Posted by: William J Dowling Jr

{"ops":[{"insert":"Regarding the youtube video I posted above: The old TV show \"Star Trek\" sometimes referred to a concept called a \"Reality Distortion Field.\" A RDF was used by \"Aliens\" to conquer other civilizations. Wikipedia used to have a definition of a RDF. However, it's kind of self explanatory.\n\nAs I have been learning how to think about my thinking while I'm thinking, I recently came to the sobering insight (clarity) that my own distorted and confused thinking has created my own personal RDF in my own mind. \"But wait! There's more.\"\n\nI also clearly see that there are, have been, and always will be, cleverly disguised \"Aliens\" in my external world, who have or may, knowingly or inadvertently, in bad faith or good, expose me to or try to impose their RDF on me. It has been said on Wikipedia that Steve Jobs created a RDF to get his employees to be more productive. \n\nMy distorted, reactionary, and confused thinking and other people's thinking have \"cast a spell\" on me. In a recent video interview with Dr. Elder and Alison Morrow, Dr. Elder stressed the importance of \"Focusing on Yourself.\" How I think and behave toward myself has an effect on me. How others think and behave towards me, effects me. My thinking and behavior toward others has an effect on them.\n\nMoral of this story: Use Paulian Critical Thinking at least twice before you act and at least twice before you speak or write. Also, remember that in the FCT literature the authors clearly state that learning how to think critically is \"daunting,\" \"challenging,\" and a \"tall order.\n\n \n"}]}

Posted by: Joseph Halter

{"ops":[{"insert":"William: watching the first part of the Don't Believe Everything You Think video, I found myself thinking about the trait Intellectual Curiosity and how this was diminished over time by egocentric and social centric thinking. Our environment has much influence on our responses or reactions to the stimulus that are given to us and our Intellectual Curiosity will be altered if we let it. Critical thinking is a strong defense to not let it happen. \n"}]}

Posted by: William J Dowling Jr

{"ops":[{"insert":"Hello Joe,\nThank you for your thoughts. Yes, CT is a defense against Ego and Socio, my own and other peoples.\nI'm going to post a video about \"Neuroplasticity.\" What we think and do alters our brains chemically, structurally, and functionally, for good or bad, positively or negatively. All the more reason to teach CT K-12, college level and adult education.\n\nI might be able to post an article about how education has an effect on our longevity. \n"}]}

Posted by: Joseph Halter

{"ops":[{"insert":"Hello William, appreciate your response. Good to see active participation on these pages.\n\nResearch is needed in many facets of critical thinking and it’s good to share what the latest scientific valid information is available. I feel sometimes we live in a medieval period of ignorance on this subject and the more we bring to knowledge the better in understanding the critical thinking person.\n\nOne of the best books I read on conditioning of thinking is the one written by Dr Spencer Johnson, “Who Moved My Cheese”. It is a great self analysis of the stages of changes we face and our reactions/responses to them. Sniff, Scurry, Haw and Hem are the characters created to identify who we are. I presented this materials to my children’s classes in second grade and 12 grade and found a significant differences in the identification of characters with that time span. It was only one demonstration but an eye opener on what conditioning does to our thinking over a formative period of time. \n"}]}