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Critical thinking: A lost cause at JREF?

Sundog

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I'm very depressed today about the state of critical thinking as shown here at the JREF forums. Time and time again people who ought to know better are stuck in the rhetorical mud, making fools of themselves, and in utter and complete, bulletproof denial of the fact.

What hope is there when someone as intelligent as... well, I won't name him, REFUSES to admit when he's wrong, when it's clear as day? What then is the point of having intelligence at all?

I realize this is just begging for a personal attack, but I'm depressed. I wonder if we're all fooling ourselves by thinking we can ever even APPROACH a proper skeptical attitude.

Maybe it's time I took a sabbatical for a while.
 
I think the trick is to not feel that we have to "win every round". Our mission is not to convert 100% of those who come here to skepticism. It is sometimes enough that we plant the seeds of skepticism - who knows when and where those seeds might eventually germinate.
 
reprise said:
I think the trick is to not feel that we have to "win every round". Our mission is not to convert 100% of those who come here to skepticism. It is sometimes enough that we plant the seeds of skepticism - who knows when and where those seeds might eventually germinate.
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I'm not concerned about the believers. My issue is with all of us "skeptics" OURSELVES. I don't think we really deserve the title, any of us.
 
Sundog said:
I'm not concerned about the believers. My issue is with all of us "skeptics" OURSELVES. I don't think we really deserve the title, any of us.
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Does one only deserve the title "skeptic" when one has perfected the art of applying a given standard of critical thinking to all situations? Or is skepticism a skill - like other skills - which is enhanced and becomes applicable to a wider range of situations the more we apply it?

I'd truly hate to think that anyone would feel that they have "failed" as a skeptic and abandon the philosophy of skepticism because they haven't achieved some arbitrary standard of applying its principles.
 
reprise said:


Does one only deserve the title "skeptic" when one has perfected the art of applying a given standard of critical thinking to all situations? Or is skepticism a skill - like other skills - which is enhanced and becomes applicable to a wider range of situations the more we apply it?
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The latter, yes. But one cannot advance in a skill by practicing it incorrectly. One can CERTAINLY never advance if one never recognizes their mistakes.
 
Sundog said:

What hope is there when someone as intelligent as... well, I won't name him, REFUSES to admit when he's wrong, when it's clear as day? What then is the point of having intelligence at all?
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Why don't you just come out and say who you are talking about?
 
Re: Re: Critical thinking: A lost cause at JREF?

thaiboxerken said:


Why don't you just come out and say who you are talking about?
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Well, it sure ain't YOU. :p

Sorry, couldn't resist. Just a joke.
 
I think that apart from a skill--skepticism is an attitude towards life, it's like a lifestyle.

Fanatics are not skeptics, skeptics are people who have been through with fanaticism, maybe they have served it in the past but they have rejected it.

I am shocked when I read people declaring that they enjoy bashing others... :(
 
Because it reminds me of the Romas who threw people in the arenas with the lions to amuse themselves.
 
TLN said:


Perhaps you should point them out then.
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Well, I try when I can.

I don't want to set myself up as better than anyone else - I'm sure I have blind spots too.

But it's ESSENTIAL if we want to be critical thinkers that we be constantly on the lookout for these blind spots.
 
Sundog said:
Well, I try when I can.

I don't want to set myself up as better than anyone else - I'm sure I have blind spots too.

But it's ESSENTIAL if we want to be critical thinkers that we be constantly on the lookout for these blind spots.
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I know you're going to hate this statement:

Any genuine critical thinker would want to hear such things.
 
TLN said:


I know you're going to hate this statement:

Any genuine critical thinker would want to hear such things.
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Right over my head! :D

Try again, it's Friday afternoon and my brain's slowing down.
 
Any skeptic or critical thinker would want to hear criticism about themselves, if only to be open minded.
 
Cleopatra said:
Because it reminds me of the Romas who threw people in the arenas with the lions to amuse themselves.
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Yea, so? Those were just christians they threw into the pits.
 
TLN said:
Any skeptic or critical thinker would want to hear criticism about themselves, if only to be open minded.
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Oh. Why wouldn't I want to hear that? I agree completely.
 
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