Critical Thinking
Don't just believe, think!
TST Framework * OVM *
Material-Spiritual Framework
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Critical Thinking Articles and Hot Topics!
By Mike Prestwood
Critical Thinking
How to think straight in a chaotic world.
Take the deep dive series.
Critical thinking is the philosophy of how to think. It is, hands down, the most important field in both philosophy and life. One of the few things you actually have control over in life is the process of allowing information into your mind. Whether you realize it or not, you already have a process in place. You routinely accept some things as true and reject others. The lens of critical thinking allows you to view evidence with clarity, question assumptions with authority, and ultimately shape your own robust, insightful, and wise worldview.
Was Einstein’s Theory of Relativity ever irrational?
Even Einstein’s theory of relativity began as an irrational idea: untested, uncertain, and waiting for reality to answer back.
Is “the speed of light” really the best name for the universe’s maximum speed?
The “universal speed limit” isn’t about light: it’s the limit for causation within our universe, even as space itself expands faster.
Why we only remember the good parts of vacations and forget the bad?
Rosy Retrospection, a cognitive bias that filters memory through emotion, preserving highlights. Minds quietly edit experience, shaping memory.
Is Occam’s Razor always right?
In the realm of idea evaluation, Occam’s Razor is a tool that stands out, but it was never meant as a law of truth. It's ...
Read the deep dive series.
By Mike Prestwood
Critical Thinking Framework Overview
Overview and misc. material.
The philosophy of how to think is about the process of letting new information into your mind, and is one of the few things you actually have control over.
The Five Thought Tools: Viewpoint, Ideas, Reasoning, Social Constructs, and Reflection
Five Thought Tools < TST Framework < Critical Thinking
TST Framework
A critical thinking toolkit.
The Four Mind Traps: Logical Fallacies, Cognitive Biases, Heuristics, and Stereotypes
The Four Mind Traps < TST Framework
Read the deep dive series.
Self Examination = Clear Thinking
Five Thought Tools
Gather, frame, and communicate accurate information.
OVM * Idea of Ideas * Reasoning * Social Constructs * Idea Evaluation
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Read the deep dive series.
Avoid bad thinking!
Four Mind Traps
Mental pitfalls that impede your thinking.
Fallacies, Biases, Heuristics, and Stereotypes
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Read the deep dive series.
About Science * Law * Journalism
Three Truth Hammers
How to use societal good authorities to save time and energy.
While not perfect, they are exceptionally helpful when used well.
Exploring Empirical Belief
Philosophy of Science
Uncovering how we shape our understanding of the world.
In the evolution of the scientific method, Thales was scientific, Aristotle added intense observation, and Alhazen added rigor to the observations and experiments. Later, specific tools like deduction, induction, and falsifiability crafted the modern scientific method.
Note: Visit the Science topic to explore scientific results and their philosophical implications.
How to act in a group.
Philosophy of Law
Law * Government * Politics * Roles
In philosophy, justice delves into personal morality, group ethics, and social order. The scales of justice, symbolizing the age-old dance between personal morality, group ethics, and equity, ensuring that everyone gets their due.
Roger Williams was a 17th Century Separatist
Explore the use of this term over the centuries.
The Law & Liberty Timeline
From 1755 BCE to 1964 CE.
Download or read PDF The Bloody Tenant of Persecution by Roger Williams
Roger Williams was an English Puritan who migrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1631. He soon became a dissident within the Puritan church, criticizing ...
Essential Facts of Presidential Pardons
Article 2 gives the President the authority to pardon people for specific federal crimes they have committed, but the power is not absolute as so ...
Collective Dialogue
Philosophy of Journalism
Journalism, the third truth hammer to living a modern enlightened life.
Through science, humanity uncovers the natural world. The law establishes rules and enforces fairness using things like criminal and civil trials, arbitration, and mediation. Journalism, the Fourth Estate, informs the public through reporting, journalism, and opinion articles.
Did Pythagoras coin the word philosophy?
No, Pythagoras was a sophist. He did not know the word philosophy. The word philosophy was coined later by Plato, Aristotle, and others.
What is the origin story of Voltaire?
Medieval / Post Medieval < History
Are Buddhist or Confucian teachings closer to their original meaning?
Ancient Eastern Philosophies
How important was the printing press to cultural transmission?
Writing < Medieval < History
Mike’s Must-Reads
Pragmatism and Pythagoras
Pythagoras exemplifies rational pragmatism, balancing empirical insights with mystical beliefs. He reminds us that even flawed ideas can spark progress.
An Overview of Reason and Logic
Understand the interplay between reason and logic.
Mike’s New Ideas
The Material World Split
Five Thought Tools < TST Framework < Critical Thinking
Holistic Paleolithic Framework: A New Look at Prehistory
A new look at dividing up the paleolithic era.
The Idea of Ideas
A new look at epistemology. First published in "30 Philosophers."
Updated
Is cause and effect certain?
With the motion of life, cause and effect feel certain. We see stable patterns. But Hume challenged this confidence, reminding us that correlation does not guarantee causation.
Was Einstein’s Theory of Relativity ever irrational?
Even Einstein’s theory of relativity began as an irrational idea: untested, uncertain, and waiting for reality to answer back.