Introduction
Previously published views on various aspects of critical thinking have managed to identify certain inadequacies associated with reasoning. One such inadequacy involves a lack of sufficient experiences, a set of data, or facts that would be regarded as being consistent with the level of thinking of an individual. The aspect of critical thinking usually demands higher levels of intellectual autonomy. Studies have established that intellectual autonomy helps in the promotion and utilization of certain unique potentials and capabilities existing within individuals engaging in a thinking process.
Difference between Activated Ignorance and Activated Knowledge
Activated ignorance implies the internalization and active use of false information while mistakenly thinking that such information is true. On the other hand, activated knowledge involves absorbing into the mind combined with active utilization of truthful or factual information upon obtaining a more insightful understanding. The reasoning by Ravetz (2017) establishes that unlike activated ignorance, the concept of activated knowledge implies the acquisition of increased knowledge that continues to become more beneficial. Individuals whose actions and decisions are inspired through activated knowledge have significant potential and capability when it comes to the conceptualization of profitable ideas in the mind and their systematic application to new circumstances and situations.
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Different scholars have always held the view that activated ignorance is capable of influencing individuals to understand, situations, experiences, events, things, and people that they would, otherwise, have struggled to understand. In this regard, people who operate under the influence of activated ignorance tend to act based on misconceptions, illusions, and false opinions often resulting in unnecessary suffering, pain, and wastage of resources. In contrast, activated knowledge plays a critical role in facilitating people's understanding through logical analysis ( Morvan, 2011). In this way, people are in a better position to the logic associated with historical thinking to obtain a deeper understanding of the trend followed by the occurrence of certain events. A deeper and broader understanding of the logic behind history makes it more convenient for individuals to activate their knowledge.
From the perspective of critical thinking, Ravetz (2017) emphasizes that activated knowledge is often derived from the systematic application of dynamic seminal views and ideas to common situations. In this way, this systematic application makes it possible for people to infer additional information and knowledge. The views held by Morvan (2011) are critical of the tendency of critical ignorance in creating grounds for numerous actions committed by a multitude of people. In other circumstances, a misconception linked to activated ignorance may originate from an individual in a restricted environment of reasoning.
Unlike activated ignorance, activated knowledge has significant potentials in virtually all legitimate disciplines of humans. Based on first principles and fundamental concepts of information and knowledge, there are possibilities of experiencing an integration of experience and the power of thought ( Ravetz, 2017). The discovery of activated knowledge is most likely to originate from the habit of developing an attitude and a habit of seeking the logic of things. Besides, activated knowledge is fundamentally different from activated ignorance in the sense that it represents a more powerful way of the acquisition of beneficial and useful information. Activated knowledge is also considered as a critical component in ensuring that the process of leaning is effectively incorporated in human life.
Contrary to activated knowledge, activated ignorance has always proved to be dangerous in various situations where it has existed. Some of the traditions, cultures, and beliefs that are held by people are worth questioning before acting upon them based on activated ignorance since they may be associated with considerable implications for suffering, injuries, or harm to others. Besides, there are reasonable grounds upon which people are likely to suppose that everyone holds certain beliefs arising from activated ignorance. In that regard, humans are always charged with the responsibility of trying to work and eliminate such beliefs before they can result in suffering, pain, and wastage of resources ( Morvan, 2011).
A practical example of activated ignorance involves a situation where a person decides to drive a car while under the influence of alcohol and believing that he or she will safely arrive at the expected destination. In this case, the drive may not be in a position to make the right judgments and decisions while driving but he still goes ahead to drive based on the confidence that he derives from activated ignorance. Another situation would involve an individual who holds the belief that eating junk food and avoiding physical exercise is not linked to any considerable health problems ( Ravetz, 2017). In this situation, the presence of activated ignorance appears to make it quite difficult for such as an individual to be cognizant of the relationship that exists between lifestyle and health effects.
The concept of activated ignorance is crucial despite the possibility of determining the misleading or false nature of a given set of data or information ( Morvan, 2011). However, it is necessary to always acknowledge clear-cut situations and circumstances of activated ignorance as a way of boosting personal vigilance and avoiding potential loss or suffering. There are several situations in which people have acted wrongly based on their beliefs that have been inspired by the concept of activated ignorance without realizing that they have acted as agents of loss, pain, or suffering.
Critical Thinking Demands High Levels of Intellectual Autonomy
High levels of intellectual autonomy are crucial to critical thinking for several reasons. One of the reasons why critical thinking demands high levels of intellectual autonomy is the need to recognize the independence and various capabilities with which individuals are endowed when it comes to the art of reasoning and the thought process (Kaplan, 2016). Moreover, intellectual autonomy presents individuals with the freedom and liberty to analyze and question issues more effectively as part of the process of critical thinking.
Intellectual autonomy usually focuses on the achievement of the ability and willingness of an individual to express or utilize thinking for him or herself. In that respect, an individual who is capable of demonstrating intellectual autonomy has a higher likelihood of approaching issues from the perspective of critical thinking, which often helps in the formation and shaping of his or her beliefs. Critical thinking usually requires an individual to move away from being just a receptacle for ideas and information that are created by others ( Kaplan, 2016). Instead, critical thinking expects an individual to be intellectually autonomous and actively participate in the generation of ideas and developing his or her reflections, judgments, as well as the formulation of probing inquiries.
Nonetheless, it is worth pointing out that intellectually autonomy ought to be tempered and balanced through the incorporation of certain virtues such as intellectual trust and intellectual humility. In that regard, a successful application of the aspect of critical thinking would demand a higher level of intellectual autonomy as a way of acknowledging individual prowess while accepting the existing intellectual limits (Kaplan, 2016).
Conclusion
In summing up, several fundamental and significant differences exist between activated ignorance and activated knowledge. While activated ignorance involves active utilization of false information mistakenly thought to be true, activated knowledge focuses on absorbing and using truthful or factual information by receiving more insightful understanding. It is also noteworthy that critical thinking usually demands higher levels of intellectual autonomy as a way of acknowledging and utilizing the independence and various capabilities existing within individuals through the thought process.
References
Kaplan, L. (2016). Teaching Intellectual Autonomy: The Failure of the Critical Thinking
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Morvan, P. (2011). Knowledge, Ignorance, and True Belief. Theoria , 77 (1), 32-41. doi:
10.1111/j.1755-2567.2010.01083.x
Ravetz, J. (2017). Usable Knowledge, Usable Ignorance. Knowledge , 9 (1), 87-116. doi:
10.1177/107554708700900104
