Virtuous Thinking

I hold to my own, not very well thought through, version of intellectual virtues (technically known as virtue epistemology). The implication here is twofold: thinking is a moral act, and it takes work to develop a style of thinking that is praiseworthy as opposed to blameworthy. Some possible thinking oppositions might include:

• Open vs Closed Minded
• Listening to vs Ignoring Others
• Seeker vs unshakable opinions 
• Creativity vs Inflexibility
• Rigorous Investigation vs Easy Believism
• Honest vs Dishonest Motives 

Other ways we think about thinking include: 

• attitude
• motive
• perseverance
• courage
• humility
• etc.

The performance of thinking is also the performance of self. So people who self-identify as conservatives or liberals might adopt certain thinking habits which conform to community standards. It's rational to think in ways that support your position in a community. And let us not forget about Internet trolls. They play a specific role in the online community. In fact, one might say that trolls exhibit all the negative qualities of our thinking oppositions. 

If one wants to become a better thinker then working on the virtues of the mind would be the way to go.

One way to become a better thinker: 

Keep a Surprise Journal

Here's a great article about 

The Virtue of Scientific Thinking 

(from which I go the picture at the top of this post)

You might also enjoy this article on 

Developing a Teachable Attitude