What source for self-esteem?

What source for self-esteem?

"The religious believer assigns dignity to whatever his religion holds sacred?-a set of moral laws, a way of life, or particular objects of worship. He grows angry when the dignity of what he holds sacred is violated." Quote from "The End of History and the Last Man".

To what does the non-believer, or perhaps the partial-believer, assign dignity? If the non-believer does not assign self-esteem to the ability to comprehend rationality, upon what foundation does s/he stand? If the non-believer does depend upon rationality for self-respect how is it possible that so few comprehend anything about rationality?

In the US our schools and colleges are beginning to teach the art and science of good judgment. It is called CT (Critical Thinking). CT teaches the young person how to think; not just what to think.

What about today's adult? Today's adult was educated in a time when schools and colleges never provided universal instruction in the art and science of thinking?-rationality.

For a 12 to 18 years period from the age of 6 to our mid twenties we have lived constantly in an educational system wherein we seldom if ever learned to function intellectually independent of outside direction. How is it possible for such an individual to develop the internal processes (bootstrap) that allow him or her to become an independent critically self-conscious thinker?

Like the PC setting in front of us we seem to have an automatic default position. Our default position is ?'reject' when encountering any idea that does not fit in our already learned patterns and algorithms. Somehow the individual must find a way to change that default position from ?'reject' to ?'examine critically'. Of course?-how do we every not reject this message?

Making good judgments is an important and complex matter. There are bad judgments, good judgments, and better judgments. To make better judgments requires many kinds of knowledge, skills, and character traits all working together.

Like chess, Critical Thinking is an asset that can influence the judgments one makes in all matters in their life. It can be a strategic tool or a tactical tool?-it can change ones world view. It gives in accordance to the investment made. But too often the neophyte learns the moves that each piece can make, plays a few games and wanders away bewildered as to why anyone could take the matter seriously.

Of course, everyone is a critical thinker. I call this the Regan style critical thinking?-trust but verify. But I think much more than this is required. Do you think that you need to know much more about CT?

If today's adult wishes to learn CT s/he must learn it on his or her own nickel. I think a good read to begin with is this one
http://www.bu.edu/wcp/Papers/Educ/EducHare.htm