Can too Much Knowledge be a Bad Thing? There is a saying that states that knowledge is power. Knowledge is one of the greatest things a person can have when critically thinking. There are many aspects of knowing something. In this case, having the correct answer is only part of this delicate process. Also involved in this process is reaching the realization that the correct answer has been obtained. The only downside to this would be having the wrong answer and believing it to be true. When someone has been taught a certain method or idea their entire life, it is nearly impossible to abandon those beliefs. But to a critical thinker who can view other opinions with an open mindset, this sudden shift in knowledge might not be so traumatizing. Along with being knowledgeable of a subject is the expectation of the ability to express what is known and the methods used to obtain such knowledge. This is where knowing something begins to become difficult because it can be very challenging to explain how knowledge was obtained. In a situation such as this is when answers like: "I know because I know", and "I just know, that's all" come into play. Another common problem with knowledge is realizing what information is suitable for the current audience. An age old example is a child asking their parents where babies come from. This is the time when the parents must decide if their child is old enough to know the true details of childbirth or whether they should find a simple answer that pleases both parties, without stretching the truth too much. The parents then must determine when the child is old enough to handle the actual details of child birth. Another characteristic of knowledge that can cause problems is a person's lack of knowledge. This aspect of knowledge is applied to anything and everything encountered in the daily life of people everywhere. Change is probably the biggest factor that triggers this type of insecurity cause by a lack of knowing something. As the world changes, whether it be politically or technologically, people will begin will have one of two choices; live in fear of an ever-changing world or embrace change and learn to adapt. When something is known, opinions regarding that topic begin to form. An opinion is any given person's feelings toward a subject. Some opinions can be similar while others remain polar opposites. They solely depend on the person's taste. Technically there is no such thing as a bad opinion, because the idea that an opinion is bad is simply a person's reaction to an idea that may not be favorable to them. There are a couple extra things to keep in mind when thinking critically about someone else's opinion. Everyone, regardless of age, race, sex, religion, etc. is entitled to their own personal opinion. It is a critical thinkers job to keep an open mind when these opinions are being shared. Members of the jury debating a case is a common setting where disputes about opposing opinions can easily arise. This is where many things can cloud a person's judgment about an opinion. Morals can easily turn a calm conversation into a heated debate. When a person's morals come into play during a discussion they tend to keep the persons from thinking clearly. This is where the argument about who is right and who is wrong begins. Because of this clouded judgment neither party is taking the time to look at the topic from multiple perspectives. Viewing a topic from different points of view is a key quality of critical thinkers that allows them to keep an open mind while searching for the best possible answer. Evidence is the last piece of the puzzle required to practice excellent critical thinking methods. Providing evidence is a method of showing others how things make sense. Evidence allows opinions to be discussed in a manner that allows bother parties see the reasoning behind certain opinions. There are many different kinds of evidence, some more credible than others. Evidence can come from many different sources such as personal experiences, something that was seen on television, an excerpt from a book, or even something that was discussed on a survey. Although evidence is generally given to the audience, it can still be misunderstood quite easily. In order to profit from the benefits provided by evidence, people should try to evaluate evidence as fairly as possible. Siding with one side of the argument, also known as being biased, is a common mistake that clouds peoples judgment. Wanting one side of an argument to be proved right is one of the most common signs of bias. Supporting an opinion with evidence is an efficient way to limit the disputes that arise during a discussion. When evidence is involved there is no longer a dispute over who is right and who is wrong, but rather a realization of how differently someone else could perceive the same information. Being knowledgeable and having opinions are like two opposite puzzle pieces that are linked together by evidence. While informing the audience how the speaker came to a certain opinion, evidence also answers the question of how someone has come to know something. When sharing an opinion accompanied by evidence, the speaker is telling their audience their thoughts on a subject and how they came to believe such ideas. But they also allow the audience to interject their own opinions on the subject, which should also be followed by the evidence that lead them to such discoveries. This exchange of knowledge, evidence, and opinions is known as critical thinking.