AN ARTICLE WORTH READING: We can break the computer algorithms destroying critical thinking
(www.americanthinker.com)
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What a fascinating article; thanks for posting it, OP.
Conversations are KEY. If you don't feel confident in how to participate in or lead a conversation, I advise studying the classical model of education, specifically, the five common topics: definition, comparison, relation, circumstance, and authority. Here's a quick rundown--any other open-ended question you could think of falls into one of these categories, as well.
DEFINITION: What is X? What is X a smaller part of? What is X made up of?
COMPARISON: How is X similar to Y? What are differences between X and Y?
RELATION: What happened to cause X? What happened as a result of X?
CIRCUMSTANCE: What is happening in the situation with X? What is happening peripherally at the same time as X? What would happen if this one piece of X were different?
AUTHORITY: What does scripture say about X? Why/what is the larger context? Who are some authorities on X? What do authorities on X say? How do we know those sources are reliable on the topic of X?
NOTE FOR PARENTS: If you know how to ask good questions like those above, you can lead your child through ANY discussion, whether that's the birds and the bees or their math homework.
You don't have to know all the answers. You just need to ask the good questions to get them to own their own answers.
Great comment! Funny, I'm writing a book and a new idea has recently occurred to me. I've coined a new term called "One-Dimensional Experts (ODEs)". It isn't great, but that's all I've got for now. These ODEs learned all they know from other ODEs, including the criticism of opposing theories or points of view on the subject matter. And the one thing that all these ODEs are unable to do is "Make the case" for any of the opposing theories. All they can do is regurgitate their ODE training and education. And what's most shocking is that they can't articulate a single supporting argument for any opposing theories. The only thing the ODE knows is the criticism of an opposing theory.
The gist is, how can the ODE possibly be a "TRUE expert" on any subject if they don't even know any of the merits of the opposing theory? In their minds, all opposing theories are just plain idiotic, as they were taught by their ODE teachers. Ironically, what they were taught is fraught with lies, deceptions, errors and half-truths.
Anyway, still looking for a better way to articulate and get this idea across. My intention is to suggest that we need more "Multi-Dimensional Experts (MDEs) who are capable of authoritatively "making the case" for multiple theories on a subject. In other words, at a minimum, they should be able to make a supportive argument for two or more theories on their chosen subject matter, regardless of the fact that the MDE supports one in particular, allowing the student/reader/listener a chance to critically think through the different theories for themselves first and foremost.
Quite simply, this is something you never see/hear anywhere in the wild as far as I can tell. I've yet to think of a single "popular" living example of such a person. Richard Feynman and David Bohm may be the closest "scientists" we've ever had, but neither would probably qualify as "popular".
There's an obscure guy who has been researching consciousness for the past 30 years named Donald Hoffman who fits the bill but virtually nobody has heard of him. Donald can and does articulate the merits of all the popular theories on consciousness quite accurately, giving his readers/listeners a chance to evaluate the merits of each of them, before he ultimately discusses his own theories.
Anyway, long ramble, sorry. Your post was spot on. I'm trying to get my sister to send her daughter to a Trivium/Quadrivium school next year. Their motto is: "We don't teach kids what to think, we teach them HOW to think". Just as your post suggests.
Cheers
We've confused information with knowledge and knowledge with wisdom.
Donald Hoffman is a genius. I suggest people listen to him. Einstein's theories are based on relativity. In the end, it's all related back to you. Where are you? Start there.... :)
Agreed, well said!
Your book idea is worthy of exploration! Our world has come to believe that specialization is of utmost importance, but that isn't true at all. Knowledge, understanding, and wisdom come from doing things wrong, asking questions to gain more information from those who've gone before, and learning how so many other topics play into the issue at hand.
I consistently tell people that I'm on a mission to bring back the Renaissance man--he who could boldly speak on various topics and attempt any task before him. I want my children to be problem solvers!
We educate classically, and it's the most restful way to educate that I have ever found (I've been an educator for 25 years). Basically, the content we use for instruction is far less important than teaching kids HOW to think. "It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out" (Proverbs 25:2).
Fantastic! Your kids are going to be amongst our future leaders for sure! It sounds like you came around to understanding this a lot sooner than me. I only really started to see all the damage 10 years ago and didn't really understand how to fix it until probably 5 years ago.
Keep up the great work!
There was Tom Bearden who died 3 weeks ago. His book "Fer de Lance" is a mind melter.
John Hutchinson, Bob Greenyer, Ken Shoulders, JL Naudin, Michael Persinger, JP Biberian, Tadahiko Mizuno, A. G. Parkhomov, Judy Wood. Sir Roger Penrose, Dr Stuart Hameroff and Viktor Schauberger.
Most of these are still alive. Einstein was a plagiarist and a fraud.
I'm familiar with about half of the names on your list. Great examples, but unfortunately not a one counts as "popular" in my estimation. Hence the difficulty. Those who are well-researched in multiple theories and don't parrot the "approved theory" are marginalized or ignored, which of course helps perpetuate all the deceptions!
I love Schauberger, an amazing individual. And yes indeed, Einstein was an absolute joke. None of his plagiarized theories are even true/valid which is the cherry on top of his fraudulent legacy!
The thing is ... anyone who is a true expert on any subject matter, will probably be the first to tell you what a crock being an expert really is... that's of course when they reach expert status from outside proclamation. Self identified experts are by and large just egotistical douchebags. I'd suggest, the term, "one hit wonder" or single dimensional parrot, might be a relevant term. It's not possible for someone to be 10x smarter than you... even though that seems possible given the state of the world. Take any subject matter and study it in depth. It won't be long before you discover half-truths, lies or some falicy. The information has either been adulterated, corrupted or massaged to fit a certain perspective or agenda. So being an expert doesn't mean much. Such is the nature of terrestrial knowledge. If what you seek is truth, in it's purest form, that only exists within yourself... only when you cease to listen to the never ending stream of questions and monkey chatter of your mind can you sit in silence and witness your own presence. Once you observe yourself observing, none of the questions matter... they are immediately burned up and the idea of seeking that thing you've searched for, often in existential desperation, is found. To quote St Francis of Assisi, "What you are looking for, is where you are looking from."
Great comment, couldn't agree more with you. The search for truth is typically a long and winding road as one discovers what is not true (virtually everything). Like for instance, that great quote you shared, which is misattributed to St. Francis!! Hahahaha, it's brilliant nonetheless....
The purpose of my book is to help people come around to this way of thinking. You've got to start somewhere. There needs to be a way to breakdown their blind trust in authority. This is the idea that has proven more practical in casual conversations I've had with normies over the past year. They don't respond to me saying "doctors are just parroting their one-dimensional education and know nothing of alternative and opposing theories". Because I'm not a doctor or licensed FILL-IN-THE-BLANK medical "expert", the facts that I have to share are simply insta-dismissed.
Anyway, great comment. You're very far along the path of awakening if you resonate with that quote. BTW, I think the quote is actually be an enlightened Irish woman, but I can't remember her name. That's the title of her book...I read it about 10 years ago.
I'd be more inclined to encourage people to stop thinking altogether... because the endless barrage of thought is the very thing keeping them from understanding their true nature...but hey, we all have our own unique perspective, and the world don't move to the beat of just one drum 🙂. Yes, it is extremely hard to have truthful conversations with most that run with the herd. I've given up imposing my will for them to be free, if for no other reason than it just falls on deaf ears, people can't relate or they're just not ready to discuss things that really matter. Besides, imposition goes against the natural law of allowance. If they express an interest, that's different. I've always found it interesting how we're all going to die, but talking about it is so taboo...or even discussing what happens in the afterlife... again, not something most discuss, and that is almost unbelievable. How can you live groundhog day for years and not question what the hell you're doing here...where you came from and where your going? Meanwhile they can tell you the ballplayer's kid's middle name...or whatever the latest fad is. With endless distractions, dead ends and shiny things in this life, it's rare that you find others who can see the honkey tonk for what it is and not be consumed by it. It's nice to know there are others out there...cheers 🥂