PIANO'S AND CRITICAL THINKING
Now that I'm retired I've considered several activities to engage in. Engage in at my leisure and in a way that suits me. Hmmm. That sounded kinda selfish, but there it is and I can't really change the statement substantially and still say what I wanted to. So, one of the things I would enjoy would be to teach begginner guitar and mandolin to those who have a desire to learn how to play them. When teaching these instruments I try to include some music theory, (as much as I feel the student can stand), because music theory is applicable to any instrument they may care to learn in the future and will help them be a more complete musician. As it happens, the piano is the best way, in my opinion, to teach music theory. It's kind of like a physical representation of music theory and can open up a deep and effective understanding of music in general. What I've leaned in my music theory classes, and piano lessons has been invaluable in my advancement on other instruments I have learned to play.
    Critical thinking is similar in another area of our lives. If we learn to analyze things systematically we can apply that process to situations as they present themselves in our lives. We cannot use this process to make decisions, but we would be silly not to use the process to HELP us make good decisions. If I may offer a quick example. We may not have delt with new car salesmen before but even on our first encounter we can benefit from analyzing the process. When a salesman says your used trade-in car is worth 3 times more than your friend was willing to pay you you may think your friend isn't as good a friend as you first thought. But if you are appropriately skeptical of the amount of money the salesman is offering you you will likely learn that your car's value is actually more in line with your friends offer. A new car price often includes a significant markup to allow the salesman the chance to offer you the excessive amount of money for your car to give the illussion that they are being very generous to make the sale more likely. They may offer you 3,000 for a car that they will wholesale out for 1,000 while still making a nice profit on the deal. These facts are there for the learning but are seldom discovered. If we know the value of our car before the negotiation we become skeptical of the process and can learn how the new car selling game is played. Then we can negotiate from a position of strength. Strength provided by our knowledge of the process we are engaged in.
    This ability to reason is something our schools use to focus on. Unfortunately we have entered a time when colleges are more interested in advancing a particular ideology rather than teaching the ability to form an opinion based on the logical analysis of the available facts. Just like music theory can help us with our endeavor to learn any instrument, so, too, does critical thinking help us in all aspects of decision making.

EVOLUTION

EVOLUTION

Evolution of thought; evolution of a design; evolution of laws; evolution of a culture; evolution of a company; and yes, evolution in the animal kingdom. I would suggest that evolution is as common as breathing. The slow process of change or discovery is the engine of evolution. It would seem the only thing that has not evolved over time would be the Theory of Evolution as presented by Darwin yea those many years ago. Even religious understanding that seeks truth has evolved. Things that once seemed supernatural are now understood as operating within the laws of physics, leaving us with the perception that the body of supernatural events has diminished over time. So why the stiff-necked support of a theory whose author was so forthcoming with his own skepticism? Why has all the spit and polish been applied to this theory by lawyers, the media and even the scientific community? Why are thoughtful, intelligent people who see "holes" or "problems" with Darwin's theory ostracized and ridiculed? And why does it seem the media has corralled the discussion to the arena of public debate where the dissenters are, by definition, excluded from the more informed community of scientists? If you form your opinion based on the media treatment of evolution you would conclude that Darwinian evolution is all but settled fact. Kind of like a great sports figure just waiting for his induction into the Hall of Fame. And the challengers to this theory are always pulled from the "uninformed", or less informed, masses, (or as Mr. Boortz refers to them, dumb masses), who are ridiculed and demeaned to try and discourage such challenges. Granted, if I were put in front of a camera to support my view on almost anything, with my comments left to the scrutiny of an endless line of "experts" interviewed by an agenda driven news media it would be a simple task to make me look even stupider than I am. But a thoughtful interview with a scientist who sees problems with Darwin's theory, often simply confirming Darwin's own concerns about his theory, seems to be out of the question. Where are these curious sorts of reporters who ostensibly have devoted their lives to getting to the truth? Wouldn't they be anxious to validate Darwinian evolution? Are they too busy preparing the world for its imminent destruction due to people like me not recycling every bit of cardboard that comes into their lives, to bother with such trivial matters? Or have they, and the public at large, been scared into submission by the threat of personal destruction to anyone who dares challenge this "sacred cow" of alleged science. This is my contention. A little like the media-impaired discussion on man-made global warming which is far from settled fact.

"Why?"

I learned in philosophy class 35 years ago that this is an important word. One which needs to be applied to even our most prized personal convictions. Otherwise we run the risk of living our lives based on well- protected misinformation rather than truth. And we all know who the "Father of Misinformation" is. So, if I may, I would like for us as a diverse and curious people, to take another look, not just at the theory of Darwinian evolution, but at the societal dysfunction that has exacerbated this ACLU empowered theory.

Thank you and have a nice day. Oh, and go help someone who needs a little help or encouragement today.