What they never taught us

[coberst]

What they never taught us

“Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” Voltaire (1694-1778)

We learned in school and college that the teacher furnishes the question and the answer that will fit the question. If we want to continue to learn after our schooling is over what must we do?

Bootstrap is defined as: designed to function independently of outside direction—capable of using one internal function or process to control another.

For a 12 to 18 years period from the age of 6 to our mid twenties we have lived constantly in an educational system wherein we seldom if ever learned to function intellectually independent of outside direction.

How is it possible for such an individual to develop the internal processes (bootstrap) that allow him or her to become an independent, critically self-conscious, thinker?

When schooling is over the citizen who wishes to reach beyond naive common sense reality must develop the ability to generate questions. Questions result from a critical self-conscious intellect and depend upon the priorities of that intellect. Formal education has always furnished the learner with a question for consideration. The question asked determines the knowledge achieved and the understanding created.

The self-actuated learner must develop the ability to create questions. We have never before given any thought to questions; but now, if we wish to take a journey of discover, we must learn the most important aspect of any educational process. We must create questions that will guide our travels. After our school daze are over we can no longer depend upon education by coercion to guide us; we have the opportunity to develop self-actualizing self-learning driven by the ‘ecstasy of understanding’.

[Nick Hansen]

You make a very fine point there, i've always said the most 2 important skills i have learnt at school / university is the actual content tought, and the ability to teach myself (Which helped me immensely at university, as you are left out in the cold in terms of support)

As to answering your question, thats a good point. I find i'm a curious person by nature, so im always asking questions.

I'm also a firm believer that if you ask the right questions you will get the right answer.

[astra]

I'm a naturally curious person also, and I have plenty of questions that pop up from nowhere. IMO, my curiosity, and therefore most of my questions, have stemmed from two of the most basic questions ever - How and Why? How does that work, why is it that way? Ask yourself these things about random things you come across, and I'm sure you'll find that many other questions start occurring to you.

Hope this helps!

[hollowman]

This post is really interesting.

It is my personal notion that asking questions is an obvious sign that thinking takes place. I am not saying that a quiet person not asking question is not thinking though. For all i know a quiet person could have a lot of questions going on in his mind.


[quote]We must create questions that will guide our travels. After our school daze are over we can no longer depend upon education by coercion to guide us; we have the opportunity to develop self-actualizing self-learning driven by the ‘ecstasy of understanding’.

This very true. Researches / Investigations start with questions. Not just any questions, but the probing and the right questions to lead us to the unknown. Like what Nick has said, asking the right question to get the right answer.

I think the fact we realise the significance of creating questions is an important propeller to move us forward to futher explore the know-how on our own. For myself, i find reading very helpful. I try to examine what i read and what i hear, being cautious to to accept what i receive. I am not the type of person to believe things as it is because so-and-so say so. I frequently question the validity of truth of what some prominent political figures or a somebody say on the tv or in news report. Readers column and columnist articles in newpapers also provide plenty of resourse for us to peruse and think about.

Engaging in discussion on sensitive or personal issue with people whom we can trust and are curious as we are also give the oppurtunity to criticise and to defend each others point of view in a diplomatic and constructive manner.
I have a small number of friends whom i discuss religious matters and personal issues openly. And each time i thought i make good sense on certain points, i would be forced to think twice when i was bombarded with unexpected terrific questions my friend posed me. Similarly i pose fundamental questions to my friends and they go 'huh??'.

Reading books of the like of Edward do Bono, i find helpful. Reading self-help books also benefits us as we try to grasp the writer's idea and by doing that we would be asking/creating questions indirectly.


i look forward to hear more on this thread

[DarkSociologist]

Separate yourself from the world. Many people throughout history have gone off into the mountains to spend some time by themselves to become more wise.

I spent a lot of my childhood on timeout. This has made me introspective, but also introverted. You need to be careful about that.

BTW, we aren't always the ones being asked questions in our youth. I challenged my teachers many times and it often got me into trouble. One of my elementary school teachers wrote a comment to my parents that I argue with everyone, even adults. One of my college professors gave a 15 minute speech in the beginning of class on how I should be thrown out of society if I don't follow the rules.

[Tayrak]

Quote: (One day I'll have to ask how to get the quote thingee to work)

One of my college professors gave a 15 minute speech in the beginning of class on how I should be thrown out of society if I don't follow the rules.

Seems harsh. Now, are you arguing or opposing?

Too much aloneness isn't good for anyone, you can get very comfortable with yourself.

[YazKMan]

This is called Critical Thinking. It's an essential skill if you want to rise above the masses of average people living their average life watching the latest reality tv show being force fed what they "need" to have in their life if they are to be happy through tv advertisements.

If you fail to ask questions about the world around you then you will never be the best you could be. Most, if not all, of the discoveries science has made have started out by a person asking "I wonder how this works" or "Hmm, I wonder what would happen if i did this?"

[coberst]

Most decisions we have to make are judgment calls. A judgment call is made when we must make a decision when there is no “true” or “false” answers. When we make a judgment call our decision is bad, good, or better.

Many factors are involved: there are the available facts, assumptions, skills, knowledge, and especially personal experience and attitude. I think that the two most important elements in the mix are personal experience and attitude.

When we study math we learn how to use various algorithms to facilitate our skill in dealing with quantities. If we never studied math we could deal with quantity on a primary level but our quantifying ability would be minimal. Likewise with making judgments; if we study the art and science of good judgment we can make better decisions and if we never study the art and science of judgment our decision ability will remain minimal.

I am convinced that a fundamental problem we have in this country (USA) is that our citizens have never learned the art and science of good judgment. Before the recent introduction of CT into our schools and colleges our young people have been taught primarily what to think and not how to think. All of us graduated with insufficient comprehension of the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary for the formulation of good judgment. The result of this inability to make good judgment is evident and is dangerous.

I am primarily interested in the judgment that adults exercise in regard to public issues. Of course, any improvement in judgment generally will affect both personal and community matters.

To put the matter into a nut shell:
1. Normal men and women can significantly improve their ability to make judgments.
2. CT is the domain of knowledge that delineates the knowledge, skills, and intellectual character demanded for good judgment.
3. CT has been introduced into our schools and colleges slowly in the last two or three decades.
4. Few of today’s adults were ever taught CT.
5. I suspect that at least another two generations will pass before our society reaps significant rewards resulting from teaching CT to our children.
6. Can our democracy survive that long?
7. I think that every effort must be made to convince today’s adults that they need to study and learn CT on their own. I am not suggesting that adults find a teacher but I am suggesting that adults become self-actualizing learners.
8. I am convinced that learning the art and science of Critical Thinking is an important step toward becoming a better citizen in today’s democratic society.

Perhaps you are not familiar with CT. I first encountered the concept about five years ago. The following are a few Internet sites that will familiarize you with the matter.

Critical Thinking and Its Relation to Science and Humanism

cache:mkodBBrpMg0J:www.criticalthinking.org/TGS_files/SAM-CT_competencies_2005.pdf critical thinking multi-logical - Google Search

Critical Thinking: Expanding the Paradigm

Glossary - The Critical Thinking Community

http://www.doit.gmu.edu/inventio/pas...g03&sID=eslava