BROAD QUESTIONS FOR CRITICAL THOUGHT
Thinking Critically About Critical Thinking
Why do people of apparent good will come to very different
conclusions about reality? Wouldn’t it be a amazing coincidence if
all of my beliefs were true and beliefs were false inasmuch as they
differed from my own? How might confirmation bias operate in my
belief system?
Why do people become angry when their beliefs are challenged? When I
become angry at someone with an opposing view and hate or demonize
them, what’s going on with me? Are those attitudes helpful or
harmful to me? To others? How can I be more tolerant, empathetic and
open to other beliefs and thereby improve my map of reality?
Thinking Critically About Religion
Are ancient texts compatible with modern life?
Are some religions more compatible than others?
Why do some people stick to the letter of their religions while
others play fast and loose with the text and teachings?
Is a religious text like Rorschach ink blot that means whatever I
want it to mean? Or should I try to understand the intent of the
author in cultural and historical context?
Is it appropriate to turn a text that seems literally false into a
metaphor I can accept or to pick and choose which teachings to
follow?
Is religion just a primitive attempt to understand the world which
is being replaced by science or is it doing something fundamentally
different from science?
Are there deep insights in religion worth embracing and elevating
above other literature and traditions (Peterson), or are they too
contaminated with ancient superstition and primitive social beliefs
to enjoy any special status (de Sousa)?
Why are there so many religions, and how do I know which one is
right?
Why do religions cluster in geographic regions? Is it just a
coincidence that my religion is one that predominates in my area?
For example, in the U.S., if I have a religion, I'm most likely to
be some variety of Christian, but if were living in India, I'd
probably be a Hindu, in the Middle East, a Muslim. Why is that?
Even if there’s no sufficient evidence to believe in God, should I
do it anyway, “just in case?” (Pascal's Wager)
Thinking Critically About Academia
Why are college professors as a group so left-wing? Is it simply
because they’re more intelligent, enlightened and educated?
What affect does this have on social attitudes and institutions,
including government, over time?
What particular beliefs are emphasized and why?
How should information about bias affect the way I evaluate
information I receive in my classes, including this one?
Thinking Critically About Government
What is government? Why does it exist? (Predatory vs. Social
Contract view)
What purpose does it serve?
From what does it derive its moral legitimacy?
Is it morally legitimate?
What is the proper size and scope of government?
Should we think of government as a "super-parent?"
In what areas of human life is it appropriate to use coercive force
to elicit compliance to a set of rules?
What things ought to be left to individuals or voluntary
organizations and which ought to be mandated by the government or up
for majority vote?
What form of government is best?
Thinking Critically About the News Media
Why is the media so left-wing? Why are journalists, like college
professors, almost all Democrats or left leaning independents? Is it
simply because they’re more intelligent, enlightened and educated
than the general population?
What influence might journalism schools have on he political
ideology of people who report the news?
Why is news coverage of President Trump 90% negative? Is he just a
bad president? How did he manage to get almost 63 million votes?
What affect does this have on social attitudes and institutions,
including government, over time?
What particular beliefs are emphasized by the news media and why?
What non-ideological form of biases come from the commercial and
corporate nature of the news and commentary business? How have the
democratization of media through citizen journalism and social media
changed the news?
How should information about media bias affect the way I evaluate
information I receive from the media?
How can I avoid being a victim of media bias?