“Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it.” – William Haley, British Editor
Critical thinking is one of the most challenging tasks for human beings. It is arduous. It could be mentally onerous and psychologically strenuous for many. For others it could even be physiologically knackering. The reason being that it requires consistent examination and re-examination of issues from different perspectives. It compels one to ask questions and a lot of re-questioning.
Answers are not given easily. Conclusions are not arrived at comfortably. Convictions are not easily settled without serious thought process. No matter how intellectually deft or nimble one is, some questions are still stubbornly nudging the critical mind. At times, when one appears to be settled, a re-examination is engendered by the need to be certain, to be sure that the ground on which those convictions are situated, is rock-solid.
Critical thinking must not just be critical, in its course, it must be objective (not the same thing as positive) to be rewarding. To be objective it must be logical. It must make sense to an objective observer who must project self-evident impartiality, a lack of bias in ramifications of examinations. It would however appear different to a subjective observer, who would not need the same set of tools, because he is coming in with a formative idea or a preconceived notion.
But more often, many don’t want to rock the boat. This is even when the boat needed to be rocked to force a change of course. To exact a different direction. To open a new vista of perspective. To unbound a new brand horizon to behold. Rocking the boat, impelled and compelled by critical thinking ab initio, could force the status quo to reform; it could end up upending it completely and replace it with a new order. The law of unintended consequences, the fear of unknown coupled with the first law of nature, self-preservation would kick in to play their own affective roles.
The reason for this could be legion. It could be both positive and negative. It could be positive in its desire to maintain and sustain stability. To preserve the status quo that is not necessarily evil or good. To ensure a consistent way of doing things and ensure predictability for purposes of planning. It could be to protect class interest. It could mean to protect personal interest. It could to intend to dislodge a pressure group, or to empower it. It could be for a variety of reasons.
Some, that would fit into what Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewale, a former Federal Minister of Health characterized as “hot heads”, might not completely subscribe to this philosophical bent. This school of thought believes that for progress (not necessarily “change” for the sake of “change”) to take place, there is need for the boat to be rocked. This group believes there is need to engage in critical thinking process from time to time.
The objective, ab initio, is not to destroy, but to elicit what is best described as “organized disruption”. A kind of disruption that would evoke positive impact. That would exact a new direction. That would extract new energy. That would unleash new vigour. Open a new and exciting vista, that would inevitably fashion and synthetize a new horizon.
Please, note that whatever is being brought to bear may not necessarily be bad, and it may not necessarily be good. There are always variables, or factors within the milieu that would moderate either positively or negatively, as the idea consummated in the act of “rocking the boat” emanates. But regardless, whatever emanates from this process would have stemmed from critical thinking about one’s environment.
There is another school of thought that would fit the characterization of “radicals.” The word which has its origin in the Latin word “radix,” meaning “root,” first appeared in English in the 14th century. It has gone through series of transformations since then. In its most recent connotations, the word “radical” has expanded in meaning to “describe anything extreme or thoroughgoing, from mathematical roots (√) to revolutionary political ideologies, all relating back to the core or origin.” Whether in math, botany, social science, economics or politics, it denotes, in modern concept, something “extreme”, “fanatical”, “revolutionary”, “militant”, or “violent.”
But tucked amid these scary adjectival definitions is the word “progressive.” It denotes “favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters…” Anything “progress” is summatively positive from all philological ramifications. Therefore, radicalism is not inherently negative or bad. As a product of critical thinking, it has its own challenges that ought to be met for it to be wholesome and enjoy receptiveness.
The societal socialisation process has a very important role to play in imbuing citizens with the value of critical thinking. This is not to be mixed up with self-expression. Expressing oneself does not mean that what is being expressed has been critically thought out. Most modern societies premiumised self-expression, not critical thinking. It is the reason why people are allowed to make stupid expressions free of charge(?)
According to Southern New Hampshire University review, without exploring opposing viewpoints, it is possible many “may fall prey to confirmation bias, further cementing ideas that they already believe to be true. Being inclusive when it comes to viewpoint diversity is indispensable for avoiding these echo chambers that circumvent having one’s ideas challenged.”
It is self-evident that no matter the genre of critical thinking that one may subscribe to, it is an important tool that the generality of the citizens must have. Don’t just believe what you are told or given, hook, line and sinker. Query what you are told. Question what you have read in all books. Try to think out of the box. It does not matter if this is economic, politics or religion. It does not matter if this involves family affairs. Ask questions. Investigate issues. Broaden your knowledge. Be broadminded as a matter of necessity. Be fair-minded as a matter of compulsion. Don’t allow yourself to be sold a lie. Don’t be misled. Think critically.
“The one real goal of education is to leave a person asking questions.” – MAX BEERHOHM, British Critic, Essayist, and Caricaturist
