Oh Lord Rama, you have returned to Ayodhaya.

 

Lord, My Lord, you confidently stride

I too want to stride like a lord

Confident of your victory over the overthrowers

Manly, confident strides, reborn as a child you stride

Here and there , you look at your kingdom

Your gaze is like the fiery sun

I can barely gaze at your face

The kingdom that is truly yours

Distant Ayodhya, far from the evil conquerors

Rebuilt now your temple, oh Lord

Standing proud the new born King

You smile in victory for retaking what is yours

Hail, Hail to thee, Oh Lord

Jai Shri Ram, Jai. 

Solitary

 

Deep deep in the solitary night;

I gaze at the star light sky;

The music of silence plays in a never ending crescendo;

A mystical symphony of a silent mind.

The arm of the milky way, a swathe of stars glimmering in the night

Playing in my mind is a symphonic melody;

My mind has much to do;

The past are lessons learned.

There is only thought at a time;

Each star telling what has gone by;

Each a tiny point that is a lesson;

Each passing time is deliberated and discarded.

I reflect on the life that has gone by;

The present is the reality to make a mark;

Before I leave this particular mortal life;

And on to the next life, a sojourner of life.

Grammar.

 

David Crystal (April 30, 2004), said the following about grammar: “Grammar is the structural foundation of our ability to express ourselves. The more we are aware of how it works, the more we can monitor the meaning and effectiveness of the way we and others use language. It can help foster precision, detect ambiguity, and exploit the richness of expression available in English."  David Crystal could have put it more eruditely and lucidly about the importance of grammar in learning English. Grammar is the skeletal framework of a language. Language is used for communication. If communication is to be effective, meaning what has been said and written is to be correctly understood, a thorough knowledge of grammar is vital. If we are to be correct in what we say, listen, speak, and write, are not confused and use English with richness, then knowledge of grammar is essential to this end. In this essay, I will answer the question why learning grammar is important.

Grammar is fundamental to language. Without grammar, language does not exist. However, nothing in the field of language pedagogy has been as controversial as the role of grammar teaching. The controversy has always been whether grammar should be taught explicitly through a formal presentation of grammatical rules or implicitly through natural exposure to meaningful language use. According to Nordquist (2023, April 5) grammar is firstly defined as the systematic study and description of a language. Secondly, it is a set of rules and examples dealing with the syntax and word structures of a language usually intended as an aid to the learning of that language. Grammar is the skeleton of a language. Nordquist (2023, April 5) describes the two components of grammar. First, there is descriptive grammar which is the structure of the language as it is used by writers and speakers.  Then there is prescriptive grammar which is the structure of a language the certain people think the language should be used. In short, both kinds of grammar focus rules in different ways. Descriptive grammar studies the rules or  patterns that lie below in the use of phrases, clauses and sentences while prescriptive grammar focuses on laying down the rules of the use of the language on what is believed to be correct.

According to Nordquist (2023, April 5), just studying grammar alone will not make a language learner a better writer or speaker. However, when one gains an understanding of how language works, then one should also gain greater control over the way words are shaped in sentences and sentences into paragraphs. Basically, studying grammar may help in becoming an effective writer. Nordquist (2023, April 5), adds that descriptive grammarians advise us not to be overly concerned with matters of correctness. They say that in the history of grammar, the English language is a living entity of communication, it is a continually evolving affair. Words and phrases will come into vogue and then drop out of use. Over a period of centuries, word endings and complete sentence structures can change or disappear. Nordquist (2023, April 5) goes further by saying that prescriptive grammarians would rather give advice about language usage: straightforward rules to aid language users to not make errors. These rules maybe oversimplified at times, but they are meant to keep people out of trouble- the variety of trouble that may distract or confuse readers. David Crystal gives us six reasoning to learn grammar:

Accepting the Challenge: Humans have an insatiable curiosity about the world they live in and a desire to comprehend and, like with mountains, master it. In this way, grammar is just like any other field of knowledge;

B.    Being Human: However, language is a part of nearly every action we take as humans—more so than mountains. Without language, we could not survive. Gaining an understanding of the linguistic aspect of our existence would be a noteworthy accomplishment. Furthermore, grammar serves as the primary organizing framework for language;

C.    Exploring Our Creative Ability: Our proficiency with grammar is remarkable. It is most likely our most imaginative capacity. There is no restriction on what we can write or say, but there are only so many rules that can govern all of this potential. How is this carried out?

D.    Solving Problems: However, there are times when our language fails us. We come across ambiguity and incomprehensible writing or speech. In order to address these issues, we must examine grammar closely and determine what went wrong. This is particularly important when children are picking up standards from educated adults in their neighbourhood;

E.    Learning Other Languages: Acquiring knowledge of English grammar serves as a foundation for learning other languages. A large portion of the tools required to study English turns out to be broadly applicable. Adjectives, tenses, and clauses are also present in other languages. And if we have first understood what makes our mother tongue special, the differences they exhibit will be even more apparent;

F.     Increasing Our Awareness: After learning grammar, we ought to be more conscious of the richness, variety, and power of our language, which will improve both our ability to use it and assess how others use it. It is less certain whether this will actually lead to an improvement in our own usage. While increasing our awareness is necessary, putting that awareness into practice—that is, speaking and writing more effectively—requires the acquisition of new abilities. We can still drive recklessly even after taking a course on auto repair.

Teaching Adults Writing using the Communicative Approach for Adults.

  

We use language for communication. Writing is one aspect of this need to communicate. We write letters, memos, reports, forums, blogs, websites, stories -long and short, poems, songs, essays, emails and messages on social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and WhatsApp. All the afore mentioned acts are all for communication of one sort or the other. All the tasks are for communication that have a purpose for communication and a target audience. However, when English is taught in the classroom, it is taught using the didactic methodology, where the target audience is probably the teacher who corrects the writing and is the source of the language and writing text to be used. This is what is lacking in classrooms - communicating to a wider audience. School going children are not the only ones who teachers and tutors teach English. We also teach adults including those who are immigrants, foreign workers and refugees. The methodology used must enable them to write in English for various purposes and different kinds of texts.

Adults undertake studies for work purposes, including communicating with others correctly, applying for work, emigrating and furthering their education for personal enrichment or as described earlier for vocational and emigration purposes. They a wide spectrum of reading texts to be able to write and the product method is entirely unsuitable for them because they cannot use their creativity, diverse needs (writing emails, job applications, etc.) and critical thinking about what and how to write particular kinds of text.

But we must bear in mind that writing is difficult to teach. It is an act done in solo, in silence, involving physical effort and is time consuming. This will not appeal to teachers and students as an activity conducted in a classroom. Additionally, writing in the native language (L1), is already difficult, so imagine the target language or the language being learnt (L2).  We must take in to account the linguistic, psychological and cognitive challenges faced by adult students, not to mention financial, vocational and family challenges. Bear in mind that not many adults will write anything of length in their lives using pen and paper or a keyboard and computer. No spellchecker, grammarly or a dictionary. But then again this what they have to do in the classroom. 

Many adult learners are going sit for examinations set by IELTS and Cambridge Main Suite (of course if a teacher is using TOEFL or other English courses not set by Britain, it should be a similar situation for you). 

The tasks set for adult learners can be from textbooks that can aid them to muster their grammar and vocabulary while learning the four skills of writing, reading, listening and speaking. While textbooks cannot be avoided, they might not teach writing for diverse texts, such as a memo to a manager, applying for a permit of any kind, a letter to a government department or a business letter. 

The tasks set must be motivating, relevant and communicative. The tasks must be intellectually satisfying, let them understand their linguistic limitations and what needs to be addressed. Hence, learning materials must be developed or sourced to this end. Writing is best done in the classroom so that they can work with their classmates and homework set a per the syllabus if it required. Writing on a blog will be a fun way for them to use their writing skills if this is possible.

We can solve learning problems by using the communicative approach along with the process method of teaching writing such as;

1. Publish their writings on blogs or websites;
2. Publish their writings on social media such as Facebook, and Twitter;
3. Publish their work in newspapers or a class magazine;
4. Motivate them to write with a clear purpose and for a clear audience, for instance to an empower, relative pen friends or their fellow students;
5. Using group activities to write, group correction and group editing of work;
6. Support writing with reading which aids reding skills;
7. Let students write a speech and make the speech to their classmates with a question and answer session about the speech which aids with speaking and listening skills;
8. Find challenging and rewarding tasks which can support a variety of learning aims and integrate other skills and language systems, such as summarizing, project work, translation, writing up notes from interviews, and preparing a briefing or talk;
9. Use relevant and realistic tasks such as writing notes, recipes, e-mails, filling in forms and preparing signs for the class;
10. Respond to the content of the work that your learners give you as well as correcting the errors they make, by adding your own comments to their homework or establishing a dialogue through e-mail and learner diaries;
11. Make writing easier and more fun by doing group writing activities and group correction and editing of work. Process writing includes elements of this;
12. Support writing with reading. This not only helps learners develop the sub-skills they need but also helps them understand that good writing is a powerful and important communication tool.

The process method will use :

• text as a resource for comparison;
• ideas as starting point;
• more than one draft;
• more global, focus on purpose, theme, text type, i.e., reader is emphasized;
• collaborative;
• emphasis on creative process;
• use brainstorming techniques, such as using post-it notes and mind maps.

Teachers and Blogs : Blogging and Teaching.

  

Blogging is fun. Teaching is fun. If you have something that  you want to say and want to tell everyone who cares to read what you type because of what is boiling, bubbling and frothing away in your brain, then why not reach a global audience? The Internet and World Wide Web is full of apps and websites to exploit at your disposal. As a tutor/teacher and wanna be lecturer, like I wish..ha ha, I certainly blog away. Recently, I have been composing a thesis on blogging and its usefulness for teaching and learning. I read in one of the learned documents I downloaded that teachers as well as tutors, lecturers and trainers can exploit the blog as a teaching tool for our students or trainees or anyone in the anonymous Internet who wants to learn something useful. 

Just a bit about what is a blog and what is blogging. At its simplest, a blog , which is shortform for weblog, is a regularly updated website, well a mini website, that can either be used for personal use, business need or any other need to talk about something or tell something, like this blog. It is like an online diary or journal, but people use blogs for all manner of stuff. They aren't by any measure private, , well they are on the Internet which is a global public place. They are usually created for an audience. they are usually relaxed and comfortable. Blogging is just the the process of creating blog posts like this one and the other posts I have on my blogs, and then publishing them. Blogging often is about sharing long-form or short-form articles on any subject. There are no hard and fast rules on what you post on a blog.

Why should an educator by any definition create a blog? Well, there are clever and pertinent answers to the question. Actually, you can share hyperlinks for resources for your student's learning if you are using a a separate teacher's blog. It is a great place for you to link with your students' blogs and the class blog using hyperlinks. Blogging allows shy students who don't want to say anything in the classroom to voice their thoughts on your blog. Your teacher's blog can be a place to showcase exemplary and successful class projects, ideas and pictures taken on field trips. It is also a place for you to share lesson plans. lesson ideas, projects and reflections with your fellow educators. Blogging is also a great way to improve your reading skills. When you are reading blogs, you are improving your reading skills. You are actively synthesizing information and thinking critically about them. Besides those, when you write blog posts you are building a library of posts which people can browse through and gain information, ideas and insights. You are in effect serving others just s they serve you with their blogs. You can visit my other blog which is a library in itself: https://the-eclectic-tutor.blogspot.com/

A blogger can his or her blog into a forum for global citizenship. Every blog is a on a global wide public place called the Internet. You are a global citizen. I myself have an audience from many countries and that make feel proud that anonymous people are reading what I post on my blog. A an educator you are keeping ahead of your students. Because you can see their difficulties, apprehensions, desires and interests clearly on a blog. A blog allows an educator to showcase his or her students' work as the educator's work as well. An educator can post explanations to queries and doubts. An educator can post assignments on a blog.

So whether you are an educator, student or a lay person you know know something about something important. Happy Blogging.

Comments please.

The Eclipse of the Mind.

Deep ,deep in the deepest recesses of the night, there stalks a shadow. It transcends far beyond the physical celestial eclipse observable in the cosmos. When phantoms and shadows dance in the night, there is silent stalker called the eclipse of the mind. A cosmological event that boils and bubbles in the mind at night when silent slumber dawns on us.

The mind is an expansive universe all on its own. A cosmic event in its own right in the depths of the mind. This mental eclipse causes the convergence of notions in opposition to each other. It is the challenges issued to dreams and nightmares, the radiance of reason at war with the darkness of uncertainty. The furious unrelenting war between confidence and apprehension, happiness at war with sadness. Ideas that glow radiant, now confront the cloak of being obscured. It is like the cold moon casting its shadow over the fiery sun.

This eclipse is not the eclipse of the sun, so watched wit eagerness. It is the violent interplay of thoughts screaming through the braincells like racing cars. The mind is in itself a cosmic dance, the interplay of light ad darkness, of good and bad. of confidence and apprehension, of illumination and shadow. 

In the quagmire of this mental eclipse, the mind is the scrutinizer of thoughts, at a time deep in the night of silent slumber, the passage of thoughts, race like demons, to be filtered and refined at the waking hourrs.

My little angels ~ Goodbye.

In your innocence, not knowing right or wrong

Laughing, you fly into the arms of God

I compose this poem teary eyed

Heaven's door is waiting for you

Fly, fly my little angels

Bombs and bullets don't care

Sent to you by a cruel race

Who claim they are a special people

What kind of God decrees that

Fly, fly my little angels

Suddenly, with the drop of a bomb

Dropped by a murderer flying high in the sky

You had to die

Not knowing that they don't care

Fly, fly my little angels

A self-proclaimed bunch of liars

They have willing minions 

Who will die for this odious race

Cruel eyes laid upon you

Fly, fly my little angels

You are now free of the troubles of the earth

Flying on wings, you can laugh

Innocent laughter is precious

More precious that all the wealth in the world

Fly, fly my little angels

The Night.

The night falls on us like a shroud

The moon rises accompanied by the stars

The sun has gone to rest in its bed

Quiet falls on the world of the dark

The deep of the night greets its stalkers

Bats, lizards and crickets

Their sounds resonate in the dark

The moon and the stars bear silent witness

To the creatures of the night

Alone by myself I sit

In the silence of the night, I am alone

In the depths of my mind, I travel

Into the winding library of my thoughts

My solace in what I can achieve

My sorrow in what I will lose

My friends of the night, the moon and the stars

Prayer to Agni -the Lord of Fire.

 

Agni, My Lord of Fire

The giver of the fire of Purity

I pay homage to thee

Master of the Fire the purifies

In my mind, I bring forth thoughts

Which my intellect then churns

Agni, Minister of Sacrifice of Sin

The giver of the wealth of purity

More precious than all the gold in the world

My Lord of Fire, burn away the sins which I have accumulated

To be burnt as sacrifice in exchange for the riches of purity

Agni, Minster, Chief, Lord and God of Fire.

The Magical Stairway Tree ~ A Poem.

 

Dwelling in a secret forest where magic is at play

In it stands a magical tree proud in the brightness of day

Its trunk has bark of shimmering gold

This is the Magical Stairway Tree of old

A staircase winds up its trunk 

A magical passage thrusting into the sky

Leading to a mysterious place no one knows

Each step, in harmony play like harps

With each step, the journey starts

Its leaves whisper, like melodious violins

Each step takes the adventurer on his quest

Is there at the end a treasure chest

An enchanted tree leading to the sky

A child of nature of mystical intrigue

In the mind of the climber, a mysterious way

To the deepest realms beyond reality's gate

The mind is like a magical tree

Each step of thought takes you higher

Beyond the incipient seed of a thought

Working as busy as a bee

Up the winding stairway of thought

Each step increasing in depth

Into the deep of thought

Until the final step, where the conclusion is reached

Stargate ~ A Poem.

 

Beyond the expanse of the void,

Deep in the darkest corner of the cosmos,

In secret the Stargate lies,

A great portal to other universes,

A great secret still untold,

The portal is the passage through space and time,

Realms unknown , unseen and unthought, 

Cosmic secrets hidden in the void,

Galaxies beyond the perceptions of the mind,

In serenity the portal awaits,

It is the Stargate, the link to another universe,

A separate span of space and time,

The doorway to other alien worlds,

Where cosmic dreams fly to the stars,

to far worlds, sublime, unknown, unseen , all so serene,

The Stargate is a fable to be proven real,

A mystical key to that is not a dream,

To alien worlds that only rest in imaginations,

To such wonders beyond our wildest dreams,

In what we can see will even be surreal,

A ring of marvel, adorned with undeciphered script,

Built by alien sages long ago, whose names are unknown,

The ring hums with power, offering promise and wonder,

Persuading the discoverer to enter,

Then take flight to worlds of wonder,

The Stargate is a wormhole's gatekeeper,

A cosmic bridge, to beyond present space and time,

Through which the journey to a universe that is another,

The spectacular guardian, in the cosmos, it does reside,

The cosmic doorkeeper,

To travel to far off alien shores,

To tread on alien lands,

To seek other beings,

To see the beams of alien suns

Starlight Scorpion ~ A Poem.

Starlight Scorpion, dancing in the fiery sky,

Stylish dancer,  naughty prancer, with grace, up so high,

With sparkling armor, a warrior's stride,

You swagger in the heavens, far and wide, with a warrior's pride,

Carrying your deadly sting high on your tail,

Your sting is filled with lethal poison, you shake your tail,

Through the vast endless void of the Milky Way,

Shimmering and shining, you have your way,

Stealthily crawling the depths of space, 

Boldly daringly, space is your home,

A  stalker of the night, the universe is your home.

With your sharp claws, you crack meteors,

Commander of the darkness, you wield the night's prowess,

Dancing with a sinister ballet, you enchant all in the depths of the night,

Your strange ethereal deadly beauty is a breathtaking sight,

Oh! starlight scorpion, mysterious, sinister and surreal,

Stalking comets, meteors, and planets, you are so lethal,

Oh, Starlight Scorpion, stalker in the cosmic sea

Full of wonder and mystery.

Traverser of the galaxy, eternally you will be,

A sneaky killer of the night, born to be wild and free.

Beyond the Physical ~ A Poem.

What is matter but the five elements

What is the mind but beyond physical limits

The physical can be seen, touched and sensed

It is the metaphysical that can never be touched

Beyond the abilities of the instruments of science 

I sit here in deep meditation

My mind, my intellect in deliberation

I am not the body which can die

I am the spirit that resides in this mass of atoms

It is I who live and gives life to this machine

I sing the body electric into each fibre

I travel in my mind to beyond the physical limits

I am a spirit, I am a soul

I am not nature's child

I am the child of the metaphysical 

The Great Divide ~ A Poem.

Yawning is the gap beneath our feet

Differences make the divide

Differences of opinion, ideas, policies

Not seeing the commonality of existence

Money, power, resources and greed

Dividing and conquering, the elite's greed

Seeking power over others, their creed

Religion, race, and anything is used

To create the divide among all on Earth

Blood and tears, shed in vain

Power politicians and religious charlatans

All create the Great divide

Humanity no longer has meaning

The great divide has brought it to its end

The Bridge~ A Poem.

Uniting two separate ends

Set in strong foundations

A focal point for opposing teams

Then can dialog begin

The bridge is more than it seems

Subtle is its message

Meeting half way in compromise

Compromise to end conflict

A venue for making peace

Or just a business deal

The bridge reminds us the distance

The distance that can be breached 

Indra, My Lord ~ A Poem.

 

Oh Indra, Lord of the heavens, so high

Thunderer , striker with Vajra

With rapture and terror, striker of demons 

Striker of lightning,  ruling the skies

Seated on celestial heights

With mighty rapture you state your will

King of the Gods of the Aryavarta

You are manly and splendid

With thunderous roar and lightning nigh,

Reigning over Varuna, Rudra and all the other Gods

Striker of lightning with mighty vajra

In the pantheon of gods, you reign,

A celestial power, no mortal can feign

Mighty, manly Indra, my Lord and Master

The singers sing pious songs

All in supplication to you master thunderer

Wielder of the mighty vajra

Battler of the vile serpent

Split in the middle by the vajra

Ride in the skies, unchallenged, mighty Indra

Slayer of the serpent,  Oh, my Lord

You are the beacon of light, when the darkness of the demons stalk

Drinker of soma ,Giver of life

Supreme judge ,Might warrior

Leader of the Aryans

Lands beyond noble Aryavarta

Your own kingdom in Bharatvarsha

Bow the men of the Earth to Aryavarta and Indra

With your valiant steed your ride unchallenged

Glorious vajra, thunderbolt so bright

So deadly, so fierce, Demons take fright

In you chariot you ride across the universe

On your mighty elephant, mighty mirgahastin

Airavata, your noble marble white steed

Guiding the chariot where the sun does rise

Moonshadow ~ A Poem.

 

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you follow me wherever I go

The night does not alarm me because you are my companion

I can loose my mind, so what, I don't need to worry

I can loose my money, but I won't beg

I can loose my friends, I will be better off all alone

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you follow me wherever I go

The night sky is my blanket

I can go to another country, no one will know me

I can swim in the sea, great, I can see what lies beneath

I can die, so what, my troubles will be over

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you follow me wherever I go

My friend the moon is my teacher

I can learn anything from books, but that is temporary

I can fly in a jet, great, I can see the world

I can sing a song of joy, who cares if no one listens to me

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you are my trusty charioteer

I stalk in the night deep in my thoughts

If I loose all my money, so what, I have myself

If I ever meet God, after questioning me, I will question him

I can dream many dreams, great, I can entertain myself 

Critical Thinking - Asking the Right Questions.

 

Critical Questions.

In critical thinking, we know that we need to think carefully with attention, awareness, analysis and independent judgement. Yet there is something else that we must be cognizant about- it is an important attribute. That attribute is critical questions. Asking critical questions provides a stimulus and direction that propels us towards a continual ongoing search for  better options, decisions, or judgements. As such, we can define critical thinking as :

1. The awareness of a set of interrelated questions;
2. The ability to ask and answer critical questions at an appropriate time; and the
3. The desire to actively use the critical questions.

Note: Critical thinking consists of an awareness of a set interrelated critical questions, plus the ability to ask and answer them at appropriate times.

Thinking Styles.

There are two thinking styles or approaches that we must know about - The Sponge Approach and the Panning for Gold Approach. 

Sponge Approach.

The sponge approach is where we absorb information about the world. The advantage with the sponge approach is a process where the more information we absorb about the world, the more we are capable of understanding its complexities. The knowledge acquired provides a foundation for more complicated thinking later. A second advantage of the sponge approach is it is a relatively passive way to absorb information. There is no active listening or active reading. There is no interaction with what is being heard or read. The sponge approach does not require strenuous mental effort. It tends to be a rather quick and easy way to absorb knowledge, especially when the material is presented in a clear and interesting fashion. The primary mental effort involves concentration and memory. Absorbing information provides a productive start towards becoming a thoughtful person. But the approach has a serious drawback. It does not provide a method for deciding which opinion or information to believe and which to reject. Those who read like the sponge approach will believe everything they read or hear. Such people are mental puppets of whosoever they encounter. Decisions become accidents of association , instead of reflective judgements. People who follow the sponge approach do not choose what to believe or not to believe and what to reject or not. There is passive reception to what is heard or read without proper deliberation, attention, awareness, analysis and independent judgement. There is no interactivity to what is heard or read. The alternative to the sponge approach is the Panning for Gold Approach. The panning for gold approach is a process that provides a model for active readers , critical readers and active listeners as they try to determine the worth of what they read and hear. It is a challenging and tedious task, but it comes rich with tremendous reward. 

 Panning for Gold Approach.

The alternative approach is the Panning for Gold Approach. The process of the panning for gold approach provides a model for active readers critical readers and active listeners as they try to determine the worth of what they read or hear. It is a challenging and tedious task, but it comes rich with tremendous reward. This model of thinking requires active reading and active listening skills. In the panning for gold approach, the critical thinker sifts through the information interactively. The panning for gold reader asks himself a number of questions designed to uncover the best available decisions or beliefs. The reader who uses this approach frequently questions why the author or speaker makes various claims. He writes notes to himself in the margins indicating problems with the reasoning. He continually interacts with the material. His intent is to critically evaluate the material and formulate personal conclusions based on the evaluation.

The differences between the Sponge Approach and the Panning for Gold Approach:

Sponge Approach	Panning for Gold Approach
Emphasizes knowledge acquisition	Emphasizes/stresses active interaction with knowledge acquisition
There is no interaction with knowledge	There is interaction with knowledge
Reading and listening are done passively	Reading and listening are done actively and critically.
There is no evaluation of knowledge with arguments	There is evaluation of knowledge with arguments
There is passive participation with knowledge. Knowledge is not questioned	There is active participation with knowledge. Knowledge is questioned.

The Myth of the Right Answer - Is there such a thing?

Is there such a thing as aright answer? Our ability to answer questions often is dependent on the type of question that puzzles us. Is the question a social question, that is one about something we human beings debate about such as business, engineering, law or politics, such as should sanctions be imposed on a country? is it worthwhile to allow the sale of marijuana from pharmacies?  is it a scientific one, such as what is the distance of a moon from a planet?, and how old is a sword made thousands of years ago? or how much body fat does a fish have? When it comes to scientific questions such as the availability of oxygen on an exoplanet, the density of gold in an ore or the amount of cholesterol in your body can obtain reasonably accurate answers. They are answers a reasonable person can accept. This is because the physical world is in certain ways more dependable or predictable. There are ways to calculate, measure, observe and determine as compared to the social world. In physical sciences we can often arrive at the "right answer". But in social questions it is difficult to arrive at a "right answer". 

Questions about human behavior are different. That is because human behavior is unpredictable. The causes of human behavior are very complex resulting in that we cannot do more than to form intelligent guesses about why and when certain behavior will occur Additionally, because many of us care a great deal about explanations or descriptions of human behavior , we rather prefer that explanations or descriptions  of the rate of unemployment, the rate of inflation, the rate of foreign investment, the frequency of school dropouts at secondary level or the causes of domestic abuse, the causes of deforestation, that are consistent with what we believe. So, we bring our preferences to any discussion of those issues and resist arguments that are not consistent with them. Due to human behavior being so controversial and complex, the best answers we can find for many questions about our behavior will be probabilistic in nature. We couldn't hope to know with confidence what effects exercise has on our mental health, even if we were aware of all the available data.

Even yet, we still have to make a commitment to a specific plan of action if we want to avoid turning into "hollow men" or "nowhere women." But we will be far more receptive to the arguments made by those attempting to convince us to change our beliefs if we accept that our commitments are founded on probability rather than certainty. We might be mistaken about several of our views, after all. The questions that demand the most examination, regardless of the nature of the inquiry, are typically ones on which "reasonable people" cannot agree. In actuality, a lot of problems are fascinating precisely because there is a lot of debate on how to address them. In any debate, multiple points of view are involved. There are several valid points of support for various perspectives. Seldom will a stance on a social dispute allow you to declare, "This is unquestionably the correct position on the issue." Reasonable people wouldn't be discussing the matter if such certainty could be achieved. This essay will concentrate on these kinds of societal disputes.

The purpose of this essay is to provide you with the abilities necessary to formulate the best and most logical response possible, taking into account the problem's nature and the information at hand, even though we may not always find the "right answer" to societal issues. Usually, one must make decisions in the face of uncertainty. Frequently, we won't have the time or resources to find out all the pertinent information on a choice we have to make. Asking all the proper questions, for instance, is foolish when a loved one is complaining of excruciating chest pain and wants you to take him to the ER.

Thinking and Feeling:

You come across a conclusion for the first time with a background. You now know how to support certain causes, care about specific issues, and reject certain kinds of assertions. As a result, you always begin to question preexisting beliefs. You are emotionally attached to these preexisting beliefs. Since these are your opinions, it makes sense that you would want to defend them. This is an important topic to emphasize. Every decision we make is influenced by a wealth of personal baggage, including past experiences, goals, morals, education, and cultural norms. But in order to develop, you must acknowledge these emotions and, to the extent that you are able, set them aside for a while. You won't be able to listen intently to arguments from others that contradict or challenge your views until you make the effort. This transparency is crucial since a lot of our own opinions are not very rational; rather, they are the opinions of others, to which we have grown emotionally through time. Oftentimes, in fact, we take it personally when someone expresses an opinion that differs from our own. 

Being emotionally invested in a situation increases your risk of ignoring potential valid arguments for opposing viewpoints, which, if you were to listen to them, might be enough to convince you to alter your views.

Remember: Accepting or rejecting a position shouldn't be based mostly on emotional factors. Emotional involvement should ideally peak once thinking has taken place. Therefore, when reading, be careful not to let your emotions separate you from the arguments of people who you initially disagree with. Successful active learners are those who are open to changing their opinions. If you want to ever change your opinion, you have to be as receptive as you can be to concepts that at first seem strange or perilous. But critical minds are not automatons. Many topics are very important to them. Their willingness to put in all the effort required for critical thinking reveals the depth of that concern. But since critical thinkers are aware that their current views are subject to change, any passion they may feel is restrained.

Is it efficient to ask the question , "Who Cares?":

Asking good questions can be difficult but rewarding job. You will care significantly more about some disputes than others. You'll want to invest less time and effort in critically analyzing a dispute when its effects on you and your community are minor compared to more significant controversies. For instance, it makes sense to critically assess arguments in favor of and against the preservation of endangered species because taking a different stance on this matter has significant societal repercussions. Spending time determining whether blue is the preferred color of the majority of company executives is less useful. Your time has worth. Ask yourself, "Who cares?" before spending the time to analyze a problem.

Strong-sense Critical Thinking and Weak-sense Critical Thinking:

In critical thinking, we must take a stand or a position on an issue or argument. We could be faced with issues such as; Was the decision to impose the General Sales Tax at 15% right? Should the sale of alcohol be allowed to 16 year olds? Should the country be involved in foreign military campaigns? Is the President of Russia correct in not taking part in the trade talks? We will then be compelled to take a stand on such arguments or issues. Thus, we can use our critical thinking in two ways. Our critical thinking can be used to either (1) defend or (2) evaluate and revise our initial beliefs. By using the distinction between weak sense

and strong-sense critical thinking they can helps us appreciate these two antagonistic uses of critical thinking. 

Note: Strong-sense critical thinking is the use of the same skills to evaluate all claims and beliefs, especially our own.

Weak-sense critical thinking is the use of critical thinking to defend your current beliefs.

When we use critical thinking to defend our initial beliefs or we are paid to defend, then we are using weak-sense critical thinking. It is weak because to use critical thinking in this way is to be unconcerned with moving truth or virtue. The purpose of weak-critical thinking is to resist and destroy opinions different from ours. When we seek domination and victory over those who disagree with us as the sheer objective of critical thinking is to wreak the potentially humane and progressive aspects of critical thinking.

In contrast, strong-sense critical thinking requires the critical thinker to question all claims, including their own. By forcing ourselves to critically examine our initial beliefs, we help protect against self-deception and conformity. it is easy for us to stick with current beliefs, particularly when many people share them. but when we take this easy road, we run the great risk of making errors we could otherwise avoid.

The Satisfaction of Using the Panning-for-Gold Approach:

Critical thinkers find great satisfaction when to say "no" to an idea or opinion and to know why the response is inappropriate. If we regularly use the panning for gold approach, then anything that enters our minds will have been systematically examined first. When an idea or belief does pass the criteria developed here, it will make sense to agree with it - or at least until new evidence appears. Just imagine the great feeling when we know why we should ignore or accept a particular piece of advice. Frequently, those faced with an opinion different from their own respond by saying, "Oh, that's just your opinion." But the issue should not be whose opinion it is, but rather whether it is a good opinion. The sponge approach is often satisfying because it permits us to accumulate information. Though this approach is productive, there is much more gratification in being a participant in a meaningful dialogue with the writer or speaker. Reading and listening become much richer as we begin to see things that others may have missed. As we learn to select information and opinions systematically, we will probably desire to read more and more in a lifelong effort to decide which advice makes sense.

Critical Thinking and Effective Communication:

Many of the skills we will learn, as we become a more critical thinker, will improve the quality of our writing and speaking. As we write and speak, it helps to be aware of the expectations careful thinkers will have. Because our objective is communication, many of the questions the thoughtful person will ask in evaluating our speech or writing should serve as guides for our own attempts to communicate well.

References:

1. Browne, (M.N.)., & Keeley, (S.M). (2007). Asking the Right Questions.

          Pearson Prentice Hall.

2. Harris, R. (2021, January 9). Virtual Salt. 

         https://www.virtualsalt.com/introduction-to-critical-thinking/

Milky Way ~ A Poem.

 

Like a lord you spin

Majestic lord where my home is in

Powerful and magic you are 

Churning away in space

The dark void filled with your kind of many shapes and colors

Spinning with huge gravitational magnetic forces

Awesome to behold and mind blogging to comprehend

Majestic glowing lord of the universe

What power, what force, mighty milky way

Star lights so Bright ~ A Poem.

 

Star lights so bright

Glistening beacons deep in the night

I gaze upon each of you all alone in the dark

Wondering what you will say to me 

In secret whispers what lies my fortune

Star lights so bright

My companions of the night

Lonely I feel not my companions in the dark

The black canvas of the night laced scattered with gleaming stars

My distant companions blazing in the dark

Star lights so bright 

Beaming at me in the night

As I ponder alone about life

The nocturnal wind blows cold

Cooling the earth for tomorrow

With silent whispers you speak to me