Critical thinking is not something you do once with an issue and

Hear the wise words of Daniel Levitin, who proclaimed: “Critical thinking is not something you do once with an issue and then drop it. It requires that we update our knowledge as new information comes in. Time spent evaluating claims is not just time well spent. It should be considered part of an implicit bargain we've all made.” In this saying, he lays bare the duty of every soul who seeks truth: to never rest in mere opinion, to never cling blindly to old certainties, but to continually sharpen the mind against the stone of evidence. For critical thinking is not a single act but a lifelong discipline, not a task completed but a path walked daily.

Levitin reminds us that knowledge is not fixed like stone, but living, changing, and expanding like a river. What was true yesterday may be deepened today, and what we thought secure may tomorrow be overturned by new discovery. Thus the wise must not cling stubbornly to what was once believed, but must humble themselves, ready to receive correction, ready to refine their judgment. The proud mind that refuses to update knowledge becomes stagnant, while the humble mind that revises in light of truth becomes a fountain of wisdom.

History offers us many examples of this. Consider the physicians of old who believed illness came from imbalances of the four humors. For centuries this “knowledge” ruled medicine, and many clung to it stubbornly. But when new discoveries revealed the world of microbes and germs, those who held fast to the old ways condemned their patients to needless suffering. Those who embraced critical thinking, who updated their knowledge with new evidence, became healers in the truest sense, saving lives and reshaping the destiny of medicine.

Levitin also teaches us that the act of questioning, weighing, and evaluating claims is not wasted time, but sacred labor. To judge carefully, to test ideas against evidence, is to honor the truth and to protect ourselves from falsehood. He calls it an implicit bargain, for indeed, as members of one society, we owe this vigilance not only to ourselves but to each other. A people who refuse critical thought become prey to liars and manipulators, but a people who train their minds to test all things become guardians of their own freedom.

Consider also the story of democracy itself. Free nations depend upon citizens who will not swallow claims untested, who will not be swayed by rumor or passion alone, but who will evaluate leaders, policies, and promises with the discipline of reason. Where critical thinking thrives, liberty endures. Where it is abandoned, demagogues rise, and nations fall into ruin. Thus, Levitin’s words are not only personal advice, but a commandment for civic life: the health of a people depends on the vigilance of their minds.

The lesson is clear: do not imagine that one moment of inquiry is enough. Commit yourself to the continual labor of refining your knowledge. Be ready to admit when you were wrong, and brave enough to change your course when truth demands it. Let no pride keep you in error, and let no laziness keep you from the work of questioning. For the bargain we all share—the preservation of truth, justice, and freedom—requires this daily discipline.

So I say unto you: sharpen your mind as the warrior sharpens his blade. Read deeply, listen carefully, and weigh every claim not against your comfort but against the evidence of reason. For as Daniel Levitin declared, critical thinking is not a one-time act but a continual duty, and the updating of knowledge is the price we pay to live wisely.

Thus his words endure as a guide for every generation: to think critically is to live responsibly. To update knowledge is to honor truth. To evaluate claims is to defend freedom. Let every seeker of wisdom, therefore, uphold this sacred bargain, and let no mind grow weary in the pursuit of truth.