Making Your Mind Matter: Strategies for Increasing Practical Intelligence

Table of Contents......Page 8
Introduction: The Neglect of the Mind......Page 14
The Influence of Positivism......Page 16
The Influence of Romanticism......Page 18
The Challenge to You......Page 22
1 Understanding Thinking......Page 24
Basic Axioms of Thinking......Page 26
Axiom 1: Truth Is Objective rather than Subjective, and Discovered rather than Created......Page 27
Axiom 2: If Two Statements Are Mutually Contradictory, One Must Be False......Page 28
Axiom 3: The Human Mind Is Fallible......Page 29
Axiom 4: Ideas Have Consequences......Page 31
The Reflective Dimension......Page 32
The Creative Dimension......Page 34
The Critical Dimension......Page 37
The WISE Approach to Thinking......Page 38
The Basic Problem: Egocentrism......Page 40
Mine-Is-Better Perspective......Page 41
inflated Self-Esteem......Page 42
Face Saving......Page 43
Mental Sloth......Page 44
Gullibility/Conformity......Page 45
Bias for or against Change......Page 46
Reliance on Feelings and First Impressions......Page 47
“I Already Know Everything Worth Knowing”......Page 49
“To Challenge My Ideas Is to Disrespect Me”......Page 50
“Rules and Procedures Don’t Apply to Me”......Page 51
Becoming Your Own Critic......Page 52
3 Resisting Manipulation......Page 54
Advertising......Page 55
Television and Movies......Page 56
Journalism......Page 58
Notable Devices of Manipulation......Page 60
Glittering Generality......Page 61
Slogans......Page 62
Stacking the Deck......Page 63
Selective Reporting of Facts......Page 64
Demonizing People......Page 65
Resisting Manipulation......Page 66
Get Both Sides of the Story......Page 67
Talk Back to the TV......Page 68
Read the Fine Print in Advertisements......Page 69
Continue Using the WISE Approach......Page 70
Facts versus Statements of Fact......Page 72
Two Kinds of Opinion......Page 73
The Value of Expert Opinion......Page 74
Testing Statements of Fact......Page 75
Assess the Author’s Evidence......Page 76
Consider Relevant Situations......Page 77
Consider Alternative Opinions......Page 78
Play “Devil’s Advocate”......Page 79
Be Prepared for Complexity......Page 80
5 Recognizing Errors in Reasoning......Page 82
Unwarranted Assumption......Page 83
Hasty Conclusion......Page 84
Overgeneralization......Page 85
Oversimplification......Page 86
False Analogy......Page 87
Double Standard......Page 88
Failure to Make Distinctions......Page 89
Either/Or Thinking......Page 90
Contradiction......Page 91
Errors Can Multiply......Page 93
6 Analyzing Arguments......Page 94
Hidden Premises......Page 96
Complex Arguments......Page 97
Types of Evidence......Page 98
How Much Evidence Is Enough?......Page 102
Summarize the Argument......Page 104
Ask Appropriate Questions......Page 105
Evaluate the Argument......Page 106
7 Making Ethical Judgments......Page 108
The “Ought” Controversy......Page 109
Objection #I......Page 110
Objection #2......Page 111
Objection #3......Page 112
Objection #5......Page 113
Objective Morality......Page 114
Respect for Persons......Page 115
Obligations......Page 116
Ethical Ideals......Page 117
Decide What Moral Ideals Are Relevant......Page 118
Decide Which Action Is Most Moral......Page 119
Applying the Strategy......Page 120
Appendix: Making Discussion Meaningful......Page 122
Leave Egotism and Personal Agendas at the Door......Page 123
Listen Actively......Page 124
Resist the Urge to Shout or Interrupt......Page 125
Notes......Page 126
Bibliography......Page 132
Index......Page 136
About the author......Page 142