Learning How to Think

It’s not the same as how to feel, by Lucas J. Mather

We’d just covered modalities of belief formation (perception , five senses: feel, sight, hear, taste, smell). A student changed the subject and asked me how I felt about XYZ controversial issue . It was so off topic. I immediately said, “I don’t know, because I’d have to feel myself, and since this is a public place, I’m not convinced that’d be a positive thing right now.”

The epistemology of perception (5 senses) were still on the board behind me.

I sniffed myself , hesitantly, and licked my arm a little. I listened, and looked.

Everyone just looked at me. An entire auditorium. 80 people, ages 15-87. The white people were freaked out; the majorities loved it.

“I can tell you how I smell about it–fine–yesterday I wore deodorant . I can tell you how I taste about it. Pretty bland. I sound fine about it, and frankly, well–you know–I look great about it.”

I point to the board .

The place erupts.

I think you were asking: what do I think about it. Is that…right…?

Student , giggling : yes

I’m feeling my arm.

That’s a very different question than how I feel about it, wouldn’t you agree?

Students: yes.

And it’s more coherent and more interesting . Let’s give that a shot. Learning how to think about it.

Copyright Lucas J. Mather, 2014
All Rights Reserved
Originally published to Facebook Wed. 23 July 2014 at 5:56 pm

Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D. is the producer and host of the #1 podcast in America in the category of Government & Spiritual Formation