abstract thinking
n.
Thinking characterized by the ability to use concepts and to make and understand generalizations, such as of the properties or pattern shared by a variety of specific items or events. — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/abstract-thinking
Concrete thinking is literal thinking that is focused on the physical world. It is the opposite of abstract thinking. People engaged in concrete thinking are focused on facts in the here and now, physical objects, and literal definitions.Aug 4, 2015
Concrete Thinking - GoodTherapy
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/concrete-thinking — goodtherapy
Hitchens was a very skilled troll, may he rest in peace where ever he is now. I admired his skill, being a bit of a troll myself. But he did sometimes seem to take himself a tad seriously. Thank God I never do that! :smile: — Jake
Religious apologists, as far as I can see, can't deny his findings. All they can do at this point is to defend themselves obliquely. If Hitchens says ''the Bible is not authentic'' they will have to reply by saying something like ''the Bible isn't to be read literally'' since Hitchens is right and so can't be refuted. — TheMadFool
Religion poisons everything?! — TheMadFool
For good salesmen, both theist and atheist, there is good money to be made in pitting these reasonable beliefs against each other. — Rank Amateur
Religion may have a black spot or two or too many for Hitchens, but what of its all important message that goodness is great and evil is condemnable? — TheMadFool
I agree that religions are very negative. They'd be fine if folks could somehow just keep their beliefs to themselves, but religions massively impact cultural mores, laws, etc. That's not just keeping the beliefs to oneself. — Terrapin Station
I was just reading about salesmen and them being a good example of people with credibility issues. However, Hitchens seems genuine and the book seems well-researched. — TheMadFool
People just love simple answers. And the media loves confrontational arguments.All in all, he presents a grotesque image of religion and he doesn't seem to be completely off the mark and that scares me.
If you ask me, I think nothing ever is a total failure. Religion may have a black spot or two or too many for Hitchens, but what of its all important message that goodness is great and evil is condemnable?
So, what do you think?
Religion poisons everything?! — TheMadFool
This seems to assume Christianity has had no positive influence on Western societies, and also that there could somehow be a society that isn’t guided by its beliefs. — AJJ
So, what do you think?
Religion poisons everything?! — TheMadFool
The latter part I'm not thinking--I would just like (what I consider) better beliefs to be the influence. — Terrapin Station
We don't really know why Socrates was sentenced. Plato is not a good reporter; he was a fan and he also had a powerful imagination. It might be that Socrates did spread harmful and nihilistic notions to the young, like some influencers do today. — DiegoT
And for Christian beliefs to be restricted in their influence, where others you favour are not? This notion that Christians should keep their beliefs to themselves, as if they should have no part in the discussion, seems ill considered given Christianity’s role in forming Western society, and what it can still offer us. Its admonishments against greed seem especially pertinent now, in our age of rampant and harmful cupidity. — AJJ
I don't agree with the majority of the ethical views of the major religions. So yeah, I want to see what I prefer have influence rather than stuff I don't agree with . That shouldn't be surprising. — Terrapin Station
These different political groups were translated to the secular society; with Protestant Europe contributing their own. — DiegoT
Hitchens' book needs to be read in the context of when he wrote it and his experience around that time.So, what do you think? — TheMadFool
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