Vincent Ryan RuggieroAfter several decades of America’s emphasis on feelings over thought, a change seems to be occurring.Critical thinking is once again spoken of favorably by influential people. As one who has taught and written about that subject since the 1960s, I am encouraged by this development. But I also realize the mistaken notions that all too often accompany it.
The first mistaken notion is the assumption that critical thinking is mainly about finding the flaws in other people’s ideas. That is the easiest and most enjoyable part to be sure. But equally important is the difficult and unpleasant part of examining our own ideas for flaws. We naturally want to believe our ideas are wonderful and competing ideas are mistaken. It is painful to even consider that we could be in error because that would mean those who differ with us are correct, and that would be embarrassing and humiliating. (The truth, of course, is that if we overcome our false ideas before we express them, we will avoid embarrassment and humiliation.)
A related, also mistaken notion is that all the ideas we have in our heads have been crafted in our own little mental workshops. In other words, they have not been borrowed from or influenced by others. This idea gives us a false sense of security and makes us deny opposing ideas the slightest consideration. This notion has been false for everyone who ever lived! We are influenced by our parents and others from birth, and in some ways even while in the womb. And the influences in some cultures are more significant and lasting in some cultures than in others. American culture is one of them. Consider this commentary:
“We live in an age of manipulation. Armies of hucksters and demagogues stand ready . . . to play upon our emotions and subconscious needs to persuade us that superficial is profound, harmful is beneficial, evil is virtuous. And feelings are especially vulnerable to such manipulation.”
When do you think this was written? You might guess a year or so ago, or even last week. In fact, it is from a college textbook I wrote HALF A CENTURY AGO—Beyond Feelings: A Guide to Critical Thinking, 1975. Moreover, the manipulation it mentions was already well underway at that time. Today there is more of it, and it is occurring more blatantly in many new information sources than were unavailable then.
My point is that it is a greater mistake than ever to think that the ideas in our minds are purely our own and not influenced by others.
As to whether Critical Thinking can help our country, the answer is only if we can question our own ideas as we do other people’s. How exactly can this be accomplished? Here are two crucial steps:
Change Our Perspective on Critical Thinking to This:
When I was young, I lacked the maturity and expertise to analyze important problems and issues. When I grew older, I often lacked the time to do so. As a result, some of my ideas are no doubt borrowed from others–parents, teachers, and others who I admire and respect–and other ideas I may have formed too quickly, on first impressions and without sufficient reflection. But I am not obligated to maintain my ideas, no matter how long I have held them. I have the right to change my mind. If I exercise that right carefully, I shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed because I will be demonstrating that I value truth more highly than my ego. Though consistency is important to me, it is not as important as growing in understanding and wisdom.
Find Answers to The Following Questions for Every Issue We Encounter:
What do I think about this matter? How and where did I get this idea? What evidence supports it? What other possible views are there? What views do others’ express? What evidence and arguments do they offer? What views have not been expressed but are worth considering? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various views? Which view is the most reasonable, and what changes (if any) should I make in my original thinking?
Though the steps explained above are neither complicated nor unreasonable, millions of Americans will have difficulty following them. The reason is that they grew up in a culture that regarded feelings as more reliable than thinking, opinions as truths, and self-examination as harmful. All these notions are in fact false and harmful: they prevent our learning from others, growing in knowledge and wisdom, and contributing to social harmony. Only when we reject them can our Critical Thinking be helpful to ourselves and others.
Copyright © 2025 by Vincent Ryan Ruggiero. All rights reserved.
