Critical Thinking.
Quick Hits
10 random key ideas.
1.
Slippery slope arguments manipulate by replacing evidence with fear, implying inevitability without proving the steps in between.
2.
Quote:
- Bernard of Chartres.
- circa 1130 CE.
Meaning:
Transcendental intelligence is the capacity to transmit ideas beyond individual minds and lifespans, allowing knowledge itself to accumulate across generations.
3.
From History: 1440
Publishing, whether the printing press or digital, transforms your ideas from private claims into public debate.
5.
Quote:
- William Kingdon Clifford.
- 1877.
Meaning:
Clifford argued that personal belief is a moral responsibility to humanity, not just a private habit. You have a moral obligation to be careful what you believe.
6.
From History: Protection against authority.
Due process is the boundary that separates lawful authority from arbitrary power.
7.
The first rule of thinking well is remembering that reality is shared. Our worldviews differ, but physics does not.
8.
Quote:
- Philo of Alexandria.
- circa 20 CE.
Meaning:
With your entertainment, with literature, art, and movies, allegories allow for deeper understanding. Enrich your life by looking for the wisdom embedded within the stories you consume.
9.
From History: 1300 CE
Before punctuation and spacing, reading was much harder. But don’t let modern grammar rules freeze you. Writing well means more than being correct; it means being clear.
10.
Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire is widely regarded as the richest individual in history, illustrating Africa’s deep economic and political sophistication.
Done. Refresh for another set.