Quad4_72
17th September 2007, 02:02 PM
This is a question that I have been wondering for some time. Does the ability to utilize critical thinking a trait that is in your genes or is it something that is learned?
To use myself as an example, I always used critical thinking, even as a kid. Growing up I had a friend who liked to tell sensational stories and basically make things up. I called him out every time. Once he said that the Angel paintball gun could shoot 100 paintballs a second. Now I had no prior knowledge of paintball guns, but immediately my mind started analyzing his statement. I thought about what it would require to pass 100 paintballs through the barrel in a second and realized that it probably wasn't true. So I said "Hey man I think you might be mistaken. I highly doubt that it can do that." Of course his response was "Dude you don't even paintball so shut up man I know what I am talking about."
So of course I did my research and looked the gun up (Like he should have done). Sure enough, the gun only shot 13 paintballs a second. I printed the information off and presented it to him. Even in the face of overwhelming contradictory evidence he still insisted that the gun shot 100 paintballs a second. This was just one of numerous confrontations that I had with him growing up.
Sorry to bore you with that story, but i am trying to make a point here. See my brother was the exact same way as I was. We both would always call people out whenever they said something that sounded either made up or just plane wrong. My father (A nuclear engineer), is also the same way. So basically, is that a trait that we picked up through the gene pool or is it how we were raised? Honestly I don't remember any specific instances where I learned to use critical thinking. It just seems like a common sense thing to me so that is why I wonder why CFs cannot make use of this trait.
In the face of contradicting, scientific evidence, they STILL hold onto their fantasies. No matter how much evidence and logic you throw at them they continue to believe in fantasy. Does this have to do with how they were raised? Or is it in their gene pool for some reason to not use that part of the brain that processes logic. Does anyone have any insight on the matter?
To use myself as an example, I always used critical thinking, even as a kid. Growing up I had a friend who liked to tell sensational stories and basically make things up. I called him out every time. Once he said that the Angel paintball gun could shoot 100 paintballs a second. Now I had no prior knowledge of paintball guns, but immediately my mind started analyzing his statement. I thought about what it would require to pass 100 paintballs through the barrel in a second and realized that it probably wasn't true. So I said "Hey man I think you might be mistaken. I highly doubt that it can do that." Of course his response was "Dude you don't even paintball so shut up man I know what I am talking about."
So of course I did my research and looked the gun up (Like he should have done). Sure enough, the gun only shot 13 paintballs a second. I printed the information off and presented it to him. Even in the face of overwhelming contradictory evidence he still insisted that the gun shot 100 paintballs a second. This was just one of numerous confrontations that I had with him growing up.
Sorry to bore you with that story, but i am trying to make a point here. See my brother was the exact same way as I was. We both would always call people out whenever they said something that sounded either made up or just plane wrong. My father (A nuclear engineer), is also the same way. So basically, is that a trait that we picked up through the gene pool or is it how we were raised? Honestly I don't remember any specific instances where I learned to use critical thinking. It just seems like a common sense thing to me so that is why I wonder why CFs cannot make use of this trait.
In the face of contradicting, scientific evidence, they STILL hold onto their fantasies. No matter how much evidence and logic you throw at them they continue to believe in fantasy. Does this have to do with how they were raised? Or is it in their gene pool for some reason to not use that part of the brain that processes logic. Does anyone have any insight on the matter?