Critical Thinking

I found the talk on critical thinking to be very encouraging because it encompassed many attributes that I value highly. Though much of the talk consisted of common sense there were a few noteworthy arguments that I hadn’t considered before. For example, I have always considered memorization to be useless because of the ease with which information can be accessed on the internet, but I’ve learned how memorization can serve as the foundation and a catalyst for comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in that order. Even though technology can replace the need for memorization for tasks like taking a test, it is best utilized when integrated into everyday function so that the formation of new information/connections can be spontaneous. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the relationship between paradox and intelligence. Often times I feel like I’m going insane because I see everything and nothing as being true at the same time, and now I have hope that this is just normal mental activity. Additionally, I was motivated by the presentation to do what I believe in because the story about the bees locating flowers by scent (not complex dances) directly relates to how I feel about the dominant social paradigm. From my point of view the world is dominated by either ignorant people or evil people, and now I can be reassured that people are just naturally resistant to change, which is fixable. In conclusion, the presentation on critical thinking was probably my favorite presentation.