Page:SELECTED ESSAYS of Dr. S. S. KALBAG.pdf/188

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Scientific temper irrational at one time may appear rational when or scientific newer information is available. approach is a refinement of this same The very process of learning by the human mind is thinking process based on rational thinking. We get all our that comes information through our senses. On this basis we naturally to make a "model" of the external world or reality. every human This model is a set of "rules" that we all accept on being. the basis of common experience, such as, fire burns, all things fall down when thrown up, two and two always make four and so on. This leads to development of concepts such as the concept of groups having common properties, the concept of numbers etc. Whenever our model fails, we either change our model to accommodate the new experience or keep it aside as a "miracle" www What we call rational thinking is anything that fits 'our model.' This model changes with age and experience, therefore, rational thinking is not constant. If we think more about this process of learning we can see the similarity with what we call scientific thinking. We collect experience through our senses, make a hypothesis or a model, and then test it in a real life situation; that is our experiment. Even the idea that when you consider the effect of something, everything else must remain the same or unchanged, is a concept that every child develops at some stage. Piaget, who for forty years studied, the process of learning in children, has enumerated a large number of such scientific concepts which come naturally to all children through life experiences. Then why does not everyone have the same kind of rational thinking? Making use of information is a skill that is not developed equally in all. This is where some people, who do not make use of all Rural Development Through Education System 175