Disregarding intellectual debate

Debate plays a pivotal role in the cognitive grooming and intellectual growth of a society. A conducive, pluralistic and enabling environment allows the debating culture to thrive with invaluable dividends. A society engaging in healthy debate and showing utmost tolerance and respect to opposing views attains unrivalled intellectual, social, economic and political maturity. In addition to being a cradle of innovation, creativity and enlightenment, a healthy debate is a proven tool to authenticate existing belief and knowledge systems and test the veracity of prevailing doctrines and dogmas. It bolsters critical thinking, improves cognitive development, enables out-of-the-box thinking, polishes reasoning, and reforms problem-solving skills. Moreover, it also develops tolerance, pluralism and compassion and guarantees a pacific resolution of disputes.

However, a constructive and result-oriented debate is by no means similar to heated arguments, verbal assaults or physical aggression. It is instead a logically framed discourse backed by compelling facts and theories. Regrettably, the space for debating has dwindled over time in Pakistan. It is being increasingly replaced by emotional, partial and prejudicial discourse and in some cases personal brawls. Healthy debate is being discouraged in all arenas of life. In educational institutions, parroting of hard facts and submitting to teacher’s prejudicial beliefs are the only accepted practices. Critical thinking and creative inquiries of pupils are ignored and punished on the pretext of being “irrelevant” to the narrowly framed and suffocating syllabus. While hard sciences including medicine and engineering are more acceptable in Pakistan, the scope of social sciences in the country is confined to just a few sectors. Questioning beyond the limit is considered a taboo. This is because epistemological and philosophical perspectives are hardly incorporated in academic, professional and public discourses. A reasoned debate and a logically designed argument backed by rationale is least received in our public discourse. Instead, it is egoism and herd mentality that build the core of the public psyche. The knowledge base of most people is in line with the majoritarian mindset. Herd mentality leads most of our actions. Dogmas and fallacies define our directions. This sort of debate produces more divisions and further blurs our reality to a point where we can be easily deluded.

In the midst of this suffocating intellectual milieu, emotional and intolerant temperaments persist and thrive. Wining an argument through fallacious logic that stirs up public sentiment becomes the norm. Personal preferences and prejudices define ones take. We reject altogether what we can’t or are unwilling to understand. Most of us are quick to disregard and reject what goes against our long-held though ill-advised beliefs. As a result, intolerance often leads to disputes arising out of difference. In many instances, difference of opinions and minor exchange of words are enough to ignite disputes. The growing instances of interpersonal and tribal feuds are its horrifying manifestations. Disregarding debate eventually obstructs peaceful resolution leading to fractures within society.

At the root of this shrinking space for productive debate lies illiteracy, ill-informed dogmas, centuries-old mythologies and an utmost disregard to disciplines that encourage rationalism, logic and sanity. It is time that we as a society realise the significance of having a healthy debate. Therefore, we must promote it at all levels — academic, professional, public and governance — if we are to reap its invaluable benefits. Only a constructive debate culture can empower us to face modern challenges unleashed by the fast-paced global order.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2022.

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