- Breaking Free -
- Thinking Critically -
Learn how to be a keen thinker, a detailed observer and a critical thinker.
I have selected Kevin deLaplante to lead this educational experience for the Reluctant Activist website. He is eminently qualified and leans towards spirit, philosophy and the practical application of critical thinking skills. He does excellent work and his work is virtually free.
The Reluctant Activist supports Kevin's approach to sharing his knowledge and we hope you will too. The world would be a far better place if leaders and the public knew how to think at all -- let alone critically.
The Reluctant Activist supports Kevin's approach to sharing his knowledge and we hope you will too. The world would be a far better place if leaders and the public knew how to think at all -- let alone critically.
What is Critical Thinking?
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Learn How to Think not What To Think
Kevin deLaplante is the lead instructor at the Critical Thinker Academy. He earned an undergraduate degree in physics from Carleton University and a PhD in philosophy from the University of Western Ontario.
Kevin spent most of his academic career as an Associate Professor of Philosophy in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Iowa State University. From 2008-2013 he served as Chair of that department. In 2015, Kevin left his academic job to work full time as an independent educator, creating video courses and other educational content for the Critical Thinker Academy. He currently lives with his family in his hometown of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Thank you Kevin
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What follows is an excerpt from Kevin's first course: Why Critical Thinking is Important
Lesson I: Logical Self Defense
To begin, I think a martial arts analogy is useful here. Why do people sign up for martial arts classes? Well, some do it just for the exercise, some enjoy the sporty aspects, but obviously a lot of people take martial arts because they want to be able to defend themselves against physical attacks...they do it to learn "self-defense".
Why do we feel the need to learn self-defense? Because we know that, no matter how kind-hearted or cautious we are, the world is a big place with lots of different kinds of people in it, and we might find ourselves in situations where we're confronted by people who aren't as kind-hearted or as cautious as we are, and where violence is a real possibility. And in those situations we want to able to protect ourselves and avoid getting hurt.
The situation is exactly the same when it comes to critical thinking, but people don't often think of it in this way. In this case we're not talking about people wanting to do us physical harm. We're talking about people wanting to influence our beliefs, and our values, and our actions. We're talking about people with a vested interest in getting us to believe what they want us to believe, to value what they want us to value, and to do what they want us to do.
Who are we talking about? We all have an interest in exerting our influence on the world. Parents have a special interest in exerting influence on their children, peers have influence over peers…there's no escaping it, it's part of being human.
But in thinking about the self-defense analogy, I'm thinking more about powerful social institutions, like political parties and advertising companies, who you can think of as being in the "influence business", whose job it is to get you to think and do what another person or group or institution wants you to think and do, and who have enormous resources and expertise at their disposal to be effective at their job.
Why do we feel the need to learn self-defense? Because we know that, no matter how kind-hearted or cautious we are, the world is a big place with lots of different kinds of people in it, and we might find ourselves in situations where we're confronted by people who aren't as kind-hearted or as cautious as we are, and where violence is a real possibility. And in those situations we want to able to protect ourselves and avoid getting hurt.
The situation is exactly the same when it comes to critical thinking, but people don't often think of it in this way. In this case we're not talking about people wanting to do us physical harm. We're talking about people wanting to influence our beliefs, and our values, and our actions. We're talking about people with a vested interest in getting us to believe what they want us to believe, to value what they want us to value, and to do what they want us to do.
Who are we talking about? We all have an interest in exerting our influence on the world. Parents have a special interest in exerting influence on their children, peers have influence over peers…there's no escaping it, it's part of being human.
But in thinking about the self-defense analogy, I'm thinking more about powerful social institutions, like political parties and advertising companies, who you can think of as being in the "influence business", whose job it is to get you to think and do what another person or group or institution wants you to think and do, and who have enormous resources and expertise at their disposal to be effective at their job.
Now more than any time in our history
we need to be aware, pay attention and think critically.
Club Elite is in the end game and they will do anything to maintain this deception.
Be vigilant -- stay awake -- you are in the crosshairs.
we need to be aware, pay attention and think critically.
Club Elite is in the end game and they will do anything to maintain this deception.
Be vigilant -- stay awake -- you are in the crosshairs.
The music for this video was writtern by Jackson Browne.
It was the title track of an album he release in 1986 called "Lives In the Balance."
If we keep thinking that things are happening despite the good intention of our leaders ...
we will die.
The people in charge are psychopaths and the things that are happening are by design.
The revolution that is so desperately needed is between your ears and in your hearts.
~~ Join the Revolution ~~
think critically and embrace life.
It was the title track of an album he release in 1986 called "Lives In the Balance."
If we keep thinking that things are happening despite the good intention of our leaders ...
we will die.
The people in charge are psychopaths and the things that are happening are by design.
The revolution that is so desperately needed is between your ears and in your hearts.
~~ Join the Revolution ~~
think critically and embrace life.