Could Teaching Critical Thinking Abilities, End Cult Mind-Conrol Forever? (page 4)

SweetBabyCheezits

The concept is great, just not practical to the degree that we think it can be.

So, Psac, how practical is it to try to be a Christian?

The thing is that critical thinking doesnt stop. It never stops. Any conclussion is always open for discussion. You trust to the degree of your most persuasive arguments but you can continue arguing it in the presence of new evidence.

Critical thinking involves the critique of its methodology and of its conclussions.

cyberjesus

SBC: your latin turns me on ;-)

SweetBabyCheezits

CJ, considering how much time you spend dancing with exotic Latina women, that makes me a little nervous.

Dogpatch

Well said Terry:

Well, sadly...I don't think all the critical thinking ability in the world can help until you change your core values.

How you FEEL about what you think over-rides everything else.

Religious faith is the default setting no matter how many logical heuristics are applied and FAITH is committing to attach the strongest possible value on unprovable assertions simply because you agree how wonderful they must be!

I was a pretty sharp thinker when I was a JW and that didn't prevent my swallowing the whole bunkum piecemeal.

The full change must ultimately come from social and perhaps even genetic evolution. In the meantime we work with words, concepts, and brain stuff.

Randy

cyberjesus

SBC: one more issue comes to mind. Before 6 and specially after the brain cells starts to create connections we learn "facts", facts are stored and our brain develops rules about those facts. After 6 we can learn concepts. Thus the importance of not teaching false facts before that. We test those facts with the available information, but TRUST is a big factor. Since we relay on trusting our caregivers for our survival then we will accept False Facts if they come from a trusting source.

There is no turn around. Thats our biological composition. In a way trusting our parents makes us vulnerable to them. so in a way not trusting will allow us to continue with skepticism but we need some level of trusting (security) for survival.

I found interesting that most of us who have been able to exit a cult have a higher level of skepticism. I wouldn be surprised if intelligence is higher on those of who have left. That skepticism is the remains of our critical thinking skills we lost when we were children. We just dont know how to call it. PErhaps we didnt know the name of a certain fallacy but we certainly could spot when someone would answer a different question or would change the subject to avoid a topic. We REDISCOVER and catalog and name those thinking patterns now.

Anyway I am getting of subject. I agree that we need to teach critical thinking skills to those of us who have lost them, at the earliest age possible. And I also promote that we empower little kids to use their already develop thinking skills to their fullest.

cyberjesus

SBC: one more issue comes to mind. Before 6 and specially after the brain cells starts to create connections we learn "facts", facts are stored and our brain develops rules about those facts. After 6 we can learn concepts. Thus the importance of not teaching false facts before that. We test those facts with the available information, but TRUST is a big factor. Since we relay on trusting our caregivers for our survival then we will accept False Facts if they come from a trusting source.

There is no turn around. Thats our biological composition. In a way trusting our parents makes us vulnerable to them. so in a way not trusting will allow us to continue with skepticism but we need some level of trusting (security) for survival.

I found interesting that most of us who have been able to exit a cult have a higher level of skepticism. I wouldn be surprised if intelligence is higher on those of who have left. That skepticism is the remains of our critical thinking skills we lost when we were children. We just dont know how to call it. PErhaps we didnt know the name of a certain fallacy but we certainly could spot when someone would answer a different question or would change the subject to avoid a topic. We REDISCOVER and catalog and name those thinking patterns now.

Anyway I am getting of subject. I agree that we need to teach critical thinking skills to those of us who have lost them, at the earliest age possible. And I also promote that we empower little kids to use their already develop thinking skills to their fullest.

cyberjesus

SBC: I dont discrimate...not yet

PSacramento

Reductio ad absurdum

Those of us that were actually born in Latin countries don't get the nutridding, sorry.

So, Psac, how practical is it to try to be a Christian?

For some, quite practical but then again it isn't about how practical Christianity is.

While I appreciate the thought that critical thinking can help equip one to deal better with the indoctrination methods of certain cults, common sense goes a long way too ( probably find more people that say Nay to cults via common sense then by critical thinking), but what is it that they say about common sense? that it is the most uncommon of senses?

Doesn't inspire much confidence in critical thinking if common sense won't work...

Just saying.

flipper

LIFELONG HUMANIST- Good thread. Your idea of critical thinking being taught to all children in schools as they grow up is a good idea. Actually college students learn critical thinking skills as they attend certain courses in universities and colleges. So - Individually I believe many who learn critical thinking ability will be able to assist SOME cult mind controlled individuals to exit mind control cults- however it won't end mind control forever.

Reason for that is there are far too many cult leaders ( WT society leaders included ) who have too much $$$$$ to lose by losing control of cult mind controlled people. The greed at the top of mind control cults or religious groups is so intense and implanted in leaders AND their followers that mind control will NEVER be completely eliminated. Some humans don't WANT to think critically and DESIRE to be told what to do. They don't want to make their own decisions in life. It's too scary for them to REALLY think. So they settle for being controlled by mind control cults and religions. I believe SOME people can be saved from mind control- but they need to see the possibility of thinking free on their own. Until they develop critical thinking skills somewhat and get MOTIVATED to exit a cult - many will choose it due to it being a pacifier of sorts - a " comfort zone " they are familiar with. Much like what victims of abusive relationships do- choose to stay in the abusive relationship out of fear of knowing nothing different. Just my 2 cents here

Could Teaching Critical Thinking Abilities, End Cult Mind-Conrol Forever?

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