Ignorance

Perhaps the greatest hindrance to thinking critically is ignorance: the lack of essential background knowledge on
the subject at hand. Ignorance is not the same as stupidity, which has to do with lack of, or incompetent application
of, intelligence. Ignorance has to do with lack of knowledge or information. Perhaps nothing hinders critical
thinking more than lack of adequate vocabulary. Using a good dictionary is often a quick and efficient way to
overcome one of the main hindrances to critical thinking. After all, if you don’t understand what a person means,
you can’t very well evaluate that person’s claims or arguments.
Without a firm understanding of the basic principles and accepted beliefs in a particular field, it is impossible
to judge the truth, relevance, or sufficiency of evidence put forth to support positions in that field. Without
adequate background knowledge of a subject, one can’t tell whether claims are clear enough or whether relevant
material has been omitted. In short, one can be a master of critical thinking skills, but without knowledge those
skills won’t do you much good.
A good critical thinker knows that conclusions, decisions, or actions should be knowledgeable ones. He or she
knows that the best thinking is done when all pertinent data is presented. Critical thinking requires the ability to do
skillful reading and research. This will require hard work, and, as the saying goes, there really is no substitute for it.
A critical thinker must know how to use the library and computer data banks to get needed information. And since
it is often impossible to do one’s own research, a critical thinker must be skilled at evaluating the claims of experts
and authorities in various fields. These are topics we will take up in chapter three.
Exercise
As you read the material on limitations and hindrances to critical thinking, keep a notebook and list each hindrance.
Later, review your list and select one or more areas that you believe you need to work on most. Commit yourself to
conquering at least one hindrance you think is likely to prevent you from becoming a better critical thinker.
Suggestions on ways to overcome the hindrances to critical thinking are discussed in section 6 of this chapter.