Lao 1 Stella Lao Professor Frances McCue Honors 205 13 October 2013 Culture and Thinking In this paper,

I will argue that it is impossible for a person to think objectively due to the culture in which he/she was raised. To clarify, in this paper, I define thinking objectively as considering something without drawing upon personal or outside views. When a person thinks objectively, he/she detaches herself from the situation in consideration. My first premise is that a person cannot be raised without outside influences. Every person is raised in a specific culture that stems from the time and place in which he/she lives. This culture may include family, ethnic, religious or societal beliefs. A child does not know anything outside of what he/she is taught and exposed to. Because of this, he/she naturally absorbs and assimilates to the influences around him/her. For example, an adopted toddler from China may have spoken Chinese and followed Chinese customs while China, but upon moving to America, begins to assimilate to American customs. When she is grown up, she will think, act, and speak like an American, even if she is ethnically Chinese. Following my first premise, my second premise is that the outside influences that a person is raised with shape his/her thinking. A persons

Lao 2 culture defines all aspects of his/her early life, including his/her values, interests, everyday habits, and style of thinking. Such a culture filters the lenses through which he/she sees the world. For example My final premise is that a persons mind is an innate part of him/her and cannot be separated from whatever he/she is thinking about. My reasoning is as follows: because a person cannot think about something without using his/her mind and thus bringing in cultural and personal influences, it is impossible for that person to think objectively. Some may object that humans are capable of thinking without bias. For example, a Democrat in the Senate would be able to set aside personal disagreements to work with a Republican for the sake of getting work done. Similarly, a biology teacher who does not believe in evolution would still be able to teach lessons about evolution without revealing his personal opinion. This skill of setting aside personal beliefs is essential for human coexistence; without it, it would be extremely difficult for people to work together and get along. While it is a strong point, this objection falls short. In response, I would argue that while they may be considered synonyms, thinking without bias and thinking objectively are two separate matters. When a person tries to think without bias, he/she is striving to leave out personal opinion. However, his/her personal memories and experiences are still a part of him/her, even if his/her personal opinion is not. Thus, when he/she

Lao 3 approaches a problem, he/she utilizes what he/she knows (including his/her personal memories and experiences shaped by his/her culture) to solve it. In conclusion, it is difficult to think about something objectively due to cultural influences.

Lao 4 In this paper, I will argue that the culture in which a person was raised make it impossible for that person to think or act objectively. In this paper, I will argue that it is impossible for a person to think objectively due to the influence of culture. Objections: Some people are not shaped by their culture and are thus able to think without their culture influencing them. o There are people that rebel against or turn completely against their upbringing/culture. Refutation: The way those people think still reflects their initial upbringing/culture.