how to improve your capacity for critical thinking
DESCRIPTION
Learn how to greatly expand your ability for critical thinking by following 6 simple but effective steps.TRANSCRIPT
How to Improve Your Capacity For Critical Thinking
General PrinciplesTips & Techniques
Loanstreet Monthly Level Up June 2014Speaker: Jared Lim
The General Principle
Tips & Techniques
1. Practice (Having informed opinions)
• Like a muscle
• OK to be easy-going / reserve opinion
• But not OK to be mentally lazy
No opinion? Just ask questions until you get there.
2. Don’t be so sure of your positions
• Unless already been examined for basis
• Examine all reasons for taking a position
• Resist indoctrination
3. Consider all angles
• Include ideas / opinions / facts / beliefs contrary to your own
• Avoid personal biases if possible
4. Know the Knowns, Unknowns and Unknowables
• In examining basis, classify them:
• On belief / instinct / unknowable:– Plausible vs Implausible– Apply Occam’s Razor
KnownFact. Irrefutable
UnknownYet to be known, but can find out
UnknowableBelief, instinct or matter of opinion
Among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected.
Other, more complicated solutions may ultimately prove correct, but—in the absence of certainty—the fewer assumptions that are made, the better.
5. Test those positions for consistency
• Correspondence AND Coherence
• Only true logical test of the Unknowable
CorrespondenceHow consistent is it with
your observations of how it relates to the world?
CoherenceHow consistent is it in how it
relates with other claims / beliefs / statements?
All positions / claims should harmonize with each other
6. Take those positions to its logical extreme & consequences arising
• Helps moderate your positions
• Or choose to bite the bullet
Likely Result
Changed Position
Better Formed
Opinions
Smarter Better You
More Complete Thinking
Example Application Scenarios
1. Hot stock tips2. MLM / Pyramid schemes3. Fanboy syndrome4. Beliefs / culture / tradition / superstitions5. Anyone’s opinion / belief
Thought Exercise
• What are some positions you hold? Are they well-informed? Or is it from indoctrination?
• Have you challenged yourself on those positions?
Thank You
Loanstreet Monthly Level Up June 2014