A willingness to be wrong is the beginning of intellectual honesty.
Are you willing?
It hurts to be wrong. It is often humiliating. It causes embarrasment and creates anxiety.
But, without a willingness to be wrong (who can always be right?) no room for personal growth is possible.
Personal growth consists of climbing a kind of stairway from one level of knowledge to the next. You can't climb the stairs until you leave behind the level you were just on and move away from it.
Your habits, tastes, world view, prejudices, belief system and inclinations MAY BE WRONG to some extent. When is the last time you really listened to an opposing viewpoint without being totally defensive?
1.Learn to avoid being ON GUARD when listening to an opposite viewpoint.
2.Ask questions that gather information rather than merely trying to poke holes defensively.
3.Learn to categorize sources for their authenticity. Is it data? Is it "informed" but un-named sources? Is it "experts"?Is it rumor, hearsay or a friend? Ask yourself what sources you AUTOMATICALLY listen to. Ask yourself what sources you AUTOMATICALLY refuse to consider.
4.Know the difference between healthy skepticism and ideological cynicism.
5.Try reading opposite authorities on subjects you think you know pretty well. What are the points of tension and disagreement? Is there factual discrepency or is it prejudice?
6.How do you KNOW what you say you "know"? How much of your own mind went into forming your opinions? Did you argue, debate and discuss first? Or, did it "sound good" and you went with it?
7.Try ending your most convincing arguments with, "Where am I going wrong on this?" Or, "That's what I think; what am I missing?"
8. Can you state simply right now what the difference is between gullible and faithful? How are they similar? How are they different? Which are you when it comes to cherished beliefs?
9.Learn to recognize that openess to debate is the sign of a healthy mind. Entrenched positions signal themselves when you feel angry if contradicted.
10.There are NO contradictions in the real world. If something in your world view contradicts reality you must immediately grasp that you are WRONG! Logic is based on non-contradiction. Do you use emotional arguments or logical arguments to defend your position?
Finally, If you dont' actively seek out ways of being wrong you aren't trying hard enough to be honest, sincere, precise and closer to reality.
The idiot is convinced and closes his mind.
The wise man knows only that he knows nothing.