What is critical thinking?

[Thomas Hood]

Yes, seriously. Thomas. You've successfully transformed yourself from esteemed contributer to basically an internet troll.

Thanks, guys. The approvial of critical thinkers I don't need.

"Application of the term troll is highly subjective. Some readers may characterize a post as trolling, while others may regard the same post as a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if controversial. The term is often used as an ad hominem strategy to discredit an opposing position by attacking its proponent."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)

I do understand why believers in the critical thinking cult would find my question about Trotsky inflamatory. It is a connection they wish to conceal. Now I need to read some Trotsky.

Tom

[Thomas Hood]

Trotsky: The Eternal Revolutionary
by Dmitri Volkogonov

From Publishers Weekly
Although for years Trotsky had condemned Lenin as a potential dictator, in 1917 he became a radical Bolshevik, a hard-line Leninist committed to a one-party state with a monopoly of power sustained through terror and violence. Together with Lenin, the military leader and fiery orator (born Lev Davidovich Bronstein in 1879) liquidated opponents, inaugurated forced collective labor and unleashed a violent campaign against religion. Using hitherto unavailable materials from Soviet archives, Volkogonov, special assistant to Boris Yeltsin, persuasively argues that Trotsky, while preaching global revolution, helped Lenin lay the foundations of a repressive domestic system that grew organically into the totalitarian dictatorship presided over by Stalin, Trotsky's rival. Assassinated in Mexico in 1940 by one of Stalin's henchmen, Trotsky, according to this meticulous, dense political biography, shares responsibility for the Red Terror that claimed him as victim. Complementing Volkogonov's recent critical biographies of Stalin and Lenin, this compelling study lays to rest the image of Trotsky as a persecuted idealist, blameless victim of Stalin's duplicity.
http://www.amazon.com/Trotsky-Eternal-R ... 189&sr=1-8

". . . liquidated opponents, inaugurated forced collective labor and unleashed a violent campaign against religion." No wonder atheistic critical thinkers find Trotsky to be a man after their own totalitarian hearts! How they must miss the good old days of terror and gore!

If any of you are out of step with your leadership and happen not to admire Trotsky, now's your chance to say so, though you should expect to be subject to defamation for doing it.

Tom

[Interbane]

TH: "The new government, with Trotsky as people’s commissar for foreign affairs began negotiations to end Russia’s involvement in the war. It announced the separation of state and education from the powerful Orthodox Church, and instituted full freedom of religion, ending the oppression of Jews that had existed in Russia for centuries. Education was made free for all and a massive literacy campaign was initiated."

Grrr!!! Separation of Church and State! Critical thinking heretic!!

John Dewey the logical positivist? Hmm, it seems there's been a critical thinking cult around before they even knew what it was!!!

TH: "Dewey is the source of the definition of critical thinking (Dewey called it reflective thinking) used by Glaser."

Or perhaps the true villain is progressive education!! We must investigate this conspiracy!

TH: "Quotes Trotsky (a totalitarian mass murderer)"

Guilty as charged? The only links you provided were evidence towards Trotsky's innocence.

Oh wait:

http://atheism.about.com/library/glossa ... kyleon.htm

He was an atheist/agnostic!! It's starting to make more sense that you apply your new toy label "critical thinking" to all things which you despise. Even though apples aren't oranges...

[Interbane]

TH: "No wonder atheistic critical thinkers find Trotsky to be a man after their own totalitarian hearts! How they must miss the good old days of terror and gore!"

Right on! You go girl! We're all evil!!

[geo]

I started this topic to discuss critical thinking. What it has become is a repository for uninformed, biased, irrelevant claptrap by Thomas Hood. The latest attempt to link critical thinking with Leon Trotsky is about par for the course.

If Thomas Hood's "arguments" had any substance, any at all, I would be very happy to debate them. They don't.

The word "troll" describes Thomas Hood's presence here to a tee. As such, he is a nuisance. He adds nothing to the conversation, but only seeks to disrupt.

from Wikpedia . . .

In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or collaborative content community with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional or disciplinary response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

See ya!

[Thomas Hood]

If Thomas Hood's "arguments" had any substance, any at all, I would be very happy to debate them. They don't.

The word "troll" describes Thomas Hood's presence here to a tee. As such, he is a nuisance. He adds nothing to the conversation, but only seeks to disrupt.

I am the only one willing to research and cite sources, the only one providing substance. Let's put this matter to a test: I will post nothing till next Sunday and withdraw to read Demon-Haunted World. You critical thinkers talk to each other -- if that's possible. You'll have a week of peace without me to do something of substance. Get to work.

Tom