Summary
Speed Bumps Interfering with Your Critical Thinking
The author list and illustrate a series of barriers to critical thinking as follows:
The Discomfort of Asking the Right Questions
Some people may feel uncomfortable being critical or questioned about their beliefs. However, it is necessary for them to explain their reasons that support their arguments or why they supports those reasons.
Thinking Too Quickly
The principle is simple. We need to spare some time for our brain processing the content. Try to slow down and digest the information more than once.
Stereotypes
Sometimes stereotypes are commonly used because they save time. But stereotypes are rarely safe. They get in the way of critical thinking by attempting to short circuit the difficult process of evaluation, which may cause us to ignore valuable information by closing our minds prematurely.
Mental Habits That Betray Us
Mental habits may limit or betray our cognitive capabilities unless we rope and tie them to let them behave.?
Halo Effect
The halo effect refers to our tendency to recognize one positive or negative?quality or trait of a person, and then associate that quality or trait with everything about that person. Our perceptions towards people influence our evaluation about their argument, which may lead to biases.
Belief Perseverance
This tendency for personal beliefs to stick or persevere is a major obstacle to critical thinking. We are biased from the start of an exchange in favor of our current opinions and conclusions. To counter belief perseverance, we should remember that strong?sense critical thinking requires the recognition that judgments are tentative or?contextual.
Availability Heuristic
The availability heuristic refers to the mental shortcut we use again and again of forming conclusions based on whatever information is immediately available to us. It is dangerous when we intentionally stay away from obtaining and processing additional information that requires time and energy, and rely on the information we possess to make a decision.
Answering the Wrong Question
The point for a critical thinker is that whenever anyone provides an?answer to a question that was not asked, that behavior diverts attention away?from where the discussion began. Instead, it starts an altogether different discussion.
Egocentrism
Egocentrism refers to the central role we assign to our world, as opposed to the experiences and opinions of others. But it is sometimes more important to be aware of our audience when we make arguments or when we evaluate arguments. It?is especially important when we interacting?with those who have not learned the skills and importance of critical thinking.
Wishful Thinking
Wishful thinking, which is perhaps the biggest single speed bump on the road to critical thinking, has its power because we prefer facts conform to our beliefs rather than fitting our beliefs?to them. But the truth is, science can not always give explanations on people's imaginary world and wishful thinking can be very painful. ?
Thought
這一講講到了緩沖帶，提到了個(gè)人觀念的幾個(gè)誤區(qū)和常見(jiàn)的“想當(dāng)然“，我讀到的是反思和謙遜。人和世界相比太過(guò)渺小，和真理相比太過(guò)無(wú)知。不驕不躁地看待這個(gè)世界的一切、細(xì)致入微地探求真理是需要人類腳踏實(shí)地的修行。上善若水，虛懷若谷，永遠(yuǎn)好奇、永遠(yuǎn)無(wú)知、永遠(yuǎn)熱愛(ài)。
