• GreekSkeptic
    3
    I wonder... is there a way, a certain order of steps maybe, that leads the mind toward the best possible conclusion — even if only for now? How can I think through a thought without breaking my own structure of thinking or undoing my own reasoning? I hope you understand what I mean.
  • Philosophim
    3.2k
    Yes. https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/14044/knowledge-and-induction-within-your-self-context/p1

    Here is an example of how to understand knowledge, and a reasonable approach to inductive thinking. It is not only a theory, it is something I put into practice with great success in my life.
  • L'éléphant
    1.7k
    How can I think through a thought without breaking my own structure of thinking or undoing my own reasoning?GreekSkeptic
    You do not need to undermine your own reasoning if you follow Aristotle's method of deliberation. You do not even need to sacrifice your moral principles. Think of your goal first -- what is the end of your proposal? Then compare two or more alternatives or choices and weigh them against your moral principles or reasoning and against your goal. Third, think of the quality of your thinking -- is it good to you but offends others? Does it satisfy others but undermine your preferences?

    There are no steps in thoughts. Some ideas might come to you sooner than other ideas. You're not assembling a machine where there's a user's manual to follow step by step.
  • ssu
    9.6k
    I wonder... is there a way, a certain order of steps maybe, that leads the mind toward the best possible conclusion — even if only for now? How can I think through a thought without breaking my own structure of thinking or undoing my own reasoning? I hope you understand what I mean.GreekSkeptic

    There are no steps in thoughts. Some ideas might come to you sooner than other ideas. You're not assembling a machine where there's a user's manual to follow step by step. — @
    Thoughts and ideas come to mind in a myriad of ways. Perhaps the steps you are looking for would be the ways to check up if your conclusion is valid. I don't think there's one optimal way to do it (and likely not even theoretically). You are not a machine like @L'éléphant said, you are capable of understanding and changing your own "algorithms".

    There's just guidelines like if you think you have made a new conclusion finding, check if anybody has made the same conclusion or something similar to it. Any other person ever lived not to have thought about what you are thinking would be strange. Or tell the conclusion to people and if ALL disagree / don't understand / don't follow your reasoning and there really is nobody that agrees with you, perhaps the problem is in your conclusion.
  • ProtagoranSocratist
    205
    No, but the skill that will perhaps curry favor with others is emotional self-control.

    With thinking, I recommend familiarizing yourself with analysis and deduction to increase your bullshit detector powers. The more access to info you have, the more important this becomes...
  • I like sushi
    5.2k
    Question, doubt and speculate.

    Avoid conclusive answers outside of abstract structures.
  • Athena
    3.6k
    How can I think through a thought without breaking my own structure of thinking or undoing my own reasoning?GreekSkeptic

    I don't think I have structured thinking. It is normal for me to think of both sides of an argument, not because I want to, but it just happens. And there is information I just do not comprehend, such as advanced math and government forms. One of the most important things for us to know is how to build a sustainable economy in a world of finite resources. I don't see a lot of practical thinking. We had coins that had value because of the metals in them, and have shifted to valueless coins, and amazingly, no one seems aware of why that matters.

    I think for most people, emotions determine what they think, not logic based on accumulated information.
  • javra
    3.1k
    It is normal for me to think of both sides of an argument, not because I want to, but it just happens.Athena

    A very good way of judging the verity of ideas, etc., or so I find.
  • javra
    3.1k
    I wonder... is there a way [...] that leads the mind toward the best possible conclusion — even if only for now?GreekSkeptic

    Is there a right way to think?

    He's among my favorites, so here’s yet one more of his poems:

    "Think as I think," said a man,
    "Or you are abominably wicked;
    You are a toad."

    And after I had thought of it,
    I said: "I will, then, be a toad."
    — Stephen Crane

    An analysis: Blind obedience to authoritarian others who will vilify you strictly due to your lack of obedient conformity to their authoritarian ego’s whims and mindsets is always unethical, for it can only empower unethical powers in the world. Therefore, if it ever comes up, choose to be vilified on account of the thoughts you yourself deem to be virtuous (authentic, earnest, rational, etc.) rather than conforming to such despotic egos’ wants.

    Not that this covers all bases on the matter, but that’s a key way to properly think.
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