Everyday Ethics

Most college students will at some point have to pass a course in something called “critical thinking.”  Often this class is taught in the philosophy department, and is accompanied by an introduction to very basic, formal logic.  This typically includes the types of logical fallacies that we all tend to make in everyday conversation, as well as some basic principles of sound reasoning.

Most students struggle with this type of class, and few instructors make an effort to explain why critical thinking might be important to their future lives as bankers, pastry chefs, or whatever career aspirations they happen to have.  The following is thus an attempt to demonstrate why being able to think critically really does make a difference to the kind of life one is able to lead.

Scene I, Act I

Eli walks into the CSU library, he walks to the circulation desk.

Eli:  Hi, I think you have a book on hold for me.

Guy:  Do you have a library card? (Scans card) Here we go…just a minute

Guy goes and gets book for Eli

Guy:  Wait, I see here you are no longer a student.  We need to open a community account.  Fill out this form.

Eli completes form, Guy enters data into computer.

Guy:  Oh, wait…Your book was requested on your old account, so I can’t check it out to you on your new account.  The computer won’t let me.

Eli:  What?

Guy:  You requested this book on your student account, which is closed now because you’ve graduated.  The request is attached to that account, and I can’t override it or move it to the new one.  But maybe the Interlibrary Loan people can help you.  It’s just down there…

Guy points down the hall, Eli turns and walks in the direction of Guy’s pointing.  Eli enters ILL office.

Lady:  Hello, can I help you?

Eli:  I hope so.  I requested this book and now.. (Eli proceeds to explain the problem)

Lady:  Oh.  Yeah.  Unfortunately, you requested this book using Prospector, and that service isn’t available to community members at this library.

Eli:  Oh, I can’t use Prospector if I’m not a student here?

Lady:  Well, you can use it, just not at this library.  You would need to choose a public library as your pick-up location.

Eli:  Come again?

Lady:  Prospector is available for community members, but they can’t specify CSU as their pick-up location, because Prospector is only available at CSU for students.  So unfortunately, I can’t let you check out this book.

Eli:  Really?  Even though I requested the book when I was a student, and because I can’t predict the future, had no way of knowing that I wouldn’t still be one when it arrived?

Lady:  I’m sorry.  I know.

Eli:  Even though I’m here, the book is here, I want the book, I have an account that allows me to take the book?  Just because I’m at this location I can’t take it?  Didn’t you guys spend money to get this book here for me?

Lady:  I’m really sorry, but yes, that’s the situation we’re dealing with.  But you can request it again and specify a public library.  (Types information about book into her computer).  Oh, but there’s a long wait for this book because it’s new.  Gosh, I’m really sorry.  It might be a while before you can check this out.

Eli:  Wow.  I’m speechless.

I really was speechless.  To be fair, this lady may not have been allowed to check this book out to me, even if she had wanted to.  But that’s precisely the problem.  Often times, our bureaucratic machines are designed so that people are prevented from making reasonable decisions based on the circumstances in front of them.  Perhaps I had no right to the book.  But it seems that there was at least a case to be made for giving me the book anyway, and it would be nice if people were given the authority to assess information critically and then make decisions about what seems reasonable to do under the circumstances.

On the other hand, whoever decided that library personnel were not to make decisions about this sort of thing probably had some reason for doing so.  It’s likely that the principal reason was the prevention of silly and ridiculous decision-making by library employees.  So why does critical thinking matter?  Because if you don’t demonstrate that you know how to do it, people will take away your ability to do it, even when you want to.  The freedom to make meaningful decisions in the workplace is an important part of feeling satisfied with your employment, not to mention your daily life.  When we fail to demonstrate critical thinking skills, we give others all the justification they need for taking this privilege away.

About the Author

Elijah Weber is a graduate student at Bowling Green State University. He holds a Master's degree in philosophy from Colorado State University, and Bachelor’s degrees in sociology and philosophy from Chapman Univerity. He currently lives in Bowling Green, Ohio with his wife Laura, his newborn son Brandon, and his feline life-partner Monte.