Philosophers, artists, poets, and politicians have all debated the nature of knowledge and whether or not we should question the things we are taught. However, with the scientific method and the rise of scientific inquiry, the ‘accepted wisdom’ became that we should do the opposite – accept whatever we are taught without question.

The scientific method has become the backbone of the modern world’s understanding of the world. From Newtonian physics to modern medicine, the scientific method is the driving force behind all of the breakthroughs that have led to modern civilization. However, the scientific method takes for granted that scientists, researchers, and doctors have control over the environment with which they work and will not encounter anything unexpected. Thus, if something does arise, the scientist or researcher must either disregard it or refine their theory to account for it. This assumption is flawed, however, when we take population biology into account. If, for example, a large number of people that appear to be in good health suddenly begin to die from a disease, then we must question not only the disease but also the population at large.

If the human population was isolated, it would be simple enough for scientists to assume the cause was some epidemic. However, because the human race is not separated, we must look at the bigger picture. There may be other environmental factors whose presence or absence has not yet been identified. For example, there may have been a change in the sun’s radiation that caused an epidemic. Or, perhaps there is a parasitic disease that is carried by rodents and is carried by humans. Instead of merely treating the symptoms of the disease, we must address the causes as well, or else people will continue dying until the problem has been solved. However, this assumption also fails when we consider the fact that a combination of factors causes most diseases and epidemics. No one factor can be isolated, and instead of merely treating the symptoms, we must treat both the disease and its causes.

This begs the question: what is the purpose of education? If education aims to teach students to accept what they are taught and ignore any evidence to the contrary, then it is a wasted resource. However, education is primarily meant to introduce students to think critically and engage in inquiry. When students are told what to think, they no longer feel the need to seek out the truth. In turn, they disengage their critical thinking skills and merely accept what is in front of them. In this way, they are no longer true learners but robotic automatons that repeat their information. Unless education moves away from rote memorization and into inquiry-based learning, today’s students will find themselves utterly unprepared for the modern world.

The greatest sin a teacher can commit is to assume that a student has complete faith in what they are told. If a teacher does not take the student’s doubts seriously, they will never question what they believe, and they will never be able to think critically. Without the ability to question and doubt, knowledge is powerless. Only by questioning and doubting are we able to move forward.