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How do you develop critical thinking?

James D

Modern Human
Modern Human
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
695
Hi there,

Are there any mindsets to adopt in order to become a critical thinker?
How to develop the skill of thinking?
 

trashKENNUT

Cro-Magnon Man
Cro-Magnon Man
Joined
Nov 20, 2012
Messages
6,551
JAmes D,

Example:

Girls love hard dicks and all they need is hard dicks and problems solved.


HEre's where i break down for you. Follow the main points. IF you want to be crazy, do the 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and so on

1)Who is giving this advice?

1a)where is here from
1b)what he studies
1c)what is his experience

2)Why Girls love hard dicks?

2a)what is this approach
2b)why is this approach
2c)why girl love hard dicks
2d)what makes he think girls love hard dicks
2e)how does he go into thinking that it is hard dicks

3)problems solved

3a)what is problems solved
3b)what to approach this topic
3c)how to approach this topic
3d)what does girls need that it is "problems solved"

and i can go crazy with this. Just rmbr the objective because you tend to forget it and analyze until the end of time.

Zac
 

Mr.Rob

Modern Human
Modern Human
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
1,897
When it comes to societal norms always question "why is this so? Does it truly benefit me? Is there an unsaid party that also benefits or may benefit at my expense?" (Things such as consumer culture, dating rituals [proposing on one knee for marriage or paying for a date], or healthcare system practices).

I.e. Do I really need the next I-Phone upgrade? --> Why is there an upgrade every time I turn around? --> Do I really benefit from said upgrade or is their a party that benefits more than me at my expense? --> Conclusion = As long as I can still call/text/browse I don't need an upgrade and chances are high that Apple purposefully puts out upgrades regularly to sell more products. Therefore I'm not going to buy an upgrade until my phone is broken.

I.e. Dating Rituals - Paying for dates --> Why are guys expected to pay for dates? --> Does paying for the date increase or decrease my chances of success with this girl (does it benefit ME)? --> Conclusion = In the early 1900's women didn't have enough residual income to go out on the town and NEEDED a man to pay their way in order to go out and have fun. The man NEEDED to pay in order to be accompanied by a woman. Today women have way more than enough residual income to pay for themselves and after having tested both paying and going dutch I have concluded I get laid more when I do NOT pay for the womans date.

I.e. Healthcare System Practices - Your Doctor Prescribes You Take An Anti-Depressant for Depression --> What causes depression in the first place? --> Is a powerful chemical really the best way to eradicate depression in the first place? Are there alternatives? --> Why is powerful chemical medication the first plan of action as opposed to a last resort? --> Does an unnamed party benefit at my expense?
--> Conclusion: Depression is caused by a number of psychological, environmental, and physiological factors including nutrient deficiency's, stress/social isolation, hereditary mental illnesses, and even a disrupted intestinal microbiome. I need to figure out which of these factors is the true cause of my depression and then take action to fix it before resorting to a powerful brain altering chemical. Pharmaceutical companies profit greatly from prescribing medication and most mainstream doctors aren't trained to look into root causes of chronic illnesses to try and first solve the problem without chemical intervention.

---------------------
Basically a big aspect of critical thinking is just questioning the status quo of what society tells you is "right" or "the way things are". The hard part is identifying those status quo issues that you subscribe to as most of the time we aren't even aware we're doing them since its just "the way things are".

Unfortunately for issues of these nature a big aspect of critical thinking involves field testing and research. But for the issues that are truly important to your life its inherent to come to a well informed consensus on matters that directly impact your well being.

-Rob
 

James D

Modern Human
Modern Human
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
695
ZacAdam said:
JAmes D,

Example:

Girls love hard dicks and all they need is hard dicks and problems solved.


HEre's where i break down for you. Follow the main points. IF you want to be crazy, do the 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and so on

1)Who is giving this advice?

1a)where is here from
1b)what he studies
1c)what is his experience

2)Why Girls love hard dicks?

2a)what is this approach
2b)why is this approach
2c)why girl love hard dicks
2d)what makes he think girls love hard dicks
2e)how does he go into thinking that it is hard dicks

3)problems solved

3a)what is problems solved
3b)what to approach this topic
3c)how to approach this topic
3d)what does girls need that it is "problems solved"

and i can go crazy with this. Just rmbr the objective because you tend to forget it and analyze until the end of time.

Zac
Zac,

This is fucking BRILLIANT.

Thaank youuu a hundred times mate.

JD
 
you miss 100% of the shots you don't take

James D

Modern Human
Modern Human
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
695
Mr.Rob said:
When it comes to societal norms always question "why is this so? Does it truly benefit me? Is there an unsaid party that also benefits or may benefit at my expense?" (Things such as consumer culture, dating rituals [proposing on one knee for marriage or paying for a date], or healthcare system practices).

I.e. Do I really need the next I-Phone upgrade? --> Why is there an upgrade every time I turn around? --> Do I really benefit from said upgrade or is their a party that benefits more than me at my expense? --> Conclusion = As long as I can still call/text/browse I don't need an upgrade and chances are high that Apple purposefully puts out upgrades regularly to sell more products. Therefore I'm not going to buy an upgrade until my phone is broken.

I.e. Dating Rituals - Paying for dates --> Why are guys expected to pay for dates? --> Does paying for the date increase or decrease my chances of success with this girl (does it benefit ME)? --> Conclusion = In the early 1900's women didn't have enough residual income to go out on the town and NEEDED a man to pay their way in order to go out and have fun. The man NEEDED to pay in order to be accompanied by a woman. Today women have way more than enough residual income to pay for themselves and after having tested both paying and going dutch I have concluded I get laid more when I do NOT pay for the womans date.

I.e. Healthcare System Practices - Your Doctor Prescribes You Take An Anti-Depressant for Depression --> What causes depression in the first place? --> Is a powerful chemical really the best way to eradicate depression in the first place? Are there alternatives? --> Why is powerful chemical medication the first plan of action as opposed to a last resort? --> Does an unnamed party benefit at my expense?
--> Conclusion: Depression is caused by a number of psychological, environmental, and physiological factors including nutrient deficiency's, stress/social isolation, hereditary mental illnesses, and even a disrupted intestinal microbiome. I need to figure out which of these factors is the true cause of my depression and then take action to fix it before resorting to a powerful brain altering chemical. Pharmaceutical companies profit greatly from prescribing medication and most mainstream doctors aren't trained to look into root causes of chronic illnesses to try and first solve the problem without chemical intervention.

---------------------
Basically a big aspect of critical thinking is just questioning the status quo of what society tells you is "right" or "the way things are". The hard part is identifying those status quo issues that you subscribe to as most of the time we aren't even aware we're doing them since its just "the way things are".

Unfortunately for issues of these nature a big aspect of critical thinking involves field testing and research. But for the issues that are truly important to your life its inherent to come to a well informed consensus on matters that directly impact your well being.

-Rob
Mr. Rob,

I completely agree that the hard part is identifying the status quo issues.
I've never consciously questioned those which of course translates in me doing things I would not have done had I forced myself to think a bit more.

Very helpful breakdown, thanks bro.

James D
 

Chase

Chieftan
Staff member
tribal-elder
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
6,254
Great responses from Zac and Rob here, James.

I'd also point you to lesswrong.com as probably the best resource on the web for developing critical thinking skills. The site is a gold mine for learning to think about things more accurately.

If you'd prefer lighter reading, but still worthwhile, Reddit's Change My View board is somewhat neat... check in, open all the threads with the "Delta from OP" sticker on them, and Ctrl+F down to "deltabot" to see which arguments swayed the OP. You don't even need to read the original thread, it's just interesting to see various people from a huge range of different viewpoints swayed to some degree or other by people on the other side, and which arguments swayed them.

Chase
 

James D

Modern Human
Modern Human
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
695
Chase said:
I'd also point you to lesswrong.com as probably the best resource on the web for developing critical thinking skills. The site is a gold mine for learning to think about things more accurately.

Chase
I checked it out today and wow, it is INCREDIBLE.
Read at least 20 threads and I love it!
I'll dig in Reddit's Change My View first thing tomorrow.

Thank you Chase!

JD
 
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