Online arguments are common but they rarely result in anyone actually changing his or her mind.
All that purse-swinging might make us feel like we’re bravely defending something but it seldom leaves us better informed for having participated.
It’s easy to have strong opinions on a variety of subjects that are trending but it’s also quite humbling when we discover that we’re functionally illiterate in things that actually matter.
The way in which we approach learning can have real impact upon whether we become independent thinkers or ideologues.
This is when the power of heuristic learning can open those doors that are currently closed.
Heuristic learning is built upon seeking truth — whatever that truth may be.
This requires original research and tireless effort to discover and learn the facts.
It also requires a degree of courage to challenge what we already know.
Eristic learning is based in fighting with words and utilizing specious or flawed reasoning.
In this model of learning, achieving victory is more important than discovering truth.
It absolves the individual from any personal responsibility to seek truth by virtue of the ideology they hold.
It presumes that anyone who disagrees is the enemy.
Whether we approach life with a heuristic or eristic viewpoint is greatly influenced by how we learn and whether or not we choose to combine our identity with an ideology.
Each of us is more than qualified to examine the world and to make our own assumptions.
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