We kill each other with it: clichés, that is generalization, that is speculative thinking, that is simplistic thinking. Whether they are thinking errors due to laziness or on purpose because you want to be right or have to be right because otherwise it does not fit into a framework: impure thinking is rampant and it is worthwhile to think about it and put everything in order. to put.
Clichés and clichés
Power spell
Each of us has a set of clichés at the ready that are used when appropriate. When we’re not in the mood, when we have little energy or when we simply don’t have time: the cliché is always at home. Clichés are sentences that have lost their content, they no longer mean anything, they are ‘worn out’. A death eater is a power spell that is wrongly used as an argument. Clichés are regularly used as a dead giveaway.
Example in practice
You have a good idea, but the boss sees no money in it, he then says: ‘Practice proves the opposite with these kinds of ideas.’ End of discussion. The employee never comes up with an idea again.
Death Eaters
‘It remains human work.’
‘We will not achieve the ideal.’ ‘When the need is greatest, salvation is near.’ ‘The truth lies in the middle.’
Compromise
The ‘compromise’ is not a fallacy, but a necessary agreement.
Generalizing is easy
Emotional experience
We tend to generalize after an emotional experience. If a woman has been left by a man, she will be inclined to conclude: you cannot trust a man. A man sighs when his wife has ‘accidentally’ opened a letter: all women are curious. Generalizing is easy, you don’t have to think about it. If we are reasonable, we must admit that many of our conclusions are based on at most a few experiences. There is a good chance that our conclusions are not justified. Just listen to the stories of tourists who come home armed with new generalizations.
White swans
In the past, people had only seen white swans, so it was: swans are white. When travelers saw black swans, they had to adjust their previous conclusion. Yet you will have to give a living to the people who would not even consider believing in black swans, ‘I have never seen a single black swan’ is their credo.
Careful conclusion
A safe conclusion seems to be: let’s take the generalizations with a grain of salt.
Speculative thinking
Building expectations
We speculate when we think we have a good chance of winning something. We build expectations. We hypothesize something that might happen. Quite often the opposite happens: this is then a fact. Speculative thinking is based on a fact that is by no means established. This fact is often a habit or an agreement. When someone suddenly comes up with some facts, it is difficult to admit that you were wrong all those years. Feeling then wins over reason or pride wins over humility.
Example
A woman has been putting a cork in the fruit bowl for years because it keeps the fruit fresh longer. For her this is a fact because if she doesn’t do it, the fruit will quickly deteriorate. Her neighbor doesn’t. Her arguments are: ‘I’ve never heard of that, that can’t be true, that’s too crazy for words, it’s all superstition, who told you that? fact or no fact it’s ridiculous.’ Suppose these women live in one house, then there is a problem. Usually whoever is the ,powerful, wins, fallacy or no fallacy.
Simplistic thinking
Simplism represents an overly simplified view of things. Simplistic thinking is a way of thinking that leads to far too simple conclusions. It’s true, we can’t speak knowledgeably about everything. That goes too far. If someone starts talking about neurons, someone else will say, ,That makes me nervous., If you don’t know enough about something for a discussion, be wise and let the expert talk and ask a question now and then. However, many tend to corner the expert as if his knowledge does not matter. They do this by presenting a major subject simplistically. “Einstein? His theory of relativity is only relative!’ It is a shame that many do not get beyond this simplistic approach even on general topics.
Aprioristic reasoning
To be right is not to be right
A priori means ‘in advance’. Aprioristic thinking is a way of thinking that anticipates the facts. With the aprioristic reasoning we are always right. No wonder it is common. The bottom line is that what you put into a statement will later lead to you being proven right.
Example
Someone claims: ‘Our councilors are doing their best.’ The other replies: ‘But Mister The first again: ‘But I wouldn’t call Mr. It works like a seller who asks a high price and reduces the price slightly if there is resistance. Let’s say: a win-win situation, I win a lot this way or I win a lot this way.
‘A table has four legs.’ ‘I have a table with three legs.’ ‘That’s not what I call a table.’
What can we do about it?
You should always keep the opening statement in mind. If you do this, you can stop in time when the other person appears unable to reason.
read more
- World of language
- Mottos and mottos
- Is a proverb a quote?
- Listening well is an art