Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insight?

On the cultivation of insight/wisdom
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starter
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Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insight?

Post by starter »

Greetings!

I happened to ponder over critical thinking today, and would like to share the following definition of critical thinking with the friends here.

The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking (a non-profit organization based in Canada) defines critical thinking as "the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skilfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action." [from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/t ... inking/406]

Here is my definition:

Use independent, objective, reflective, systematic inquiry and reasoning to investigate and examine dhammas (e.g. a belief, a form of knowledge, or an object) in light of sound evidence and understanding to make unprejudiced, unbiased, warranted judgment for constructing knowledge and insight, problem solving, and decision making.

I think critical thinking skills and qualities need to be cultivated in order to develop discernment and insight; they appear to belong to the second enlightenment factor dhammavicaya (investigation/discrimination/analysis of dhammas).

Just to share with you my thoughts. Your input will be appreciated. Metta to all!
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tiltbillings
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Re: Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insig

Post by tiltbillings »

starter wrote: . . .
Critical thinking has its place, but I rather doubt you are going to think your way out of samsara.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Cittasanto
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Re: Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insig

Post by Cittasanto »

Hi Starter
I started a couple of threads allong this line of inquiry a while ago
intelectual Integrity
Is Critical Thinking Active Vipassana

I believe the tools of critical thinking are useful to practice. But there are a couple of "treatments related to bias' that you may find interesting too look into for information namely Cognitive Bias Modification, Psychoeducation Training (will edit this as more come to mind and I have a feeling that the latter is not what I am thinking of???)

I do however prefer your use of dammavicaya to active vipassana but unfortunatelly it didn't occur to me at the time :/
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
starter
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Re: Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insig

Post by starter »

Hi Cittasanto and Ben and other friends,

Thanks for your input. I'd like to add the following teaching in MN 70 into the discussion:

"Here, Monks, one whose faith [on the Buddha] has arisen approaches [a teacher, who was the source of verbal suttas]; when approaching, he pays respect; while paying respect, he gives ear; while giving ear [paying attention] he hears the Dhamma; having heard the Dhamma, he memorises it; having known it by heart, he investigates (ponders about) the Dhamma; having investigated it, the Dhamma insight arises; with the Dhamma insight arisen, mindfulness and desire arises; with desire arisen, he makes an effort (in applying/praticing the Buddha's Teaching); having made an effort, he examines (the result of his effort); having examined (the result of his effort), he strives; having strived, he realizes the superior truth with the very body; now having penetrated it with wisdom, he sees." [The translation is based upon my personal understanding; see MN 70 the steps of the practice passage: what's THE Dhamma? http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=20224]

But to my understanding dhammavicaya includes not only the investigation and analysis of the Teaching, but also forms, feelings, states of mind, and mental phenomena.

Metta to all!

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daverupa
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Re: Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insig

Post by daverupa »

SN 46.2 wrote:There are, bhikkhus, wholesome and unwholesome states, blameable and blameless states, inferior and superior states, dark and bright states with their counterparts: frequently giving careful attention to them is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states and for the fulfilment by development of the arisen enlightenment factor of discrimination of states.
So, to the extent that critical thinking is an investigation along these lines, it aggrandizes the awakening factor.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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tiltbillings
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Re: Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insig

Post by tiltbillings »

starter wrote: investigates (ponders about) the Dhamma
Ponders?
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
pegembara
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Re: Critical thinking as dhammavicaya & foundation for insig

Post by pegembara »

Thus I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Benares, in the Deer Park at Isipatana (the Resort of Seers). There he addressed the bhikkhus of the group of five: "Bhikkhus." — "Venerable sir," they replied. The Blessed One said this.

"Bhikkhus, form is not-self. Were form self, then this form would not lead to affliction, and one could have it of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.' And since form is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can have it of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.'

"Bhikkhus, feeling is not-self...

"Bhikkhus, perception is not-self...

"Bhikkhus, determinations are not-self...

"Bhikkhus, consciousness is not self. Were consciousness self, then this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and one could have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.' And since consciousness is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can have it of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.'

"Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?" — "Impermanent, venerable Sir." — "Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?" — "Painful, venerable Sir." — "Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'"? — "No, venerable sir."

"Is feeling permanent or impermanent?...

"Is perception permanent or impermanent?...

"Are determinations permanent or impermanent?...

"Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?" — "Impermanent, venerable sir." — "Now is what is impermanent pleasant or painful?" — "Painful, venerable sir." — "Now is what is impermanent, what is painful since subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is my self'"? — "No, venerable sir."

"So, bhikkhus any kind of form whatever, whether past, future or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near, must with right understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not myself.'

"Any kind of feeling whatever...

"Any kind of perception whatever...

"Any kind of determination whatever...

"Any kind of consciousness whatever, whether past, future or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near must, with right understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.'

"Bhikkhus, when a noble follower who has heard (the truth) sees thus, he finds estrangement in form, he finds estrangement in feeling, he finds estrangement in perception, he finds estrangement in determinations, he finds estrangement in consciousness.

"When he finds estrangement, passion fades out. With the fading of passion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is knowledge that he is liberated. He understands: 'Birth is exhausted, the holy life has been lived out, what can be done is done, of this there is no more beyond.'"

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were glad, and they approved his words.

Now during this utterance, the hearts of the bhikkhus of the group of five were liberated from taints through clinging no more.
Now that is dhamma-vicaya.
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
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