What Would Socrates Do?

Posted by Dr. Shanon Brooks on April 18, 2013  monticellocollege.org/

This post is a tribute to Earl Shorris, one of my favorite writers on education who past away in 2012. I am reprinting the April 16, 2013 Wall Street Journal Book Review of his latest book, The Art of Freedom.  This piece was written by Naomi Schaefer Riley.

In The Art of Freedom, Earl Shorris describes his efforts to establish a set of courses that would teach the core texts of Western civilization to people living in poverty, whose school experience had scanted the canon or skipped it entirely.

Almost two decades ago, Earl Shorris, a novelist and journalist, told the editor athis publishing house that he wanted to write a book about poverty in America.

The editor, to his credit, said that he didn't want just another book describing theproblem. He wanted a solution.

So Shorris, who had attended the University of Chicago on a scholarship many years before and who was greatly influenced by its Great Books curriculum, hit upon the idea of teaching the core texts of Western civilization to people living in poverty, whose school experience had scanted the canon or skipped it entirely.

His Eureka moment came when he was visiting a prison and conducting interviews for another book he was planning to write.

He asked one of the women at New York's Bedford Hillsmaximum­ security prison why she thought the poor were poor.

"Because they don't have the moral life of downtown," shereplied. "What do you mean by the moral life?" Shorris asked.

"You got to begin with the children . . . ," she said. "You've got toteach the moral life of downtown to the children.

And the way youdo that, Earl, is by taking them downtown to plays, museums, concerts, lectures."

Critical Thinking and a Biblical World View

Eric Wilson - 2013

Much has been written and discussed previously on this site about the application of reason in

relation to religious faith.  When it comes to Critical Thinking, I think it clear that there is a Biblical significance.  Unfortunately, most everything that is written about critical thinking assumes the point of view that it contradicts religion and faith.  This theory is ripe in many of today’s universities – as well as the misguided conception that reason leads to a disbelief in God and the converse of this which is faith leads one to not apply critical thought.  In the eyes of the typical unbelieving academic elitist, you can not have faith in an unknown if you think logically and can not have logic if you have faith in an unknown.  Their hypocrisy aside, this is just flat wrong.

 Personally, wholeheartedly, joyfully – and by the grace of God – embracing my faith (or my bias as it would be referred to by those in opposition to my beliefs), I willfully admit I am most suited to address one side of this debate.  Teaching classes in Critical Thinking, I am saddened by good Christian students who avoid the subject or fear that it is contradictory to their core beliefs.  We should not avoid critical thinking, but rather follow the model of Jesus and engage in faithful critical thinking in submission to our Father in heaven.  As He is a righteous judge, we also should strive to discern, understand, and make decisions based on righteous critical thinking.  In fact, we must engage in critical thinking.  All decision-making involves us in critical thinking; we cannot avoid it.  The question is not one of critical thinking versus not critical thinking; the question is one of good critical thinking (wisdom, discernment, judgment) versus poor critical thinking (foolishness, sloth, rebellion).  “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” -  Proverbs 14:15

 If you have not begun to think critically on this subject and remain unconvinced that what I have said is “reason” enough, here are three additional points to consider:

The Idols of the Mind

Eric Wilson - 2013

People are no longer thinking, learning, or discovering.  At the same time, more and more schools are not only contributing to the problem but instead are the problem.  I would like to take a moment and examine what exactly these statements mean, but more importantly, challenge you while reading to think of yourself and see if you fall victim as well.

Do we really think?

People are wired and have been conditioned to consume facts.  People in business can recite

the Six Sigma process or the concepts of lean manufacturing, but why do so many companies struggle to implement and execute them?  There are people that amaze me with details of history but still do not understand how to learn from it.  We are led to believe that we understand a concept by reciting its definition.  How many people truly think about the concept to understand it?

Think about this: many of you learned in school that “a republic is government of the people, by the people, for the people.”  This catchy phrase most likely stuck in your mind.  Memorizing it or quoting it may lead many to think they understand what it means.  Truth is, most people could not intelligibly answer any of the following questions:

1. What is the difference between a government of the people and a government for the people?
2. What is the difference between a government for the people and a government by the people?
3. What is the difference between a government by the people and a government of the people?

Absolutely: Theory of an Invariant

Eric Wilson - 2013

(Theory of an Invariant) A companion piece to “Special Theory of Relativity in Critical Thinking”

I felt – after my post explaining bias and relative truths – I must respond and expound just a bit. First, I extend my apologies for the previous title to the memory of Mr. Einstein. In reading his biography, you will learn that one of the things he took offense to most often was the use of relativity in reference to his theories outside of their context. The anti-relativist and many laymen of the time misunderstood or misrepresented the theory of relativity as the end of certainty and absolutes in nature. Einstein believed and hoped instead that relativity lead to a deeper description of absolutes or what he called “invariances.”

The debate over absolutes is a familiar one that has raged for ages. One of the most famous was offered by one of its biggest skeptics, Descartes. Descartes himself, in the meditations following the one in which he introduces the “evil genius”, acknowledges his own existence as a thinking being. After having subject everything he could to scrutiny and doubt, he asks himself if there is anything he can be certain of. His conclusion is – even if he might be deceived in all his thinking – he still is certain of this: “I think, then I am, then I exist.” From this foundation, Descartes proceeds to argue that we can once again come to know virtually all that he had initially subjected to doubt. Hence, he believes that from this modest beginning he can offer evidence and arguments that give us certain knowledge and – more profoundly – support an existence of God.

Now, we may disagree on the nature of truth at the spiritual level, but it is hard to deny absolute truths at the physical level.

Special Theory of Relativity in Critical Thinking

Eric Wilson - 2013

What color is the sky?

Simple question isn't it… I will depart once more from political musings to an important topic I

feel passionate about. While you may gloss over at an academic sounding article I urge you to take the time to read and think and react.

When one begins even the most basic research into the subject of critical thinking, things can get a bit “fuzzy” in a hurry. A task sounding as simple as determining the accepted definition of critical thinking can lead you circles and tie your brain in knots. The internet is home to thousands of pages of pontification and debate on defining this topic alone.

A statement by Michael Scriven and Richard Paul (presented at the 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform in the summer of 1987) used sixty-five words in a single sentence for their opening explanation of critical thinking. Somewhat amusingly – but very informative and recommended reading – the website “The Foundation for Critical Thinking” uses this as their definition of critical thinking with a link after stating“Click Here for a more complete definition of critical thinking.”

"Would You Hire Your Own Kid?"

One of the most popular columns of the month here on the Brush Fire Forum has been one that Dr. Shanon Brooks posted entitled "Job Training Versus Character Education."  It is a great read, and if you have not already done so, click here and take a look at it now.

This topic reminded us of an article that was published back in 2010 by Tim Sackett over on the FistfulofTalent.com website.  Tim did a wonderful job of posing a question that so few of us as parents take the time to consider.  The original article is below and is certain to make you pause to consider some of the parental decisions you have made in the past.  You can find your way over to Tim's website by clicking here.

Would You Hire Your Own Kid? - Tim Sackett (via fistfuloftalent.com)

So really – would you hire your own kid? Now, I’m completely the most perfect person ever to answer this question. Yes, because I’m The Tim Sackett, but beyond that I was once hired by my mother – oh wait, I was twice hired by my mother. So yes, that makes me very qualified to answer this question. I’m not really interested in the Nepotism issue within if you would hire your own kid though – I’m more into would Anyone Else Besides You Hire Your Kid? So, what I’m talking about is workforce readiness. I know everyone has an opinion on “today’s” generation and “tomorrow’s” generation and how different they are, blah, blah, blah… this has been covered ad nauseum.

My Baby Can Read (and Think)

Eric Wilson - 2013

This past year we had the joy (and terror) of taking our youngest daughter to her first day of daycare.  We sent the little one off to school for all the usual reasons of developing social skills, learning, and giving mom three hours of time to herself.  At the same time, we had the usual concerns and reservations.

One of my wife’s greatest joys has been watching our baby learn and grow.  Babies seem wired to learn and given the freedom will discover.  Give a baby a rattle and let them go.  I did not begin our baby’s journey into the reproduction of audio-phonic brilliance with a lecture and facts.  One day, I showed her a rattle.  She picked it up, dropped it a few times, and then finally – on her own – successfully learned that shaking it (not dropping it) caused it to make noise that she controlled.  Before you know it, she was banging on toy keyboards, singing pop songs, absorbing everything around her, and expressing creativity in interpretive dance.

Then at some point, we take this eager little princess who wants to discover and loves to learn and take her to school.

There, they begin to teach her to sit orderly and recite numbers, letters, colors, and shapes.  While she continues to thirst for self-discovery, we teach her to memorize.  Any child that constantly asks all those questions (why, who, how?) the teacher likely considers annoying and a disturbance.  Meanwhile, the child who stays in her seat, never colors outside the lines, recites her colors back perfectly, and never questions the teacher is considered exceptional and rewarded.

Thinking about the Past

Eric Wilson - 2013

“Life…is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” -- William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Think of the childhood classic – The Telephone Game.  Kids sit in a row, and a simple statement is whispered in the ear of the first child.  This phrase is repeated by that child to the next on down the line, each with a whisper in the words of that child.  What happens to the original statement by the time it gets to that last child?

Everyone can retell stories about the past, but how often do you think critically about the stories of the past and their relationship to other stories or their significance on the future?  Most of us never take a moment to think that we are part of a much larger telephone game.  Far too few recognize that the stories we tell ourselves and others about the past are examples of historical thinking.  Stories told and then retold are often riddled with distortions of our own making

The Intersection of Faith, Reason, and Brush Fire Forum

Posted by Justen Collins on December 28, 2012

When I was first presented with the opportunity to contribute articles to the Brush Fire Forum, I was especially drawn to the chance to explore the intersection of reason and faith. Hearing the vision for the forum, I knew the use of critical thinking in the workplace would be my main focus – thus the birth of the Cubicle Survival Guide series. The application of critical thinking in the area of religion and personal faith, though, is one that I have long wanted to touch on in my writing. I have written blogs about (nearly) the entire Bible, and that experience really opened my eyes to the limitless potential for exploration in the scriptures.

As it turns out, writing about religion and politics is a great way to make others uncomfortable. Readers who are uncomfortable may not be too keen on returning to read more, but for the Brush Fire Forum to succeed, we are going to need people to handle a little discomfort and challenge themselves to consider why the topics are prompting the feelings and emotions they are experiencing. Trust me when I say that writing about these sorts of personal stances and publishing them to the world to be dissected and analyzed – often by strangers – is an equally uncomfortable experience at times.

With that cautionary introduction out of the way, allow me to jump into the deep end of the pool

A Case For Brush Fires

If you are like me at all (which I have a feeling you are), you are concerned.

We look around at our culture and see the degradation of principles and values.  We look at the lives of American families and see a far cry from the happier homes – or at least more stable ones of generations past.  We look at our workplaces and see the unethical behavior of many corporations.  We look at our schools and see the “dumbing down” of education and its glaring shortcomings.  We look at our local communities and see people who do not even know their neighbors anymore and take no pride in where they live.  We look at our government (that we no longer trust) and see it seemingly working against us at every turn.  We look and see a society that is in a decline and a world that is in the brink of self-destruction.

There is truly a monumental problem.  We share a real unease for where we find ourselves and an even graver concern for where we are headed.  

Reasoning and Why We Make So Many Mistakes in Life

Posted by Don Pinson on December 15, 2012           HeritageMinistriesKY.com

Why do we make so many mistakes in life?  How can it be we are so deceived about so many things?  It all has to do with our reasoning processes...

When Noah Webster wrote our first American Dictionary in 1828, he defined the word reasonas “to deduce inferences justly from premises. Brutes do not reason; (he wrote) children reason imperfectly.”

A premise he defines as “a first or antecedent proposition.”  In other words, it's the foundational idea.  In reasoning (to deduce inferences justly) we either state a conclusion based on the foundational idea we know; or we examine ideas we know, in order to find the foundation idea on which they are based. 

In the former we show what can be expected because of what we know.  In other words, because we know a root, we can predict the fruit.  We call this inductive reasoning.  In the latter, we trace back through the ideas or events we do know (the “fruit”), in order to discover what we do not know (the “root”).  We call this deductive reasoning.

So where did reasoning, itself, come from?

Critical Thinking Is

“Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desired outcome. It is...thinking that is purposeful, reasoned, and goal directed - the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions, when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task” - Diane Halpern.

  “intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.” - The Center of Critical Thinking

 “Thinking about thinking, while thinking in order to think better.” – Richard Paul the Director of Research and Professional Development at the Center for Critical Thinking.

  “Critical thinking is the identification and evaluation of evidence to guide decision making. A critical thinker uses broad in-depth analysis of evidence to make decisions and communicate his/her beliefs clearly and accurately.” – The Critical Thinking Company

  “Critical thinking is reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe and do.” – Robert H. Ennis, Author of The Cornell Critical Thinking Tests

  “Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them.” - Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools, Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2008

  “Critical Thinking is the use of reason to attempt to determine relative truth.” – Me

  “You are not thinking unless what goes in your head mixes up with everything else and comes back out for other purposes.” – My mom

Education in America: A Look at the History of Education

Eric Wilson - 2012

It is too easy to say schools are not teaching kids how to think anymore. Taking pot shots at the education system has almost become the norm, and solutions are hurled out ranging from common core and comprehensive reform (hearing those words coming from a politician should scare anyone) to school choice or charter schools.

But what is the root cause? Building from the statement “schools are not teaching kids how to think anymore,” though, we can follow three logical steps of progression:

1) Saying “anymore” implies there is a difference in what schools are doing compared to what they once did.

2) If it has indeed changed, we must ask how and when that occurred.

3) Finally, we have to determine what is missing now that would contribute to getting kids thinking again.

In this article, we explore a brief timeline of education in America and consider these three points to raise the possibility that what we are missing in education is

The One-Eyed Man is King

Eric Wilson - 2012

“In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king…”

So, is critical thinking really that important?

One of the best and simplest definitions of critical thinking I know came from my mother who was a school teacher for 27 years.  Her words of true wisdom were repeated to me over and over all my life: “You are not learning unless what goes in your head mixes up with everything else and comes back out for other purposes.”

From what many of us already know, we can infer that critical thinking is thinking for oneself, reasoning, innovating, challenging biases, and a willingness to even question oneself.  This is in contrast to what we have been conditioned too often to do: seeing everything as “black and white” (or blue when it comes to socks), being reactionary, and adopting biases along with an unwillingness to question yourself or anyone. 

But is it that important?  Richard Paul (the critical thinking guy) had this to say in July 2007,

What Color Are Your Socks

Eric Wilson - 2012

What color are your socks?

Innovation – or creating something new – is a myth.  While I like to believe that everything I come up with is some groundbreaking new idea, it is only taking bits and pieces from multiple places and combining, sorting, and filtering them until they reach a newfound solution you may not have thought of before.  Every great invention and “original” thought came through this same process.

The Constitution of the United States – as forward-thinking and innovative as it was for its time –was not an original document.  It was formed from hundreds of state and local constitutions that were already written.  One of the most-quoted texts at that time – when looking at the letters and commonplace journals of our framers – was Montesquieu’s “The Spirit of Laws,” a book written 40 years earlier and used to create many of the concepts of the separation of powers.

Everyone Knows (or at least thinks)

Eric Wilson - 2012

Thinking in itself is nothing special, and we literally have little human ability to stop it.

Unfortunately, much of our thinking – when left on its own – is superficial, biased, distorted, partial, uninformed, deceptive, short-sighted, close-minded, and leads us to inaccurate or misguided conclusions.  These problems in thinking produce untold individual negative implications – fear, anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, pain, suffering, injustices (of every imaginable kind), as well as societal problems like loss of liberties, stagnate growth, conflict, and deterioration of morals and ideas.

Thinking – more specifically the lack of critical thinking – impacts almost every aspect of our lives.  Let’s examine some of those impacts on three basic parts of human living.