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Q&A: Education for Independent Thinking

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This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.

Education for Independent Thinking

Question

Hello.
It is well known what the Rabbi’s position is regarding “do not stray after,” namely that you cannot command someone not to listen to arguments. I accept that approach and agree with it.
My question is this: we see that for most people it is hard to accept nuanced positions.
Personally, I gained a great deal from you, and the order you brought into complexity helped me because I was confused. But when I speak with people around me, for most of them it is hard to understand philosophical complexity, and when you get into it, most either reject it; and among the more advanced ones, some understand that everything has two sides and remain in skepticism. (Just look at what is happening in the street—the ability to make straightforward arguments is steadily declining.)
So the question is: in education, practically speaking, isn’t it preferable to present values in a kind of fundamentalist way, and to create a herd mentality, so that at least the lack of thinking will go in a direction that is mostly true, and there will be commandment observance out of simple and genuine faith, with a bit of lack of choice—which I believe in, at least to a large extent—rather than presenting complexity? I have no reason to say that my children will be outside the statistics and will in fact be able to contain complexity.
In short: is less education for independent thinking and more faith in what they were told and in tradition more worthwhile and more correct?
Thank you very much.
 

Answer

I can accept such an approach regarding a specific child or teenager whom we assess will not really think. But every person thinks, and regardless of his level, he needs to form a position on his own. And certainly, as a general policy, there is no justification for this at all. The wise and serious should not have to pay a price because of the others.

Discussion on Answer

Avi (2024-09-08)

In your opinion, is it proper that the majority of the public be harmed so that a minority of wise people will benefit?

Michi (2024-09-08)

Absolutely. The public that does not think harms itself. There is no reason at all to harm me for the sake of lazy people.

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