Ground Up Strength

It's not about how much you know it's about how well you think. Read this long long article.

I haven't read all of it…yet. But I had to comment about the Gentilcore quote.

“Mel Siff is smarter than you, and here is why. This book will serve as your "ammo" for any nimrod who thinks they know what they’re talking about.”

I have 2 comments:

1) This quote is 2 sentences long, yet after the first sentence Tony forgot he was going to tell us why Mel is smarter than we are. Instead he just tells us that this book will help us insult people.

2) It's a paradox. If you read the book, then wouldn't you think you know what you're talking about? I mean, aside from liars and bullshitters, who says things thinking that they are wrong. So this means that everyone who reads the book is also a nimrod because they think they know what they're talking about. And what happens when two people who have read the book converse? They're both nimrods.

I'm not sure what argument type (below) this is, but I think it is valid. :)

If all people that think they know what they're talking about are nimrods, and all the people that read Mel Siff's "ammo" think they know what they're talking about, then all people that read Mel Siff's book are nimrods.

LMAO, that is a brilliant piece of reasoning. I wish I'd thought of it.

If you're taking everything quite literally it is deductive reasoning:

1. People who think they know what they are talking about are nimrods

2. People who read Mel Sif books think they know what they are talking about.

Therefore, people who read Mel Sif books are nimrods

Love it.

I think the idea really is that the person is a nimrod, in general, but he thinks he knows what he's talking about. There really is nothing more annoying, haha but it's not people who say absurd things, as a nimrod would, undoubtedly, that do the most harm. Ridiculous statements are quite harmless if they are really ridiculous. It's the people who say plausible things but that are completely wrong that can do the most damage!

LMAO, that is a brilliant piece of reasoning. I wish I'd thought of it.

Haha, I thought you'd like it.

I took a critical thinking course in university as an elective (I hated it because of the prof and thus did poorly lol) but the textbook we used was Thinking Clearly A Guide to Critical Reasoning by Jill LeBlanc. I think it is a pretty good text for critical thinking/logic/reasoning etc.. I've always meant to go back and read it more thoroughly but never actually did (like so many things) but more and more I see how this is helpful in everyday situations.

I looked up the book. Looks like a good reference. I'm going to order a copy.

The book can get a bit confusing at times but it has tons of examples in it. There are also quite a few exercises and practice problems throughout. I don't think it is too expensive either.

LOL, Joe…thats some good thinking.

Eric, I finally managed to get time to read some of the article. I read till the middle actually. It's a really good article.

This reminds me of a very typical gym scenario which I've encountered.

I walk in. Set up.
Guru walks in looks at me.

Guru: "What you doing today?"

Me: Front Squats

Guru: "Oh you're gonna work the Rectus Femoris and Vastus Medialus?"

Me: Umm…..I dunno. What the heck is that? I'm doing Front Squats.

LOL

Yep, that's an example of the misperception that "knowledge" is about making things complicated. And using technical or scientific sounding jargon. And that extends to critical thinking and reasoning in general. That is why you see so much over-complex "data dumping" from fitness writers. The point of of it is to simplify, not to complicate.