Saturday, May 13, 2017

Insulated from alternatives

Germany, Trekearth

PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.

In reality, in life, premises leading to conclusions, as in arguments, should face counter arguments. (132).

For the sake of truth, scientific, philosophical, theological, etcetera, one has to be open to countering premises. This based on comments from 132-133.

A problem with all kinds of fundamentalism, whether, religious, non-religious, academic, cultural, what have you, is that fundamentalism is often very closed-minded in regard to any intellectual alternative positions.

With my new Telus cable package, I have recently started viewing Fox News, besides CNN, which I have viewed for decades, and Tucker Carlson on Tucker Carlson Tonight, states that his show is opposed to 'group think'. I too am opposed to 'group think', as in 'group assume' without significant openness to alternative views.

Some only surround themselves with like-minded people. (133). Therefore using Pirie's title providing Insulation from alternatives.

I have an academic, researched, reasoned Reformed, Christian, worldview that is still developing by God's guidance with the use of scripture, theology, philosophy of religion, in particular. A positive about attending secular European, British, Universities for MPhil/PhD theses was being forced to consider premises and conclusions opposed to my own, and learning through evaluation.

Often premises/propositions that are not held universally will be quickly negated within society. (134). This is in my opinion a form of lazy, intellectual thinking.

Examine current partisan American politics with this fallacy in mind!