Read, for example, Kahneman’s Fast Thinking Slow Thinking or the works of Amos Tversky or the Evolving Self by Csikszentmihalyi. The core is this: MOST people, the VAST majority of people think DEDUCTIVELY, that is they begin with their beliefs (VABEs) and force the data to fit them (confirmation bias). Relatively few people think INDUCTIVELY, that is, they begin with raw data and gradually draw logical inferences that lead to conclusions (new VABEs). Not many people can tolerate VABE abrasions. Instead, they tend to deny the data, deny the messenger, deny the relevance to them or deny their ability to change anything.
BTW, VABEs are Values, Assumptions, Beliefs and Expectations about the way the world is or should be. See my book Level Three Leadership 5e at eg Getting Below the Surface
The world’s religions continue after millennia to perpetuate mountains of mythological rubbish about where we came from and the history of the universe. See for example, The History of God (Armstrong), The God Delusion (Dawkins) etc. The religious fights against science (Ptolemy vs Copernicus—see The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Kuhn.) over the centuries rages on in today’s “modern” times.
Yes, this is true of scientists as well. (Again, Kuhn). Not all “science” is good science. AND beginning with the data rather than someone’s VABEs about where thunder comes from, global warming, abuse of the Commons (air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and the under privileged), sexual orientation, and human “rights” is a better short-term, mid-term, and long-term way to think. And doing that will make one immediately a “critical thinker.” Compared dramatically with the deductive thinkers.
There are millions of false and destructive VABEs in the world. For example, “maximizing profits is the core of capitalism.” What the world needs is “sustainable capitalism” that doesn’t abuse the Commons and is responsible for its products to final disposal.
After retiring from academe and a global consulting practice, I wrote A Song of Humanity: A Science-Based Alternative to the World’s Scriptures, an attempt to provide a data-based alternative to the mythology perpetuated by all of the world’s religions. See on Getting Below the Surface I just didn’t want to die without having done something more to combat (be critical of) the deductive thinking that dominates the human population.
Consider: If you or I had been born in a different part of the globe, our world views would be dramatically different. The training we get from ages 0–6 (or 10 depending on the child development researchers you read) has a huge impact on our world views and behavior. We literally form neural-neural and neural-muscular synaptic connections laboriously over time. Changing those is a challenging, but possible, task.
People feel comfortable in their VABEs, their faiths, their conclusions about the way the world is and they fight vehemently to maintain those VABEs. Even when the contradictions and hypocrisies are obvious. Festinger noted that we try to reduce “cognitive dissonance” (VABE abrasions) — usually by changing the way we look at the data we have. (confirmation bias)
SO, in my view, universal intellectual standards begin with INDUCTIVE logic and thinking and that by nature is “critical” of DEDUCTIVE or self-reinforcing thinking.
A big part of the issue is the desire that all humans have to be accepted—by someone. We live “outside-in” conforming to rules and regulations because of the fear of rejection. Rejection by whom? God? Parents? Clergy? Elders? Bosses? Nameless faceless people on the streets? Neighbors? Police? SELF??? It’s a constant effort to decide where, when, and how far to push those “accepted” boundaries of our local culture and society. 23 countries, 23!, still tolerate female circumcision for example—a horribly destructive and utterly un-scientific practice. (see for example, Infidel by Hirsi)
Living totally “inside-out,” doing only what we want is not a viable option. That’s a formula for chaos, anarchy, and now, rapidly increasing destruction of the Commons (air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and the underprivileged). Think landfills. Oceans as landfills. Declining fish populations. etc.
So the challenge is for inductive thinkers worldwide to become more persuasive and powerful. The challenge is HUGE, again, because most people protect their VABEs with deep-seated vigor. Data to most people simply is not convincing. Even repeatedly corroborated data is simply not convincing.
VABEs trump data for the vast majority of people. Critical thinking challenges VABEs.
Think of human behavior as having three levels:
1. Visible Behavior that you can capture on film.
2. Conscious Thought which we may or may not reveal at Level One.
3. Semi-conscious VABEs.
Then, what percentage of each of these, in your experience, are habitual, that is, mindlessly repetitive? Having asked people all over the world, the rough result is 75%, 85% and 95%+ respectively. How does one think about changing the way people behave, think and believe?
BTW, VABEs are Values, Assumptions, Beliefs and Expectations about the way the world is or should be. See my book Level Three Leadership 5e at eg Getting Below the Surface
The world’s religions continue after millennia to perpetuate mountains of mythological rubbish about where we came from and the history of the universe. See for example, The History of God (Armstrong), The God Delusion (Dawkins) etc. The religious fights against science (Ptolemy vs Copernicus—see The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Kuhn.) over the centuries rages on in today’s “modern” times.
Yes, this is true of scientists as well. (Again, Kuhn). Not all “science” is good science. AND beginning with the data rather than someone’s VABEs about where thunder comes from, global warming, abuse of the Commons (air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and the under privileged), sexual orientation, and human “rights” is a better short-term, mid-term, and long-term way to think. And doing that will make one immediately a “critical thinker.” Compared dramatically with the deductive thinkers.
There are millions of false and destructive VABEs in the world. For example, “maximizing profits is the core of capitalism.” What the world needs is “sustainable capitalism” that doesn’t abuse the Commons and is responsible for its products to final disposal.
After retiring from academe and a global consulting practice, I wrote A Song of Humanity: A Science-Based Alternative to the World’s Scriptures, an attempt to provide a data-based alternative to the mythology perpetuated by all of the world’s religions. See on Getting Below the Surface I just didn’t want to die without having done something more to combat (be critical of) the deductive thinking that dominates the human population.
Consider: If you or I had been born in a different part of the globe, our world views would be dramatically different. The training we get from ages 0–6 (or 10 depending on the child development researchers you read) has a huge impact on our world views and behavior. We literally form neural-neural and neural-muscular synaptic connections laboriously over time. Changing those is a challenging, but possible, task.
People feel comfortable in their VABEs, their faiths, their conclusions about the way the world is and they fight vehemently to maintain those VABEs. Even when the contradictions and hypocrisies are obvious. Festinger noted that we try to reduce “cognitive dissonance” (VABE abrasions) — usually by changing the way we look at the data we have. (confirmation bias)
SO, in my view, universal intellectual standards begin with INDUCTIVE logic and thinking and that by nature is “critical” of DEDUCTIVE or self-reinforcing thinking.
A big part of the issue is the desire that all humans have to be accepted—by someone. We live “outside-in” conforming to rules and regulations because of the fear of rejection. Rejection by whom? God? Parents? Clergy? Elders? Bosses? Nameless faceless people on the streets? Neighbors? Police? SELF??? It’s a constant effort to decide where, when, and how far to push those “accepted” boundaries of our local culture and society. 23 countries, 23!, still tolerate female circumcision for example—a horribly destructive and utterly un-scientific practice. (see for example, Infidel by Hirsi)
Living totally “inside-out,” doing only what we want is not a viable option. That’s a formula for chaos, anarchy, and now, rapidly increasing destruction of the Commons (air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and the underprivileged). Think landfills. Oceans as landfills. Declining fish populations. etc.
So the challenge is for inductive thinkers worldwide to become more persuasive and powerful. The challenge is HUGE, again, because most people protect their VABEs with deep-seated vigor. Data to most people simply is not convincing. Even repeatedly corroborated data is simply not convincing.
VABEs trump data for the vast majority of people. Critical thinking challenges VABEs.
Think of human behavior as having three levels:
1. Visible Behavior that you can capture on film.
2. Conscious Thought which we may or may not reveal at Level One.
3. Semi-conscious VABEs.
Then, what percentage of each of these, in your experience, are habitual, that is, mindlessly repetitive? Having asked people all over the world, the rough result is 75%, 85% and 95%+ respectively. How does one think about changing the way people behave, think and believe?
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