15 January 2013

Msgr. Pope on the Process of Reasoning

“A lot of breakdown in modern communication comes down to logical fallacies and cognitive distortions that have us talking past each other. Perhaps . . . we might spend a little time reflecting and ‘thinking about our thinking.’

“All of us fall into these traps. I have spoken before . . . of the problem of ‘all or nothing thinking’ and also our tendency today to take everything personally, to be thin-skinned. Perhaps some of the following reflections on the nature of our knowledge and how we both argue and reason, may also be instructive, since, as a group, we tend today to be very polemical, ideological and not always well reasoned in our thinking. Indeed, careful reasoning is NOT an obvious gift that most in these times exhibit.”

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on some of the challenges, including a number of common fallacies, facing people as they make their way through the process of reasoning.

To access both of Msgr. Pope’s posts, please visit:

Msgr. Charles Pope: Thinking About Thinking – A Reflection on some of the Modern Pitfalls and Logical Fallacies that Hinder Us (30 DEC 12)

Msgr. Charles Pope: A Review of Common Fallacies that Weaken Arguments. (2 JAN 13)

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