TEN WAYS TO BE A FORMIDABLE INTELLECTUAL

Student Activity Advance Notice You will be given 10 ways to be an intellectual. Try to understand all 10. After all 10 ideas have been presented, you will be asked to rank the 10 ideas in order of importance

WHY?  Intellectuals are the original and creative thinkers who develop new ideas and make us see the world differently  The quality of our thinking and the energy and commitment we give to it are crucial to becoming an intellectual  Studying for exams in academic disciplines is only part of this process, but it is a good place to start.

WHAT IS AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE?  All the subjects you study are academic disciplines  This means that they embody a particular way of looking at the world using particular concepts and theories  Getting inside a discipline is necessary before you can start to think creatively about Geography or Physics or Maths

(1) UNDERSTAND WHY YOUR SUBJECT IS IMPORTANT  Be clear what your subject has to offer society  It may help to bring economic and technological benefits  It may help us to understand how humans behave  It may be worthwhile studying in its own right

(2) UNDERSTAND THAT IT CANNOT TELL YOU THE WHOLE STORY  The human and physical worlds are complex and there are no easy answers  For example, biology tells us something about human behaviour but we need psychology, sociology and anthropology to get a fuller picture  Studying something by combining disciplines is often more fruitful

(3) BE HONEST ABOUT THE EVIDENCE  We all have preconceived ideas but be open minded and flexible  If facts, evidence or data emerge which contradict what you think, adapt and incorporate them into your thinking and change your views  Dogmatism (intolerance of other ideas) is the enemy of a good mind

(4) DO NOT BELIEVE ALL THAT YOU ARE TOLD: BE SCEPTICAL  Constantly question views, theories and opinions that you are faced with  Test every idea to destruction so that you can tell which ones really stand up  Don’t be too easily persuaded  Understand that what we currently think is only the best knowledge we have at the time

(5) BE INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING IDEAS  Be enthusiastic about debate  Articulate your ideas  It is only in discussion and debate with others that we really clarify what we think  Test your views against the views of others  Do not be defensive.  Get used to being challenged

(6) BE AWARE OF THE DEBATES AND ISSUES IN YOUR SUBJECT  Understand that in all subjects there is not just one way of looking at things  There will be different perspectives, schools of thought, different views about how the subject should be studied  Be clear where you stand in relation to these debates

(7) READ WIDELY AND KEEP UP TO DATE  Textbooks quickly get out of date and have a narrow focus  Get a breadth of understanding which goes beyond what is in the syllabus  Read subject magazines or journals to keep in touch with the latest developments  There will be a subject association which will have web-site. Refer to this to keep in touch

(8) FOLLOW THINGS UP ON YOUR OWN INITIATIVE  Low achievers want to be told what to do  High achievers use their own initiative to follow up ideas or topics that they have found interesting  Become an independent learner who knows their way round a subject and who has the enthusiasms to pursue knowledge without being directed

(9) UNDERSTAND SOMETHING OF THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF YOUR SUBJECT  It helps to know how your subject has developed, how people approached it in the past  This will give you a better sense of what it is all about and a clearer insight into how it has reached its current position

(10) WRITE SIMPLY AND CLEARLY  In all your written work use simple, clear English  Do not use pretentious language to make your ideas seem more profound than they are  Forcing yourself to write in this way and without using jargon will actually make you think more clearly

Student Activity Rank the 10 ways in order of importance (1)UNDERSTAND WHY YOUR SUBJECT IS IMPORTANT (2)UNDERSTAND THAT IT CANNOT TELL YOU THE WHOLE STORY (3)BE HONEST ABOUT THE EVIDENCE (4)DO NOT BELIEVE ALL THAT YOU ARE TOLD: BE SCEPTICAL (5)BE INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING IDEAS (6)BE AWARE OF THE DEBATES AND ISSUES IN YOUR SUBJECT (7)READ WIDELY AND KEEP UP TO DATE (8)FOLLOW THINGS UP ON YOUR OWN INITIATIVE (9)UNDERSTAND THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF YOUR SUBJECT (10)WRITE SIMPLY AND CLEARLY