Personal Refection Paper
At this point after studying the text book definition of critical thinking. If I have to categorize myself as a beginning thinker. Where, unlike a challenged thinker I don’t necessarily and major flaws in my thought process I am indeed taking time and effort to improve my critical thinking skills. In my personal opinion is not only disipline and rational but also it’s clear concise and in every instance is backed with evidence. It also needs to be simplistic enough for anyone to participate in it, yet regimented and rational enough to promote intellectual growth. For where would the world of fine art be without thinker such as Plato and Socrates? Where would today’s perception of western religion be without critical thinkers such as Aquines? The most important thing I’ve come to learn about critical thinking is that without it we would have been robbed of this world’s greatest philosophers. Second by extension historically individual critical thinkers always have had a certain amount influence when it comes to social norms. Some of the more popular ones have their own principles that have been applied to movement and religions. Individuals like Lenin and Karl Marx heavily inspired the communist movement, while the Nazi party was heavily inspired by the works of Friedrich Nietzsche. For all we know the events of World War II could have played out completely different if these philosophers (also known as critical thinkers) were never born?! Who’s to say the communist party would not have bothered to oppose Hitler if it wasn’t for their opposing philosophical stances. As I mention earlier these critical thinkers have also in many cases defined religion. An example, my personal favorite, Jesus Christ. While many questioned his exist because of what many perceive as lack of historical evidence, he is by many accredited as the father of ethical altruism. Ethical altruism is the ethical belief of living your life define by dedicating yourself for the greater good for the betterment of mankind even at the cost oneself. Without critical thinking this philosophical stance that inspire individuals such as peace advocates and Nobel peace prize winners such as Mother Theresa and Mahatma Gandhi would not exist. While it is currently debated that religious belief has hinders society at whole, who is to say that without the practice of altruism that society would have even advance to this point? As the saying goes living in a world that live along the guide lines of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth we are all left blind and toothless. After taking this class I have come to the realization that my critical thinking skills have improve.