Doubt Seeds Critical Thinking

Doubt is an immensely powerful protective energy, underpinning the Universal Law of Free Choice. Hesitation is female non-aggression and disbelief is male self-defense. As an emotional battery, doubt provides energy, which can either concentrate inwardly or decentrate outwardly. Balancing these energy movements require careful observation of all forces at work.

As a verb, doubt’s Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root “*dwo-“ refers to the number two, “two minds,” or two choices. Etymologically, doubt is “dread, fear, be afraid” or as a noun “uncertainty with regard to the truth of something.” The four primary transactional fears are being wrong, losing, missing out and separation. The education system uses these fears to cull the herd. Certainty doesn’t correlate with truth, but it does breed success in the current world. Dominance demonstrates managerial skills by reacting to these transactional fears and secures their place in hierarchy. Winning-at-all-cost promotes ignorance by hiding knowledge.

Authority opposes free choice by imposing a putative order. Their beliefs reflect their training, bolstered by their professional credentials and organizations. To profess etymologically means “to take a vow” as in a religious order. Like any religion, our acceptance demonstrates our faith, which assumes their righteousness or “wise, way, manner.” Consequently, through fear we cede our choice. Abdication is still OUR choice, however.

Authorities can be especially useful resources. Potentially, they represent an accumulation of useful knowledge. Creativity requires a wide range of high-quality knowledge. Sharing and caring are the operative energies for this interaction for both sides. However, responsibility rests with the student and accountability with the authority. The student chooses to buy the information the authority is selling.

Nurturing focuses on the development of critical thinking skills. “Critical thinking is a self-guided selfdisciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think critically attempt to live rationally, reasonably and empathically.1”

Critical thinking enables the discovery of the balancing energies and actions needed to overcome doubt. Communication skills provide the foundation for critical thinking. Asking open-ended questions and awareness of what is said and unsaid in responses provides clues leading to truth, wise action, and creativity. The seed of doubt can sprout into anything desired.

¹ https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766