You Can’t Have an Open Mind if You’re Closed to New Ideas

One of the great philosophers of all time, Socrates, said:

“the one thing I do know is that I know nothing.”

We believe that thinking like this is essential. It shows that we don’t know everything and are not perfect or infallible. Socrates taught us that we should question everything. In today’s environment, we are constantly making decisions based on our beliefs, and we are also asked to accept the decisions of our leadership. Whether at work from our boss or our local or federal governments, it’s important to remember that we should all be asking more questions, especially if something doesn’t make sense or seems wrong. So how do we learn to expand our minds or think critically by asking questions? Let’s explore a little more from the perspective of one of the founders of western philosophy.

So who was Socrates? Socrates was a Greek philosopher in the 4th century B.C. who, was sentenced to death for questioning his elders and for “corrupting the minds of the young”. Now that sounds like someone who followed his path and thought critically, who asked questions. Ultimately, that is what led to his trial and death when he stood up to the government and challenged them.

Socrates believed that the key to progress is an open mind. If you never admit a possibility, you can never be proved wrong. On the other hand, a closed mind is like a closed book: nothing new can be learned.

Today we are bombarded with so much information that sometimes we feel more comfortable sticking to only what we know. This can create confirmation bias and stop us from learning and expanding our minds, essential for our mental and physical health. According to Psychology Today, confirmation bias is a highly complex issue but is rooted in how we fixate on things. “Fixation directly gets at a crucial problem of failing to revise a mistaken belief” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/seeing-what-others-dont/201905/the-curious-case-confirmation-bias). When we believe something for long enough, it makes us feel comfortable and becomes a constant that we know. It becomes like a mental “comfort zone.” Socrates believed in continuously asking questions and putting knowledge and relationships over comfort.

No one will ever know what you think if it’s all inside your head. This is why Socrates, the father of Western philosophy, never assumed he knew the correct answer: he believed that he might learn something new by questioning others’ views and considering their solutions. This doesn’t mean that Socrates was always right. He made mistakes just like everyone else. But he was constantly learning from his mistakes because he was willing to consider other people’s points of view, even if he disagreed with them.

We should also explore the way we approach new ideas. When you listen to someone, your attitude is like the windscreen on your car. When there’s a giant crack, it blocks the view, stops you from seeing things. If you’ve got a chip on your shoulder, or a closed mind, then you’ll never get the best from people. The giant crack in your windshield is stopping you from seeing the perspectives of others.

The other important thing here is active listening with an open mind. This means not just hearing the words but also understanding what’s being said. When you don’t understand something, don’t just disregard it; seek to understand further! The best way to do this is to use the Socratic method. Let’s take a look at that now!

Socrates realized that he couldn’t possibly discover the answers to life’s most significant problems if he didn’t even truly understand his ignorance in the first place. So he created the Socratic method, which promoted questioning various moral concepts in a dialogue format. When he was teaching his students, Socrates himself held back from answering questions. He believed it was the responsibility of others to discuss and defend their own opinions. Through this process, people were exposed to different ideas and learned by questioning why something is true and how they could prove themselves wrong. That is what encouraged them to be open to other ideas.

Sometimes the best way to answer your question is to ask even more questions. This can be perceived as offensive because people may feel like you are doubting or humiliating them. However, it is good to challenge people to think differently and think about their beliefs. We should approach the Socratic method respectfully and constructively. Seeking understanding is the priority of the Socratic method, not to trick people or to condescend their ideas.

A great book to help you see the world with a new open mind is Think Again by Adam Grant. It Really helped me remember I am not always right and I how to approach new ideas. You can grab it on Amazon at this link below. Highly recommend!!

Written by a member of the Marie L Paquin Team