A Critical Need (Part 2)

This clip raises a very important topic that has had me worried for some time now; the issue of thinking critically. Thinking critically involves putting in extra effort when we see something or hear something. In this example we are talking about believing what we hear from any given source. I mean, is the scientist really any more trustworthy than the wandering street preacher? NO! You cannot know the heart (motivation) or mind (understanding) of any person. Yet all the time we read an article and trust in it's value, implicitly if it comes from people with letters after their names. This is so illogical it would be laughable if not such a danger to us. Its one thing to say, "I heard from *source* that *blank* is true." However, it's is a wholly different thing to claim "I know that *blank* is a true because *source* said so." The difference is that the first one acknowledges potential error in the source while the second one illogically assumes it to be true.

Now, I know I am not perfect and still commit some of these same mistakes, but I know that many more are even less capable (or perhaps less inclined to pay attention to it) than I am which is a dangerous state to be in. I want to plead with people, with the readers and passers-by, to start considering the nature of how they deal with information. Without questioning, without checking logic, without looking into what we are shown and fed, how do we know if it is true? Why we don't stop all the time to ask ourselves, what am I assuming and what do I actually know is crazy to me now after the past few years of watching others deal with confusion easily avoidable!

Anyhow, this is just another thing to think about; before we accept something, even something small, take a moment to consider it the claim is true. If you don't know the answer either don't accept is as true (don't make it a part of your accepted understanding) or put in the slight effort to verify it.