Recently I have been thinking about being critical. From my own experience I notice that some people take things too quickly without evaluating them for truthfulness and the presence of nuance.
I have also recently heard several pleas to make this an (more) important value. In a society where we are constantly bombarded with information, at school and in the newspaper, but also through advertising and social media, this is necessary. This necessity is permanent and is likely to increase (increase in information channels, the changing nature of society, fake news, …).
But is information supposed to be correct? Can’t we blindly trust most sources?
The answer is no. The information is not always correct, and this is more often the case than we think. Not only when we see advertisements (where techniques are used that ensure that incorrect or exaggerated information unknowingly influences us and so that vigilance is certainly required), but also when reading a scientific journal, for example. Even then, there may be errors in it or the information can be presented in such a way that many draw the wrong conclusions. So being critical is the message.
I believe that education can play a key role in upgrading, normalizing and automating critical thinking. So that children and young people in their daily lives are able to make better decisions and whether or not to follow certain visions. So that young people not only think about their school subjects, but also about society and all its sub-aspects in a nuanced and thoughtful way. We have to remember that they are the voters and leaders of the future.
But critical thinking is also a must when it comes to practicing the profession that their studies prepare for. Science, established values and developments in society are constantly changing. Knowledge is important to create a basic framework from which the practitioner of a certain (professional) discipline can depart, I have no doubt about that. This is also important for terminology and structuring.
But the changing nature of society forces us to continue learning during our career. And because, as I said, not all information provided through literature, media, etc. is correct, it is very important that people can evaluate and value these sources and facts themselves. Making pupils and students competent in this area therefore has several advantages. It means that if we want to move forward and organize society in the best possible way, we have no other choice than to focus on this.
The Idealist 