Intellectual Discipline and Integrity

In the recent posting by Prof A, he asks, "Is there any reason to think that us regular folks have a lot of intellectual discipline and integrity?  Enough to avoid the effects of confirmation bias and the rest? Does anyone?"  I believe we do have intellectual discipline and integrity.  But, it is perhaps only a 50 or so on a scale of 100; I will call this the "IDI score".  This is better than 25, but not as good as 75 and perhaps 75, as a population average, is a practical limit on a group of humans.  I am fine with that, but clearly a 50 can cause problems - I often typify this set of problems by remarking that people know the answer before they have heard the question.  Knowing the answer before hearing the question is a hallmark of the lack of intellectual discipline and integrity.  We need better IDI scores in a democracy where citizens make a lot of decisions, on a daily basis, which have direct impact on how the society functions and how the culture develops and replicates itself.   

If we are to move from 50 to 75 IDI score, how can that be done?  Despite the real impact of the media, which is often negative, schools are the common access point to the population's development of reasoning skills.  A fundamental social purpose of schooling is to increase our individual IDI scores in order to increase the population average.  Unfortunately, as with most things, the study of philosophy or critical thinking/reasoning is self-selecting.  The people taking it seriously and those not taking it seriously are inversely related to those who could stand to benefit the most.  (sidebar: We certainly also need some folks who are in the low 90s IDI scores, the more the better, which is rarified air to be certain.  It would be great if we could develop a test for this capacity that people could take just like an ACT exam. )

On a systems analysis viewpoint, it is important that real critical thinking be part of the rubric for all educational curriculums:  math, science, English, philosophy, business, art, theater, sales, and so on.  This skill and the commitment to intellectual integrity should be a discipline that imbues all coursework at all levels of schooling; from K-grad school.  But, the skill is not the only issue.  The Dalai Lama has said intelligence and schooling are very important, but a pure heart and good motivation are more important.  A smart person without these virtues is more dangerous than someone less capable.  He makes a good point.  Thanks!  Todd