Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with criticalthinking

Whose salary depends on him/her not understanding something?

underwater — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:17:22 -0800

Can anyone point me to a video demonstrating the Upton Sinclair quote, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it"--but in a non-political context? I'm teaching a course on critical thinking for first-year students and want to show them a short (<5 min) video, probably an interview, that demonstrates this quote. I tried showing them an example from a political interview but that totally distracted from the point as students started arguing about whether the video was fair to one party or another. So I want an example that will be less controversial. The class is about science and pseudoscience, so controversy in that realm is ok. Thanks!

Find a puzzle book?

sendai sleep master — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:09:29 -0800

I recall really enjoying the book Maze by Christopher Manson when I was young. Are there any books that offer something similar in that they are slightly narrative but built with a critical thinking and/or puzzle goal in mind?

Short funny stuff.

guster4lovers — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:09:27 -0800

I need some great short texts (video clips, short stories, poems, comics, cartoons, pictures) that are funny. Ideally, I want a range of humour here: from Jackass to Shakespeare, from xkcd to Twain...pretty much anything someone finds funny at any level. Should be appropriate for mature 17-18 year olds. The idea is that I can show/read the text with a group of 30 students and have them do a short analysis (in writing or discussion) of what makes it funny.

This school is fairly liberal, so feel free to suggest something that might be "on the line" and I'll try and post updates to gauge what is "over the line" here.

I'd love everyone to link to the text/picture if possible.

Thanks everyone!

Critical Need

estlin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 04:27:48 -0800

My critical reasoning skills are inadequate. Two examples within, as well as a request for books, websites, activities, or routine patterns of thought to help me develop these reasoning abilities. Two examples that I think are related:

1. I don't evaluate information before completely trusting it.

I read this post a few weeks ago about Malcolm Gladwell. Upon skimming the article, I thought, "Oh my god, he's working for tobacco and pharmaceutical companies! His motives are impure!" and promptly removed him, I kid you not, from my Favorite Authors section on Facebook.

And then I skimmed the comments on the post and saw "I'm not a big Gladwell fan, but this is a repulsive smear job." and thought, "Oh my god, the writers of that article just had a grudge or something! Well, I guess the article was completely wrong then."

So I went from completely trusting Gladwell, to completely trusting the author of that article, to completely trusting that Mefite, within the span of minutes. This makes me very uncomfortable. I also tend, when pressed for time, to skim Mefi threads by number of favorites. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but this can't be good for my developing nuanced impressions of a topic.

2. I'm not good at fitting new things into my schema of preexisting knowledge.

I saw a fish with huge eyes at the zoo and was ranting about it to one of my friends. "You shoulda seen that fish's eyes! I can't believe anything evolved like that!"

He coolly replied, "It's probably either a mutation, or, less likely, a trait favored by sexual selection."

I have no idea whether that's right or not, but dang, I didn't even think of those possibilities, despite totally understanding those concepts after three years of biology classes! Those were things in a book I learned for a test, right, and this is something I saw in my actual life! I'd like to stop maintaining that artificial division.

I'm a sophomore right now, and presumably, receiving a liberal arts education will help to some degree. But what else can I do?

I have a theory that thinking more scientifically might help? I never was bad at math when I was younger, but liked reading a lot and so always gravitated towards English classes. Now I feel like I have huge deficiencies in anything quantitative. Would taking more science/lab classes or math classes (specifically proof-based ones?) help? I'm eyeing my college's introductory computer science class, how about that?

Can you suggest any books, websites, activities, or routine patterns of thought I should engage in to help me develop these reasoning abilities?

Does western culture really value critical thinking more than other cultures?

empty vessel — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:13:34 -0800

Is there any acedemic research on the importance diferent cultures/educational systems place on critical thinking skills? I was having a converstation with someone who posed the idea that Western cultures/educational systems place more emphasis on critical thinking skills, while other cultures place more emphasis on hard skills. It's an interesting proposal, but seems ethnocentric to base this simply on anecdotal evidence.

I'm really not looking enter into a debate on this, I'm just wondering anyone is aware of any research done on this.

Type-B on Sunday, and Type-A on Monday?

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:55:27 -0800

My job is turning me into a control freak outside of work. Assume that my job consists of being, on a daily basis, Warren Buffet's analyst, Bill Gates' go-to IT person, and Oprah Winfrey's personal assistant. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but not by very much, as it's very close in terms of the responsibilities I have and the caliber of the people I report to. If you worked with me, you'd laugh and agree with the description.

My job requires me to continually forecast needs and choose paths for those I work with that are technically feasible, efficient, hassle-free and easily explained. It means that when something that couldn't reasonably have been forecasted happens, I need to be able to come up with a corrective approach and lead a team to a resolution very quickly. It all ultimately boils down to making difficult tasks seem effortless and hassle-free to those I work with.

Now, that description makes me sound like some sort of Type-A, corporate-minded asshole. I guess I'm writing this because I feel like I'm turning into one, and it's become aggravating to everyone in my life: my spouse, my kids, my friends. I didn't use to be this way.

The issue is that I can't turn the analytic part of my brain off. Regardless of the situation, I still try and predict the smoothest path between the desires around me and the attainment of those desires. In work, I'm expected to provide guidance or coordinate those sorts of tasks, but at night, on the weekend, on vacation, or even engaging in hobbies or talking with people online, I feel like I'm banging my head against the wall.

I'm continually fighting the desire to advise or correct people. Routes, pricing, scheduling, organizational strategies, timing. I'm continually figuring out faster, more efficient ways of doing things. If I "hold in" my recommendations, I have to go along with a plan that's aggravating to me in its lack of efficiency: "but this would go so much better/faster/more cheaply if we just did it this way." If I offer suggestions, I know how quickly it can become annoying to any companion who is just trying to enjoy themselves.

I can't stop spending brain cycles predicting what might happen if certain paths are followed, or how to make things better in any given situation. This isn't emotional anxiety, but more an inability to truly relax and just let things happen. I can't surrender control to those around me in casual situations. A lot of people seem to try and turn this off with alcohol or drugs, but I stay "this way" even when engaging in chemical relaxation.

I feel like I don't have room to complain about things. I can't engage in bitch sessions with friends anymore, as fear of unprofessional decorum might jeopardize my job. I can discuss workplace concerns with some co-workers, but we're all in the same place on this. It's gotten to the point where I feel resentful listening to others' complaints, and squelching the urge to counsel as well as squelching my own complaints makes many conversations painful.

I'm just plain beginning to become deeply resentful of how inconsiderate people are in day to day life. I try to make things easier for everyone, whether at my work or at the grocery store, and while I deeply appreciate when I notice people doing the same for me, it feels like a rarity.

As you can probably tell, I'm not a whole lot of fun anymore.

My job pays well and is generally satisfying in and of itself -- so I don't really want to leave it. That being said, I'm worried that if I don't, I'll become completely insufferable, intolerable and intolerant in my outside life.

As some background, I do have a wonderfully supportive family, have discussed this issue with my spouse and my doctor, I do my best to stick to a healthy diet and exercise regimen, and I don't have any substantial physical ailments that might be related.

Is there a way I can stop my brain from all of the work and planning on the weekends, and just slow down and enjoy life with other people, while still being at my best on the job on weekdays?

Objecting to Objectivism

jokeefe — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:48:24 -0800

Please help me respectfully engage with a young relative who has declared a passion for Ayn Rand (we're getting together tomorrow for a friendly conversation on the issue). I'm not necessarily trying to change his mind-- he is of course free to believe what he wishes, and his thoughts are his own. But I'd like to be able to discuss his interest in Rand (and, I hope, gently persuade him to think critically about her "philosophy") without barraging him with extra reading or links to Bob the Angry Flower. Suggestions welcome.

I can't think straight when I'm not alone!

blahtsk — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:42:53 -0800

I can't think and problem-solve when talking to people. Any advice? When I'm alone at my desk, things click and I can get good work done. I'm confident, knowledgeable, and thorough.

As soon as someone comes in to ask me a question, or I go to a meeting, panic sets in and everything becomes much harder and slower to process. Sometimes I have trouble remembering the most basic concepts, and I fumble around like the absent-minded professor. As soon as I'm alone again, the fog lifts, and ideas and solutions come flooding back to me! It's extremely frustrating.

I already see a psychiatrist on a regular basis, and take Effexor XR for general anxiety disorder (GAD). Above and beyond that, I was wondering if the hive mind had any advice. E.g. should I focus on relaxing? Should I try to tune them out? Should I mentally pretend I'm alone in my office? What has worked for you?

Philosophy and critical thinking for younger kids

crapmatic — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:20:17 -0800

What are some good ideas (web resources, books, suggestions, etc) for introducing a 6 to 7 year old child to elements of philosophy, paradoxes, and critical thinking? This is probably too young of an age to actually study the topics directly, but there have to be thought exercises and stories out there that distill the essence of these things in an entertaining or captivating way. I've Googled a bit but found mostly dry lesson-plan type stuff for classes. I know Aesop's Fables is a classic allegory for kids but that focuses mostly on morals.

Be Critical

god particle — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:00:33 -0800

I want to start thinking critically about art, especially modern/contemporary art, so what should I read? I want to be able to discuss contemporary/modern/conceptual art with my peers, and I also want to learn about past art movements and their effects on today's art. What books would you recommend?

Looking for a video series. Narrator was male with British accent. All illustrated. Each about 5 to 8 minutes long.

querty — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:22:56 -0800

Looking for a video series. Narrator was male with British accent. All illustrated. Each about 5 to 8 minutes long. I don't remember if I saw one of the videos on Youtube or Dailymotion, but the series of videos were about logic, reasoning, critical thinking, and one of the topics had bits regarding the modern yellow dessert banana introduced by grafting.

So as to resist appeals to their dearest prejudices and all kinds of cajolery...

jammy — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:44:58 -0800

BookFilter: Looking for an engaging introduction to critical thinking. A friend is going to be teaching a course for an open university. The course is for non-traditional students and is aimed at introducing them to critical thinking, improving their writing, and helping them to develop a program of study.

She’s looking for an engaging set of readings--or even a single-authored book--that could help them with critical thinking skills. The book does not have to be on critical thinking per se, but rather one which could be used as inspiration for exercises & discussions of critical thinking. So, for example, we already know about things like Weston's Rulebook - something a little more creative than that? More literary maybe?

The students could go into any range of fields so while the book can be discipline-specific, it should be of interest to a wider audience.

(Extra, possibly relevant info: They’ll be using Zinsser’s On Writing Well for the writing part of the course.)

Please help me research human "parity errors".

rwhe — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:52:30 -0800

Can anyone point me to literature about conceptual "sign flipping" or "parity errors" and confusion of opposites in humans? I'm interested in material about errors such as subtracting time instead of adding it, or vice versa, when converting local time to GMT; grammatical double negatives; the erroneous expression "I could care less"; confusing left with right when giving directions; and so on. The more general the discussion, the better.

Even suggestions of good keywords would be helpful. Googling "parity error" brings up pages of results about errors in computer RAM.

Yes, I am familiar with the paper called "The Ghost Not", but it comes with a lot of metaphysical luggage I'm happier not to lug.

Thanks!

I'd like to buy a book for my girlfriend to help her structure her ideas in academic writing.

limon — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:23:31 -0800

I'd like to buy a book for my girlfriend to help her structure her ideas in academic writing. My girlfriend is a graduate student in the humanities. She is clever, erudite and rigorous, but her ability to build an argument is poor. She finds it particularly difficult to unpack a complex concept and present its constitutive parts in a logical sequence. The book I'd like to buy helps writers with these specific problems, ideally (but not necessarily) within the context of research in the humanities. What I don't want:

A general textbook on critical thinking
A manual of style

How do I convince someone that (S)cience is real?

doppleradar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:50:32 -0800

How do I convince someone Science is real? I've run into a handful of people in the last year who are skeptical that (S)cience is real. Or is any more real/credible/valid than other "belief system."

Their arguments have all had one or a mix of "I don't believe in Science because":
1. It has been wrong before
2. There are still unanswered questions
3. There have been conflicting results on the same topic
4. I read "The Secret"/watched "What The Bleep Do We Know"/etc., and think that pairing pseudo-science with vaguely related Scientific concepts makes it all equally true.
6. Science is accepted because people are brainwashed by authority and not because it is true.
5. Any of the above reasons why Science is "wrong" proves my hypothesis right.
6. If it works for me, it is true.

I don't begrudge anyone their belief system, but am a little overwhelmed with the sheer baseness of why there is a distinction between Belief and Fact. It seems like there should be an easier way to explain it all than having to get into some long diatribe on the history and philosophy of Scientific thought.

So, hivemind, what is the most basic, and most respectful way to explain why (S)cience is "real?"

Help me help you help me.. help.

self — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:18:31 -0800

Often I find myself thinking "yes, that's exactly what I was trying to say", or "that certainly didn't come across as clearly as I wanted", and even "how do I put what I'm feeling/needing into words?" Is this a disconnect between my (sometimes very scattered) thoughts and my verbal skills? I'd like to be more articulate. And not just articulate, but thoroughly so. Communication is a big part of my job, and there's a need for clear direction and conveyance in a fast paced environment.

Where to begin...

I've really been feeling unfocused lately, and when it comes time for me to say something, to get something across, it takes to the wind when it comes out of my mouth. I'll start to communicate an entire situation or thought but fail to round it out with necessary details, or convolute it with unnecessary ones. This happens with things I've thought through, but more often than not:

There are times when I lack the vision of details that I really should have seen. And when these oversights are articulated back to me, it's like a giant slap to the face ('of course, I practically thought that too, why didn't it get to the tip of my tongue and out of my mouth?)

How can I refine my communication and articulation skills? How can I put what I want to say into a neat collection of words- and more importantly, how can I make sure I'm going to say everything I want to?

The obvious answer might be to slow down and really think it through, but a) sometimes I just don't have the time for that, and b) sometimes that just plain doesn't work.

I'm sure I'll be posting below to add details as responses prompt them (really, isn't that the nature of this question?)

On preview: this seems like a breakdown of such a basic human skill, but what to do when you're not satisfied with your own abilities?

Thanks in advance.

Does the study of math sharpen critical thinking skills?

jason's_planet — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:07:16 -0800

If a man’s wit be wandering, let him post a question about mathematics and reasoning to MetaFilter. The quote that inspires this question is

“If a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics.” – Francis Bacon

Is Bacon’s recommendation accurate? Does the study of math sharpen the critical thinking and reasoning skills? I ask because I’m kind of . . . intellectually lazy. I don’t think things through as much as I should. I kind of blurt out opinions based on gut feelings and personal prejudices. I want to get into the habit of thinking and am wondering if there are tools available that will sharpen the mind the way that free weights and kettlebells can sharpen the body. And if math might be one of those tools.

Many thanks in advance.

Teaching Critical Thinking Skills to kids and young adults

storybored — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:01:10 -0800

I'm looking for educational programs/curricula/methodologies that focus on teaching critical thinking skills in elementary school and high school, know any? Also are there any educational charities that focus specifically on improving critical and scientific thinking in children and young adults?