Update on Ways of Thinking

JeffInKorea has opened up a raging debate over at his site about the different ways Koreans and Americans think. Not being a philosophy major, I went home and asked my wife what she thinks of the premise. Her answer: “It depends on the person.” Such a smart woman; no wonder I married her. But isn’t there an undeniable difference in the ways Koreans and Americans reason through problems–a difference that one does not see with Korean-Americans? After much more discussion as MiniJoshua munched his chicken nuggets, we concluded that many of the differences were the result of the Korean educational system stressing rote memorization rather than reasoning.

“So,” I concluded, “the Rain Man could be Chief Justice in South Korea.” My wife broke into laughter and nodded her head. What luck that I found and married this woman. She’d have been within her rights to have taken her CDs out of the collection and fled years ago.