Issue Task

Students should always question what they are taught instead of accepting it passively.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

According to the great German philosopher, G.W.F. Hegel, "the human spirit wins its truth, when, in utter dismemberment, it finds itself".  Lesser philosophers often make cryptic statements like this with little concern for how they will be interpreted; but, not Hegel.  Hegel has given us lengthy books meticulously explaining what he meant by this claim.  As the founder of the discipline of critical theory, a discipline that teaches students how to think critically, and question authority, Hegel would surely give the following interpretation to his claim.  People learn best and achieve excellence most often when they struggle with the content of their learning.  Let me explain.

Some people believe that students should not question their teachers and the truths that they purport to communicate.  

Consider two situations.  Imagine that a college freshmen fresh out of high school walks into a college level algebra class and begins to disrupt the professors lectures with his challenging questions.  Some might think that this probity of the student ought to be squashed immediately.  

Now, imagine another case.  An untraditional American teen decides to skip college altogether and take a job working under the sun as a roofer.  As an apprentice, some might think that it would be quite impudent for this boy to challenge and question the job foreman's methods of laying shingle. Surely, this sort of question would only halt production and slow economic growth for the company.  

However, in both situations, there are strong reasons to believe that the students are providing an excellent opportunity not only for themselves, but for their elders that have years of experience to share.  On the one hand, by questioning the algebra instructor or the expert roofer, the student exposes his own ignorance and paves the way for the instructor to obviate this glaring lack in their pupil.  On the other hand, it provides an excellent opportunity for the instructor to renew their passion for their field by rehearsing their immense knowledge and expertise.  Surely, it would be a sad state of affairs if the elders in a community were unwilling to help the younger generation in their efforts to grow and ultimately develop the "company".  We can, then, dismiss the alternative to questioning authority.  

But, what, then, are the reasons for maintaining that students ought to question what they are taught?  As the previous examples demonstrate, it must be the case that questioning received wisdom helps to solidify knowledge and increase skill.  And this is exactly what Hegel meant in his cryptic claim that we win our truth in our struggle.  Think back to a time when you personally may have struggled with a difficult math problem or a problem of organizing a home.  Without a doubt, by struggling with the content of your beliefs and the beliefs of others about how the problem should be solved, you firmly encoded into your mind various solutions, and sometimes their pitfalls, and in this way, paved the way for your own unique and artful solution.  This, then, is the strong reason why we should always accept the challenges of students.  They are, first and foremost, and may I add, admittedly, learners.  They are, therefore, in the business of finding out their problems, and solving their problems.  If we are unwilling to help them by allowing them to challenge our claims, then we are certainly bad neighbors and educators.  And in that case, we would not be able to hold ourselves up as examples of excellence in human development.