If we do not think diligently, we will fall behind the times. While studying at Cambridge, Wittgenstein was a student of Moore. Once, Russell asked Moore who was the most outstanding student, and Moore replied, “Wittgenstein, because he always looks puzzled.” Later, Wittgenstein surpassed Russell. When asked why, Wittgenstein said, “Because Russell no longer had any questions.” This illustrates that if we are not keen on thinking, we will eventually be eliminated by the era.
Thinking is a crucial method of learning. Einstein once said, “We must learn to think, think, and think again. It is by this method that I became a scientist.” The ancient Chinese scholar Zhu Xi also described three stages of reading: being unable to raise questions, being able to raise questions, and being able to solve problems. In the process of learning, we should learn to think and to question authority. For students, “authority” usually refers to teachers. We should not blindly accept the knowledge taught by our teachers, like eating chewed bread, but rather learn to question and explore. Learning to think and question is the true essence of learning.
Finally, I would like to reiterate a quote I love: “Because I never worshipped authority, God, as a punishment, made me an authority as well.”