Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with thought

Am I too logical?

schmichael — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:37:09 -0800

How do I talk to people when I am choked by logic? Kind of tricky to explain my dilemma, but I'll give it a shot. A little about my background: I'm an atheist, and I was heavily influenced while growing up by a very very logical, rational-minded person (my stepdad). I've always been told that you should question everything, and that you shouldn't shy away from uncomfortable answers.

I think a lot and I really think that I'm very logical and honest in my way of thinking. Over the last couple of years, I've challenged all of the absolute values, or ideals, that I held. And I've pretty much knocked over every one. I've seen the pros and cons of pretty much every idea or event, the flow of logic and inevitability that sweeps through all of human existence. I can't feel passionate about anything because I can understand why it came to be, why it couldn't help but come to be, and what fundamental problem makes it impossible to solve.

For example, I used to believe that stopping climate change was a worthwhile thing to do, now I see very clearly the chain of events that will make it inevitable - how oil consumption is linked to current population levels and affluence, resulting in increased emissions, and how it isn't just people driving cars but every single facet of modern human life, and the only way to stop it would be for everybody to voluntarily stop eating and buying and reproducing... and I can see through every single vouched solution, because it is so easy when you apply concepts like natural selection, thermodynamics, population ecology...

So now when someone tries to talk to me about climate change - and they're passionate and reaaaally want to do something about it - I basically have to bite my tongue and force myself not to explain why it's pointless. When they talk about how all we need is more windfarms, I can think of a million reasons why windfarms don't work, and even if they did... If I do open my mouth, I think I scare people. And I hate stripping people of their values, because it's so hard for me, I think, well, why shouldn't they believe something if it gives them a sense of purpose?

And it's like this with almost everything. I feel very worried by conversations, because my mind is always working on a very high, abstract level, and I can't connect to people or speak my mind without getting into some very murky territory. I can drown people in shades of gray.

Other than waiting for the irrational thunderbolt of falling in love to come and clear things up for me, what can I do? Does anyone else feel like this? I have a sneaking suspicion that this is linked to my possible hypomania... when I am in a manic-feeling state, I tend to feel that there is something beautiful and essential in the pure act of being alive, so my conversation reflects that. When I am feeling down, this stuff clouds in very heavily.

It's not just when I talk to other people - it hamstrings my sense of purpose in life, in what I am doing, in what I am thinking about. It can be very cruel.

I hope I don't come off as arrogant in this post. This feeling is not one of arrogance - this feeling doesn't inspire scorn in me... just a sad and deflated sense of jealousy for those who are a little simpler, a little more irrational. And I hope that I actually explained myself, because it certainly feels very confusing when I try and lay it down.

Critical Thinker

jasondigitized — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:11:47 -0800

What are some tools and techniques I can use to become a better critical thinker? I asked my friend the other day what he got out of his tier-1 education and he said it taught him how to 'think through problems'. What exactly did his professors teach him about critical thinking? If I memorize the logical fallacies or make a pro's and con's list will I be a better thinker? Is 'going with your gut' an approved tactic in this pursuit? What things do you do to think through a problem and come up with rock solid plans, decisions, and recommendations?

Where can I find a copy of a classroom discussion activity where you are forced to save 6-8 people in an apocalypse to start a new society?

jeisme — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:37:37 -0800

I remember doing a discussion activity/thought experiment in high school where we had to choose 6-8 people from a list (e.g. pregnant teen, scientist, priest, stay-at-home mom, doctor) to save in a nuclear apocalypse and justify our decision. There was a paper handout associated with the activity, and I'm pretty sure my teacher didn't write it himself, because I've talked to friends who've done the same thing in a different context (church groups, retreats, etc. ). I'm looking for a link to a copy of this activity, or a place where I'd be able to find it.

cricket chirps in my head

The Biggest Dreamer — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:31:19 -0800

How can I become more opinionated? Some background on myself: I'm a somewhat introverted person who doesn't have a problem with talking. I'm not shy. However, I usually don't think I ever have anything useful to say. The way I see it... everything happens for a reason. Why argue. At least, I'd rather let someone more competent with words and persuasion take care of any arguing.

When it comes to having an opinion, my mind feels very... blank. I'm a very mellow person (no drugs or anything like that, I'm mild-mannered and usually happy), and I get riled up over very little. Sure, I think some things are nice and some things are not very nice, but I can't seem to form any strong opinion I can get behind. Doesn't everything have its good aspects and bad aspects?

But sometimes I need to form opinions. Particularly for this weekend because I have an assignment to write an op-ed -- a fun writing exercise, but I can't really say I am devoted to the issue we need to write about -- but also because people seem to like opinionated people, and nothing in this world seems to be able to move forward without a talented and opinionated force pushing it.

TLDR: So, in short, I, a laid-back, uncaring transient being in this noisy world, would like to learn how to form opinions. Eventually I'd like to learn how to have persuasion skills and support those opinions, but I figure I best start from the basics.

Aren't we and space and ideas always changing?

TheOtherSide — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:06:43 -0800

So, what are the universally accepted axioms in philosophy, if any? While tracking another askmefi question regarding questions in philosophy, I have noticed that philosophical arguments seem to make a lot of assumptions. As simple examples, the "Utility Monster" and "P-Zombie" thought experiments seem to make assumptions that life is mostly static and that people's beings don't change over time. In producing these thought experiments are these philosophers utilizing a well-regarded set of assumptions that I should be aware of? Is there even such a thing?

Also, how do I make Philosophy less semantically confusing? Because often when I read Philosophical arguments I'll think, 'sure that makes sense, if I assume that X means Y, but sometimes X means Z, or X will mean Z at a later date.'

Disclaimer: I haven't read any real philosophy since undergrad, but I remember this imprecision being a thing that turned me off from 'early' works. At the time, I remember reading Plato and Descartes and thinking to myself, 'yeah this is interesting, but wow they make a lot of assumptions that I don't necessarily agree with.'

Confucius say... what, exactly?

sambosambo — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:32:48 -0800

Suggested reading about the life and teachings of Confucius? I've read the article at Wikipedia and seen the reading list there, but would love some personal recommendations. I don't read or speak chinese, so keep that in mind. :)

Thinking about nothing in particular...

acidic — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:30:23 -0800

I´m a week into a monthlong solo walk, and I´m consequently spending a lot of time thinking. I´m looking for some interesting ways to structure this thinking... meditation, thought problems, etc. Any suggestions? I´m open to anything, the only constraint being that I don´t have a lot of time to spend on the internet researching mantras or things like that! Im trying to push myself mentally and spiritually and having a difficult time doing that... I seem to dwell on really everyday topics for hours at a time. Thank you!

New theories of Mimesis (in digital/hypertextual/hypermedial cultures)

0bvious — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:09:48 -0800

I am looking for writings on mimesis in regards new, digital, hypertext and hypermedial technologies and cultures. I am following the redefinition of mimesis. From Plato's disregard of oral culture, through his mimesis of Socrates' dialogues in writing. Following Plato, Aristotle's theory was always a written mimesis, thus the order and processes of representation and mimicry were fundamentally written.

In essence, I am interested in how the artefacts of oral culture differed in their mimesis to written culture, and thus, how our modern move from a written to a digital/hypertextual culture will similarly impact on mimetic embodiment.

(I am also concerned with the terms 'digital' and 'hypertextual' - perhaps they are too narrow. Oral, written cultures and then XXXXX? The terms 'Cybertext' and 'Ergodic' do not seem to cover the ground wide enough.)

I have been reading Marshall McLuhan, Jacques Derrida, Paul de Man and Gunter Gebauer's and Christoph Wulf's Mimesis: Culture--Art--Society. I am looking for writings on digital, hypertextual mimesis, and how it differs, how it has altered, the theoretical embodiment of representation in thought, artefacts, language and culture.

Your help, ideas and advice are much appreciated, as always

Thoughts about my thinking?

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:20:37 -0800

Previously on AskMe: a whole bunch of questions about how to think more, better, etc. But what if I'm finding myself not interested in deliberative thinking? I love argumentation and discourse, but I've realized recently that deliberative thought holds very little interest for me. Unfortunately, as a college student and member of a post-industrial society, that skill seems almost essential.

I've got a strong interest in law, and am on my school's mock trial team, where I'm the lead attorney, although I'm only a sophomore. It's the most fun experience I've had in a long time, and it makes me think I might like to pursue litigation, trial lawyering, or a judging as a career.

I was diagnosed last year with dysthymia and have been undergoing counseling for nearly a year and a half, along with anti-depressants for a little over a year now. Aside from any chemical imbalances, my philosophy tends towards the nihilistic and can't quite make the reach to existentialism; it pushes an attitude towards life of a certain degree of apathy, although even when I do care about something, my self-discipline and interest are usually not enough to get me to do it thoroughly.

That makes me question whether my disinterest might actually be related to laziness, or to the fact that it's a difficult skill, as I've never developed serious critical thinking skills. I cruised through school intellectually on natural intelligence, although my grades reflected my boredom and disinterest in the environment, which challenged only my tolerance for seemingly-unnecessary work.

Assuming my lack of interest in deliberative thought isn't a function of either my depression, the medication, laziness, or a lack of practice (and if it is, please say that, too):

a) What could it be due to?
b) What should I do? I've been thinking "Maybe college just isn't right for me, if I really don't like this central activity." But dropping out doesn't seem like a sensible option, either.
c) Is there a field of study which might be better suited for me than others? I'm currently a political science major, and philosophy and legal studies double-minor, at a second-tier liberal arts college. Oddly enough, I like political theory more than the other stuff in the field, and I loved talking with my professor for tens of hours last semester, but I don't like thinking about the arguments.

In sum: I do like thinking, to some extent. I like being smart. I like gathering knowledge, although not by memorization. I like arguing about and discussing ideas. I don't like deliberative thinking. And it seems that's a problem.

Thanks.
Anonymous for any of my professors who are seeing this. Also my mother, who would probably flip if she thought I was going to waste tens of thousands of dollars at this point in my career.

Suggestions for Improving Abstract Thought

leybman — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:15:49 -0800

I have just realized that I am appallingly bad at abstract thought. Anytime I need to solve a problem that requires higher-level abstract thinking, I am unable to do so. So, for example, if I see an argument spelled out in symbols, I have to translate those symbols into real-world terms for me to understand them. What can I do to gradually improve my ability to handle abstract thoughts and ideas in my brain. I have been studying for LSATS and I find myself doing especially badly on a lot of the abstract sections on it. I am a very good student and very bright. However, looking back on my life, my difficulties in mathematics foreshadowed a lot other academic problems in the future. The only way I could do biology (and I was very good at it) was through visualizing everything that occured as though the body was a rube goldberg machine where x causes y and y causes z so on...well now I feel I have an underdeveloped higher abstract learning ability.

What exercises could I set aside for myself that would help me with understanding highly abstract ideas. Has anyone written about this issue before? Is there a self-help book out there helping to improve higher abstract abilities in people.

Navigating uncertainty

concourse — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:51:07 -0800

How do you know if you're doing the right thing? What sort of workaday, mental rules-of-thumb do you use to ensure your thoughts or actions are best suited to deal with an uncertain (moral or otherwise) situation?

Maybe you already use a range of 'mental heuristics', such as these.

Or perhaps you abide by one simple principle, like Abraham Lincoln's: "When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion."

In general, what on-the-fly thinking works best for you (i.e., no pen and paper around to sketch and figure things out with)?

Drunken reaction time?

coizero — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:12:05 -0800

When I'm sober and attempting to kill a fly, I can't hit it in time. When I'm tipsy, I swat it easily. In reading and conversation, I make connections sooner when drunk than when sober. I've always heard that alcoholism slows reaction time ... so what gives? NOTE: My drunken spelling and grammar errors definitely increase when drunk. Are various functions affected differently by alcohol?

How best to take discreet private notes on a not so private computer?

therubettes — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:34:50 -0800

I want software which will allow me to capture text thoughts at work, to a remote web location - quickly, discreetly and privately. I work at a computer which is visible to co-workers and is sometimes used by others at short/no notice, so I would like to make the following senario a reality.

1. At work I have a non-work related thought which I wish to capture.

2. I input a keyboard shortcut and am presented with a simple command line interface. Something similar to the google desktop quick search if you have seen it, but perhaps even a little more discreet if thats possible.

3. I type the thought and hit enter/esc and the input screen/command line disappears.

4. The text I entered is not stored locally but sent to some remote web location (I am willing to pay for this service if necessary) where it can be reviewed and edited by me at a later time.

Additional Info:

I am using Windows XP.
A physical notebook and pen is not what I want.
I have had a Palm and did not like it.
I do not want to have to open a web browser.
Have tried using Yahoo Notepad with widget but it is not what I want.
I lose USB memory sticks too often for that to be a reliable method.
A local text file fails the privacy test.
I would prefer not to have to install software but would be happy to run an exe, if it did the job and was safe.
I do not wish to use my cell-phone.
I would like to be able to capture the thought almost as soon as I have it and then return to work immediately.
This is not related to GTD and I do not wish to do any more than input shortcut, type though, hit return.

I have checked lifehacker, ask mefi and similar sites for what I want but can't find precisely what I want.

I want to write for interesting online magazines

0bvious — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:16:42 -0800

I am looking for online magazines to submit art/literature/experimental/fun articles to. I think 'The Believer' magazine is a good example of the type I crave. UK based would be best, but not completely necessary. Any ideas?

Give me your best book of taxonomies.

bigmusic — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:09:03 -0800

So I enjoy books that are an elaboration on theoretical taxonomies such as Roget's International Thesaurus (not the dictionary style) and A Pattern Language. What other books or websites might I enjoy in this vein? Taxonomies on birds or plants are interesting, but I'm looking for things that aren't immediately obvious.

How to craft a programmer's lens?

Burhanistan — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:54:37 -0800

Help me think in terms of programming metaphors. Recently I noticed when looking at certain situations relating to people and their respective environments, I was trying to distill aspects of them into software/hardware/computing metaphors. My knowledge of this field is at best intermediate, and being a lowly systems administrator I have no practical experience of coding or developing. I don't want to learn to code or develop, but I do want to read a few books detailing various programming models and languages that are not advanced comp. sci. texts but are above layperson level. Ostensibly, this would help me to build some mental frameworks to juxtapose to real-world situations. This is really borne out of my need to keep poking my brains to keep them from going to sleep. Thanks for any books, practical lessons, thought exercises, websites, etc that you suggest!

Need Resources on Mind Energy Changing DNA

watercarrier — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:16:07 -0800

I need solid scientific evidence that thought can change matter - how consciousness effects DNA structure, patterns and ultimately reality. Charts, studies, videos, all is welcome as a way of viewing and understanding how the mind's energy works in relation to physical matter. Thank you so much.

Big Ideas and Counter-Culture via Podcast

0bvious — Thu, 31 May 2007 11:18:47 -0800

I love podcasts, but it very difficult to find new, quality programs. I am looking for broadcasted material on a range of topics - including philosophy, the mind, avantgarde arts and lectures by creative, original thinkers (see my list of current podcasts for detail)... Can you help? Here are some of my current favourites:

Science, documentaries and ideas:

ABC radio's - All in the Mind: Current debates on consciousness, the science of mind and its effects on culture
ABC radio's - Big Ideas: Cutting edge thinking and thinkers
CBC radio's - Best of Ideas: Programs and interviews with original thinkers
TVO's - Big Ideas: Lectures on a vast array of truly thought-expanding topics
BBC radio's - In Our Time: Examines history, art and science which colours the world we live in
TED - TED Conference Talks (Video): World changing thinkers share ther ideas

Philosophy:

ABC radio's - Philosopher's Zone: Current trends and new ideas in the realm of philosophy

Arts:

BBC radio's - Front Row: Current art news

Perhaps this list gives you an idea of the kind of things I am interested in. I am also looking for avantgarde, post-modernist and 'counter-cultural' arts shows - especially about literature, poetry and performance.

Thanks!

Human vs Animal Brains:

0bvious — Tue, 09 May 2006 01:10:49 -0800

What experiments have been carried out where animals perform better than us at particular cognitive tasks? I remember reading / seeing an experiment performed with chimps that seemed to show that they could hold a higher number of objects in their mind at any one time than humans can.

I remember seeing them tapping on numbered buttons when objects were flashed in front of them. Humans perfomed less well on the same task at higher speeds and numbers.

Know this experiment?

How about ANY OTHER similar resulting experiments?

Thanks a lot

What is the nature of the relationship between thought and language?

Frankieist — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 17:38:56 -0800

What is the nature of the relationship between thought and language? Any answers - psychological, philosophical, or linguistic - are par for the course. Conjecture is welcome, though experimental evidence would be great too. I understand that this is not exactly answerable per se, and that many bright people have had much to say on the subject (Chomsky, Humboldt, Lacan... any other references would be appreciated). My question could be split up into several child questions:

Is (linguistic) representation a necessary condition for thought?
What is the evidence for and against the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (strong and weak)?
Do monolinguistic speakers of analytic languages think differently than monolinguistic speakers of synthetic languages? More generally, do any morphological or syntactic differences among languages correlate with any differences in the form of thought (expressed in the philosophy native to that language [Heidegger to German for instance], in cultural norms, etc.)?
Does the structure of language parallel the structure of our thoughts (a la the Structuralists, and even some post-structuralists to a certain extent)?
Logographic vs. Phonetic?

Okay, I'm done.

DeadWhiteMaleFilter

evariste — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 21:50:39 -0800

The Great Books: where should I start? I seek timeless wisdom. I've mostly read modern writers, and very little of the classics. I'm looking for books that have really affected your outlook on life. Western canon only. I'm sure the Bhagavadghita, the Art of War, and the Tao Te Ching have a lot of wisdom, but I'm looking for Western wisdom, not Eastern. Should I read the ancient Greeks? The Romans (Cicero maybe)? Proust? Machiavelli? Tennyson?

I am not looking for any recommendations that include postmodernists/deconstructionists, thanks all the same. Let's exclude anything written in the last 50 years.

I know this question is simultaneously overbroad and too picky. What I'm looking for is personal recommendations of books that changed your outlook, helped you grow as a person, helped you understand our society, and so on-because looking at this list, there is no way in hell that I will ever get through it all. So help me out here by narrowing the field.

Memes that cause people to think outside the box and shift their paradigm... to the extreme!

Hildago — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 11:07:53 -0800

I am trying to make a list of big new ideas. I want to get a survey of ideas that have been presented recently which have changed the way you think about the world. The ideas that, when you hear them, make you think you've just gotten a roman à clef for some aspects of human behavior, politics, philosophy, technology, art, science, etc.

When I say "big", I mean both ideas that achieved popular acceptance, and ideas which may not be well-known, but are big in terms of scope. Actually, since it's easier for me to come up with popular works on my own, important but relatively obscure ideas are especially welcome.

By "new" I mean ideas that weren't already familiar to most people. I'm anticipating someone pointing out to me that there's nothing new under the sun, and that these things were said long ago, and better. I don't doubt it. However, cleverly repackaging an old idea in a modern form, or reinterpreting it in the context of the 21st century is sufficient novelty for my purposes.

Some of the more obvious examples of what I'm talking about here: The Tipping Point, The Long Tail, The Database of Intentions, The World is Flat.

It's not important that you necessarily buy into the premises of any of these (I don't), I'm just trying to make a list at this point. Thanks!

Mental Reprogramming

forallmankind — Sat, 14 May 2005 09:35:20 -0800

I'm bored that I default to seeing problems, decisions and my life in general in a linear way. How can I reprogram my mind, and to do what?