The skill of critical thinking has to be learned and early on in life. The child has to be exposed to adults who are critical thinkers, thoughtful, reflective, not reactive and who can acknowledge what they don't know as well as what they do. Once the window for learning this is passed, it's almost impossible for a person to learn how to…
The skill of critical thinking has to be learned and early on in life. The child has to be exposed to adults who are critical thinkers, thoughtful, reflective, not reactive and who can acknowledge what they don't know as well as what they do. Once the window for learning this is passed, it's almost impossible for a person to learn how to do this. Add to this parents and adults who totally accept religiosity and are afraid of anything, or anyone who is different, and the American education system, that doesn't help kids learn critical thinking skills, and the child is most likely never going to become a person who can think in more sophisticated ways, and may continue to accept the delusion of whatever god cult his/her parents modeled for them.
I hate it when people say “I am a lifelong (fill in the blank)”. To me, that means they can’t have an open, enquiring mind and weigh facts and alternatives.
This stance prevents us from learning anything new. It prevents us having the experience of being surprised, not only by a new piece of information, but also at being humbled by all that we don't know and at our own hubris for assuming we did know it all!
The skill of critical thinking has to be learned and early on in life. The child has to be exposed to adults who are critical thinkers, thoughtful, reflective, not reactive and who can acknowledge what they don't know as well as what they do. Once the window for learning this is passed, it's almost impossible for a person to learn how to do this. Add to this parents and adults who totally accept religiosity and are afraid of anything, or anyone who is different, and the American education system, that doesn't help kids learn critical thinking skills, and the child is most likely never going to become a person who can think in more sophisticated ways, and may continue to accept the delusion of whatever god cult his/her parents modeled for them.
I hate it when people say “I am a lifelong (fill in the blank)”. To me, that means they can’t have an open, enquiring mind and weigh facts and alternatives.
This stance prevents us from learning anything new. It prevents us having the experience of being surprised, not only by a new piece of information, but also at being humbled by all that we don't know and at our own hubris for assuming we did know it all!
Very well said J Nol!