Chapter 1/2

On the Other Hand
What it takes to become a good thinker is to make, “On the Other Hand,” your habitual response to ideas, whether your own or those of others, spoken or written, in formal or in informal settings. No matter what is presented, always consider what might be “on the other hand,” because no human statement is, by itself, ever complete, something is always left out, there is always more to be said, and it is always possible that what has been presented might be wrong. Develop a deep sense and appreciation of human limitations, determine to make “on the other hand” thinking second nature, and you are on the road to becoming a good thinker. Results will appear almost immediately. You will become a voice to be reckoned with.
Is that all there is to it? No, but if “on the other hand” thinking becomes a regular practice, you will quickly become a respected thinker. I remember from my youth that the Sears, Roebuck catalog offered a choice of merchandise at varying levels of quality: good, better, and best. You already have read enough to reach the genuinely good level of thought. When you come to understand the larger dimensions of THE DIALECTIC--the proper name for “on the other hand thinking”--and when you add to that an elementary understanding of how logical thinking works, you will become a better thinker.
And if you are still here when we come to the last pages of the book, we will consider how to become the best thinker that can be made out of your unique personality and place in the world.