Friday, August 20, 2010

The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Part 1, Critical Thinking, A Broad Stroke

Contrary to popular application, the “critical” in critical thinking doesn’t mean categorizing political opponents as “idiots”! Far from it.

Thinking reasonably, reflectively, and deeply is an essential (that is, critical) skill. Its focus determines what one believes—and how he acts out those beliefs. For good reason, the God of the Old Testament implores His own to “come, let us reason together.” Note that He doesn’t compel them to rally for the purpose of contentious wrangling.

To qualify as a reasoned critical thinker, rather than a squabbler, one considers alternatives and their counterexamples; moreover, he explores consequences. That is to say, his posturing is proactive, not reactive.

Significantly, a critical thinker learns from history and from his own mistakes so as not to repeat missteps unnecessarily.

That said the art of critical thinking springs from basic knowledge. While remaining open to new information, a critical thinker evaluates his sources with due diligence, applied discernment, and careful circumspection. He is not a metaphorical lemming destined to suffer the fate of those who go along unquestioningly with fashionable partisanship, trendy enlightenment, or fantastical delusions.

Fallacies of Logic

Rightful reflection involves communion with one’s own heart, mind, and conscience. In the process of deliberation, one detects fallacies (meaning “deceit”). Examples include false analogies, presumptive generalizations, personal attacks, distractions, ambiguities, and the like—all used commonly and underhandedly to sway popular opinion. Whether distinguished as “formal” or “informal,” all fallacies are dangerous when used by, or in the presence of, those who do not fully understand them.

The wily opportunistically intimidate unwary counterparts with strategies of deceit; only clear thinkers avoid traps strategically designed to ensnare them. They do this by monitoring their own thought processes (called meta-cognition) while, at the same time, they exercise well-reasoned inductive and deductive thinking patterns.

The Thought Ladder²

Master educators understand that folks read and think at overlapping levels. The most basic level of thinking is literal. At this rung of the thought ladder, one applies concrete thinking skills that deal with facts. He acquires and maintains rudimentary knowledge accurately and fluently while, at the same time, answering basic what, where, when, and who questions.

Abstract thinking expands upon basic knowledge. It is both interpretive and critical in that it generalizes and transfers knowledge to new settings or responses. The abstract thinker answers questions like “What is meant by what was said?” or “How does this fit with what I already know?”

Creative thinking extends knowledge by elaborating, adapting, and capitalizing on it. Now, the question posed is “What can I do with this information?” As a result, the new concept (or complex of concepts) shapes one’s beliefs and inspires his actions.

Applying these three thinking levels—literal, abstract, creative—guides aright study within all fundamental fields—i.e., political, religious, educational, scientific, medical, military, technological, cultural, social, philosophical, and economic. Failing to do so misses the mark and invites grave consequences.³

Evading Critical Thinking

To disregard basic knowledge, its expansion and extension, is to float adrift in the sea of life and to suffer the penalties of cognitive instability. It behooves one, therefore, to engage critical thinking skills in voting, worshipping, relating, exploring a career path, investing, and the like. Otherwise, he subjects himself to the system of involuntary servitude called peonage, which in effect elevates the State as supreme and demotes citizens to mere pawns of “collective opinion.”

Make no mistake. Those bent upon transforming our entire culture do so more through the brain than in the battlefield. Their cry for “transformation” may resonate as a purr but can come with a snarl and a bite. Already UNESCO pushes the right kind of tolerance and lifelong education for global cosmic citizenship. Through one-stop social clinics, school-to-work, and cradle-to-grave learning programs, educrats mold “human resources” to their liking.

Concrete Thinking Skills

Today’s interdisciplinary approaches in education result in fewer courses presented under the guise of “thematic teaching.” In short, facts and knowledge—namely content—are deemphasized. More often than not, “process” trumps “product.” By eliminating standardized tests and traditional, subject-based curriculum, educrats freely advance a social agenda that is both radical and indulgent.

Transformational learning incites “raising a ruckus” by “rethinking schools.” Forget the facts. Victimization theories hook our youth to hard-core action. Void of verifiable facts, revisionist history serves as its catalyst; and Marxism assumes center stage in directing the social revolution at hand.

In support of youth self-expression, organizations as the Daughters Sister Foundation (underwritten by the Pride Foundation) educate, inspire, and empower our young people toward realizing a new one-world order bereft of ostensibly obsolete sovereignty, traditionalism, and capitalism.

Abstract Thinking Skills

To promote campus-wide dialogue and “a shared intellectual experience,” seventy-nine out of one hundred of our top American universities ask their incoming freshmen to read one designated book over the summer. The exercise promises to stimulate abstract thinking by posing questions like “What is meant by what was read?” or “How does this fit with what I already know?”

Problem is participating students read no works of classical antiquity, no classical works of Christian or Jewish thought, science, or history. Instead, incoming freshmen typically read books that feature “quick impressions, snappy ideas, or empathetic evoking of misfortune.” Some even read comic books (called “graphic novels”) that tend to be “short, caffeinated, and emotional” in words of NAS President Peter Wood.

Speaking of which, the National Association of Scholars (NAS) examined some 180 books selected by 290 participating schools only to find that many choices relaxed into liberal biases and did little to stretch demands of college-level study.

Rather than foster mastery of fact acquisition, fluency, maintenance, expansion, and reasoned application, students instead read emotive books featuring the “politics of change” (psycho-politics) “with a distinctly disaffected view of American society and Western civilization.”5

Creative Thinking Skills

In review, the creative thinker asks, “What can I do with this information?” Then, he generates a new concept (or complex of concepts) serving to shape his beliefs for success. If you think about it, the American Dream demands elaborating, adapting, and capitalizing on knowledge while moving forward entrepreneurially. Clearly, creative thinking is at the heart of America’s triumph as a nation.

This is especially true when rule of law, individual effort, and fair dealing lead the way. History reveals that America’s founding fathers embraced and implemented tried-and-true, transcendent ideals of law and liberty. These they drew from the ancient history of Israel, as a people, coupled with experiences of the New Testament church. In short, they gave heed to and then learned from the past—morally, ethically, and religiously.

By way of example, our founders understood that the “rule of the laity” wars against rule of law. When citizens (the “laity”) overlook the latter to do what is right in their own eyes, they fall prey to idolatry, chaos, violence, collectivism, and/or complacency.

In God’s economy, a measured scale of divine equity ensures corporate well-being, but partiality nurtures oppression. Consider the ant and its ways. Governed by personal integrity and responsibility, not force, the proverbial ant provides amply for itself. In contrast, the root word for sluggard means “to lean.” So-called “leaners” look to Big Brother for life’s provisions.6 Their lot in life is perpetual servitude and want.

Birth of a Blessed People

Bombarded with intimidation, oppression, and deceit, our founders rose to the challenge, thought critically, and gave themselves wholly to belief and actions to which they pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. For this, they paid dearly. As a result, we are a blessed people. To restore America and secure like blessings for our progeny, we can do no less than they.

1. Isaiah 1:18.
2. Curriculum Letter No. 58, Department of School Services and Publications, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut.
3. Debra Rae. “The Sin Factor.” ABCs of Cultural-Isms: Bible Truth or Grave Consequences (2003): 9-17.
4. Huffington Post (June 2010).
5. Beach Books: What Do Colleges Want Students to Read Outside of Class? (Thorne and Wood Report, 2010).
6. Proverbs 6:6.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Apocalyptic Angst

Who’s Right?
Part 2

Apocalyptic angst drives many religionists to speculate about earth’s perilous last days and her inhabitants’ final judgment. Monotheistic faiths temper news of pending calamity with promise of paradise (janah for Muslims), a heavenly abode (gan’eden for Jews), or a new heaven and new earth (the New Jerusalem for Christians).

In assessing the worth of any belief, especially “happily ever after” scenarios as these, one principle prevails: Let God be true and every opposing man (or spirit) a liar.1 Of course, this begs the questions: Just what is truth, and who’s to say something is (or isn’t) true? Aren’t all religions and end-time beliefs equally valid? All’s well that ends well, right?

No, not necessarily. Were it not for the gravity of very real consequences it might be okay to “live and let live.” However, if last days are marked by economic and political upheavals, a series of armed conflicts, breakdown of the earth’s ecosystem, unprecedented corruption, deception, persecution, and divine judgment, then to alert and rightly instruct the unwary is more than appropriate; it’s a moral mandate.

Clearly, the God of the Bible invites us to come that we might reason together with Him.2 In doing so, an honest person examines reality, employs logic, draws from the knowledge base he’s acquired, judges the fruit of his life, and attends to the all-important test of time.

For their willing, diligent Bible study to verify truth, Bereans were dubbed nobler than counterparts who apparently failed to do likewise.3 Anointed revelation and Berean due diligence guide the faithful to knowledge of truth. Certainly not everyone will be convinced; but an honest, levelheaded discussion is warranted.

Reality
Reality is not a matter of personal opinion, nor does it adjust to accommodate falsity. Insist that “thumbs down” points south and “thumbs up” points north, but this can’t alter the fact that, when freely suspended, a magnet always points toward the north- and south- poles. Faith governed by superstition, feelings, mindless traditions, fear, force, will power, or blind commitment is fundamentally irrational and destined to succumb to reality.4

Certainly, New Age guru Eckhart Tolle may insist that knowledge is illusory, but then the science of gravity is no figment of the imagination. Try leaping out of a plane without a parachute. Sooner, if not later, reality wins out; that’s knowledge you can count on.5 In contrast, believe as you may, crossing your fingers or rubbing a rabbit foot will not guarantee winning a jackpot lottery.

If knowledge were illusion, as Tolle contends, then why distinguish between being “conscious” and “unconscious”? Doing so presupposes discernment based on knowledge. Even more, Tolle believes that the “we-they” construct—i.e., saved, unsaved—blemishes Christianity, but evades New-Earth consciousness. In nurturing what he calls the “I’m right; you’re wrong fallacy,” Christians allegedly exercise an “illusory sense of superiority.” Never mind that, by declaring himself “awakened,” Tolle distinguishes his own enlightened knowledge from the “unconscious collective human ego.” Sounds to me like “I’m right; you’re wrong.”

When open to a-biblical points of view, the double-minded person alleging Christ-consciousness may indeed “win friends and influence people,” but he has a reality problem nonetheless.6 (Can you say narcissistic personality disorder?)

After all, cosmic humanists who awaken to their own Christhood are self-proclaimed gods; but then erroneous knowledge at the worldview level is, at best, destabilizing.7 Demi-gods don’t always see eye-to-eye. Remember Greek mythology: Cronus overthrew his father and, in turn, was overthrown by his own sons, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. And so it goes.

Logic
Plainly, it’s irrational to presume that all religious traditions are one-and-the-same when, in fact, they teach and practice radically different things. An apt, logic-defying analogy is taking the freeway exit to the north in search of a southbound destiny. It’s not a good idea.

By way of further example, Bible principles guided by simple logic preclude a would-be martyr’s strapping on a bomb to ensure sensual pleasures in the afterlife. Once again, it’s not a good idea.

Knowledge
Consider this: There is no reason in the nature of things why the God of the Bible could not or should not exist. Why? Because there is nothing about the realm of nature that renders this God improbable or implausible.8 On the other hand, Eastern mysticism thrives on implausibility.

Eckhart Tolle may well believe that sin, evil, and the devil are illusory. But, then, a proclaimed truism isn’t necessarily so simply because someone wants it to be true—or because its acceptance is somehow fashionable or profitable.

That said, good and evil can be known.9 However, such knowledge increases sorrow.10 Case in point: Although many exploit human vulnerability for self-gain, all people of honor recognize the evil of human trafficking. Today, an estimated 158 million children are forced into slave labor. For good reason, the Bible instructs us to add knowledge to virtue.11 Rightly so, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice characterizes defeat of human trafficking as “a great moral calling of our time.”

By His very nature, the God of the Bible is a God of knowledge, which He imparts freely.12 Not just “cunningly devised fables,” but experiential knowledge testifies to this truth.13 Remarkably, there are 800 Old Testament and 4,800 New Testament manuscripts indisputably substantiating the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Though faith transcends the here-and-now, it’s well supported by knowledge. Rightly viewed, faith is “substance” and “evidence.”14

Unfortunately, worldly knowledge breeds arrogance;15 nevertheless, knowing truth not only is attainable, but also it’s liberating.16 Just what constitutes Christian knowledge? A Christian knows that his Redeemer lives.17 He’s assured that Christ is his Savior always working for good.18 Even beyond this life, a Christian remains God’s enduring workmanship.19 The LORD will safeguard His own until united “face to face.”20 Because of the measurable God-given love a Christian has for his fellows, he has evidence for having passed from death to life.21

Fruit
One’s worldview determines the orientation of everything else he thinks and does. When lived out, a worldview bears fruit that is bitter or sweet, abundant or scarce. Even Eastern mystics revere Jesus and acknowledge the enduring fruit of His life and ministry. In contrast, when examined in the light of world history and contemporary geo-politics, roots of ancient wisdom, as expounded by Eckhart Tolle, yield something altogether different. Visit India or Tibet to see for yourself.

Test of Time
No faith can be a man’s real religion if he knows that it is true only for certain places and certain people. Moreover, belief as mere personal opinion is unstable.22 Whimsy will not stand the test of time, nor will man-fashioned, albeit longstanding world religions stand the test of eternity.

For example, having originated with man, Buddha’s religion was encased in legend and devoid of the supernatural. In contrast, the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus to heal, deliver, and restore.23 Unlike arcane claims of mystics, His miracles, as substantiated by ancient records, were observable, measurable, and repeatable.

Some honor Buddha as one of the greatest rationalists of all time, but arguably no man spoke as Jesus did. His Word was with power, as evidenced in contemplations of “One Solitary Life”: 24

Jesus was born in an obscure village, the son of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter's shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he became a wandering preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of those things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but Himself.

He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through a mockery of a trial. He was executed by the state. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that One Solitary Life.

So Then … Who’s Right?
Though crisis looms, the Gospel shouts “good news.” For Christian believers, “the more sure word of prophecy” nullifies apocalyptic angst.25 Gloom and doom may well distinguish other faiths, but the Bible’s signature message is hope. So, then, which rings true—the theistic story, or the nirvana story? You decide.

1. Romans 3:4.
2. Isaiah 1:18
3. Acts 17:11.
4. Dallas Willard, Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge (New York, New York: Harper-Collins Publishers, 2009), 31.
5. Ibid., 41.
6. Ibid., 45.
7. James 1:8.
8. Willard, Knowing Christ Today, 62 and 98.
9. Genesis 3:5.
10. Ecclesiastes 1:18.
11. 2 Peter 1:5.
12. Daniel 2:22.
13. 2 Peter 1:16.
14. Hebrews 11:1.
15. 1 Corinthians 8:1.
16. John 8:32.
17. Job 19:25; Isaiah 50:7.
18. John 4:42; Romans 8:28.
19. 2 Corinthians 5:1.
20. 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 John 3:2.
21. 1 John 3:14.
22. Willard, Knowing Christ Today, 2.
23. Luke 4:18.
24. Luke 4:32 and http://www.john3-16.net/OneLife.htm.
25. 2 Peter 1:19.