Bertrand Russell's Ten Commandments of Critical Thinking

As a part of our series of foundational posts on critical thinking, today I am sharing with you the very popular ten commandments of critical thinking given by Bertrand Russell in an article published in a 1951 edition of the New York Times Magazine :-

1. 1) Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
2. 2) Do not think it worthwhile to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.
3. 3) Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.
4. 4) When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavour to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.
5. 5) Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.
6. 6) Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.
7. 7) Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
8. 8) Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.
9. 9) Be scrupulously truthful even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.
10. 10) Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.

Read them, think about them and put them into application. Abraham Lincoln has said "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” These initial few posts on the blog are a part of this "sharpening the axe" exercise. A couple of articles more on thinking, and then, once the ground is prepared, we'll move ahead with more general articles.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”: