and turn them into compliant liberal lemmings. MAGA

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

An example:

An example from my early high school days during a time highschoolers thought riding a bicycle to school was childish and nobody did it.

The teacher presented us with a scenario of a new student from south America. He dressed differently than American students and rode his bicycle to school. Would he fit in at Lovington High? Almost immediately the knee jerk response was eww, no. Nobody cool rides a bike to school. But one student, Alice Lopez, offered the comment that she thought he would be fine. He would adjust his dress and customs to adapt to American culture and if nobody else rode a bicycle to school he wouldn't either. But really. What is so bad about riding a bicycle to school?

The class fell silent and thoughtful. And there was much more productive abstract and critical thinking in the discussion once it resumed. Which of course is what the teacher hoped for. Those engaged in abstract and critical thinking do not go with their initial gut reaction but approach a question thoughtfully and with less prejudice.

I would like to say that we all started riding our bicycles to school but that didn't happen. But we were more wise and more careful in our thinking because of that simple exercise.

"Critical Thinking" Has Become a Mindless Cliché

Critical Thinking would make you come to the realization that "different than" doesn't fit, because different is not a comparative.

Separate is a close synonym. You would realize how unthinking "The annex is separate than the main building" would sound.

 

[Foxfyre]

"Critical Thinking" Has Become a Mindless Cliché

Critical Thinking would make you come to the realization that "different than" doesn't fit, because different is not a comparative.

Separate is a close synonym. You would realize how unthinking "The annex is separate than the main building" would sound.

You're talking grammar, not critical thinking. Two different animals.

 

[Foxfyre]

Much of todays education system would be against teaching critical thinking, abstract thinking, logic and common sense. Those things get in the way of the agenda-narrative that teachers use to brainwash kids and turn them into compliant liberal lemmings. MAGA

Yes. Teaching history via ideology/rote, the teacher might tell the children that Columbus came to America and treated the people horribly and was a very bad man. And that's what the kids would think about Columbus.

But a teacher utilizing critical thinking would inspire the students to think about why he wanted to know if a route to the distant east could be had by going west. How much persuasion it took for the royalty to fund the voyage. How much courage it required to sail into the unknown with no idea what dangers might be there. What Columbus did discover and in his time did what all conquering people did which we would not approve of in our day and time. And if the teacher is really honest, the children would learn that Columbus even did some things that were even disapproved of in his own world. That so many people in history were not saints or even necessarily heroes in all aspects but that did not keep them from doing some great things.

More advanced students will delve into how much people hundreds of years ago should be judged by the morality and standards of our time, etc.

(Which in fact is how I learned that particularly piece of history at least by high school. The very young students can learn the much simpler version. . .in fourteen hundred ninety two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. . .)

 

[Grogu]

Cool thread and it’s food for thought.

When I was given an IQ test, in my early twenties, I performed exceptionally high on the test. But, I was found to be extremely weak in critical thinking and logic. I was told I could basically do whatever I wanted in life, but would have to work on those critical thinking skills. They can be improved, by doing lots of reading and continued education.

I am of the opinion that many factors contribute to having a lack of critical thinking skills. Unfortunately, government schools don’t help here.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

You're talking grammar, not critical thinking. Two different animals.

Grammar Is the Foundation of Semantics

 

[Foxfyre]

Grammar Is the Foundation of Semantics

Semantics is a very different animal from abstract and critical thinking also.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

the teacher might tell the children that Columbus came to America and treated the people horribly and was a very bad man. A
. What Columbus did discover and in his time did what all conquering people did which we would not approve of in our day and time

More advanced students will delve into how much people hundreds of years ago should be judged by the morality and standards of our time, etc.

Caribbean Beaners

Why can't we instead judge "the morality and standards of our time"? Critical thinking should reject making excuses for Columbus by claiming that he didn't know any better. There was no crime that he had to be excused from, except as judged by the inferior and suicidal ethics of our retrogressive time.

Columbus did know better than to be stifled by the Postmodern confusion and chaos. He brought Europe out of the uncharacteristic stagnancy of the Middle Ages. The savages he put down were stuck in darkness forever and wouldn't evolve out of it no matter how they were treated. So, because they were getting in the way of the forward March of Time, they had to be eliminated

 

[Foxfyre]

Caribbean Beaners

Why can't we instead judge "the morality and standards of our time"? Critical thinking should reject making excuses for Columbus by claiming that he didn't know any better. There was no crime that he had to be excused from, except as judged by the inferior and suicidal ethics of our retrogressive time.

Columbus did know better than to be stifled by the Postmodern confusion and chaos. He brought Europe out of the uncharacteristic stagnancy of the Middle Ages. The savages he put down were stuck in darkness forever and wouldn't evolve out of it no matter how they were treated. So, because they were getting in the way of the forward March of Time, they had to be eliminated

You are a product of your culture and most likely mostly adhere to the language, customs, beliefs, mores of our times now. I am pretty sure this generation will likely be very harshly judged by future generations 50, 100, 200 or more years from now. But if they utilize abstract and critical thinking they will also see the positive accomplishments.

Pretty much the entire world practiced or at least condoned/allowed slavery at the time of Columbus. Even Jesus recognized the existence of slavery and did not condemn it in his time though he spoke about treatment of slaves. And conquerors all over the world put down any resistance to their conquests as what was to be properly done. To judge those cultures of long ago by our beliefs and standards and not allow for what was good, noble, proper in their culture is to do them as great a disservice as will be done to us should future generations see only the bad and nothing of the good.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Cool thread and it’s food for thought.

When I was given an IQ test, in my early twenties, I performed exceptionally high on the test. But, I was found to be extremely weak in critical thinking and logic. I was told I could basically do whatever I wanted in life, but would have to work on those critical thinking skills. They can be improved, by doing lots of reading and continued education.

In Our Time, Reading and "Education" Means Being Treated by a Spin Doctor

"Government" schools is a meme that provides the wrong description and the wrong answers. They are controlled by the private powers, who need to dumb us down so we'll come running to them as the providers of answers. We can't think critically unless we think for ourselves, maintaining independence from anyone who wants us to depend on him.

If you've heard of someone, don't listen to him. Money talks, and that's all we hear.

 

[ChemEngineer]

Semantics is a very different animal from abstract and critical thinking also.

Your own abstract and critical thinking are sadly lacking after you judged me for defining a word and called me "judgmental" for simply providing that definition, which I looked up for clarification. "Toodles" you said.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Another example:

Hurricane Andrew devasted and laid waste the southern tip of Florida in 1992. And the media and conversation included condemnation of retailers who jacked up the price of water and other necessities, the price of motel rooms etc. presumably capitalizing on the tragedy.

Enter Thomas Sowell with abstract and critical thinking who saw it somewhat differently:

Abstract thinking: Some people, being people, would buy many jugs of water and rent multiple motel rooms for their families creating scarcities for everybody else. Abstract thinking takes in human nature in the equation of public policy.

Critical thinking: Those higher prices on the the jugs of water would discourage most from buying more than they needed leaving more for other people. Those higher prices on motel rooms would likely inspire more people to crowd into fewer rooms leaving more vacancies for others. It does not make the profiteers more commendable, but they likely unwittingly employed the law of supply and demand to the benefit of the whole.

Love Thomas Sowell

 

[task0778]

I worry that too many young people were not taught how to think but what to think instead. It's easier to just follow the crowd or the most charismatic person(s) than otherwise. And BTW many of the not-so-young people are in that group too.

 

[Foxfyre]

Your own abstract and critical thinking are sadly lacking after you judged me for defining a word and called me "judgmental" for simply providing that definition, which I looked up for clarification. "Toodles" you said.

I didn't write that which might bring your reading comprehension into question? But I can see how the person who did would have seen your comment as directed at her. In that setting though I let both comments slide as friends won't always agree on context or content. The explanation I gave you was intended to provoke understanding and was not intended as a criticism.

I was encouraging some abstract and critical thinking though by explaining that the person was coming from a very different place than what you inferred with your post. We are without benefit of facial expression, verbal tone/inflection, body language and other such nuances on a message board and it is more important to say exactly what we mean while anticipating how another might hear it (abstract thinking) and understanding what clarification should be included. (critical thinking.)

 

[ChemEngineer]

You "provoke understanding" buy calling me "judgmental."
Those who are NOT "judgmental" see no difference between Mother Theresa and Adolph Hitler.

Sorry but you did not "provoke" any "understanding" any more than the Palestinian protestors who elevate Hamas terrorists above Israelis who are simply trying to get on with their lives without being attacked relentlessly with missiles by savages.