"Critical Thinking"

In response to Michael Sylvester after his note on 8 "critical thinking skills" directed at another post


I would add to these the need to

9. Avoid diversionary tactics such as
- banter
- trivialization of others' point ("Stuttering Kaleidoscope", "Neurological
Talk Soup", "Neurological VOODOO")
- "teaching how to think"
- Picking and choosing minor points to answer while ignoring the main ones

10. Retain a sense of common purpose and seek points of agreement as well as
disagreement.

I have found myself growing more and more impatient at your postings for the
abundance of both #9 and #10 tendencies. I found myself spending a great
deal of time for thoughtful answers, questions and attempts to validate your
experience as a PWS who has made a great deal of progress, only to see
minor points picked up and potential conclusions obfuscated by banter.

I was particularly disappointed in seeing no clear answer to my posting
where I tried to establish some commonality between your experience
and that of myself, John Harrison, and probably that of many other
stutterers who have achieved a great deal of (or "complete") fluency.
The important point here was that, even seemingly different points of
view often turn out not to be so dissimilar after all, and there are
important lessons to be learned both by other stutterers and SPLs,
whether or not we agree that the evidence for a neurological basis of
this disorder is compelling enough.

It is extremely important, in my opinion, that this list not be a forum
for matching wits, rather an honest and continuous attempt to find elements
we can use, both in terms of therapy and as well as potential causes.
I feel that you have done so several times, and obviously many others
have thought so as well, or you wouldn't have received so many thoughtful
answers. I invite you to keep up the standards of these postings and
to help us maintain the climate of earnestness and respect that has been
so typical of this community.