How did Hu Shih promote critical thinking in China?
I promoted critical thinking by advocating for a skeptical yet constructive approach to knowledge and tradition. Instead of accepting ancient texts or pronouncements as infallible, I urged my contemporaries to question, to investigate, and to seek verifiable evidence. My work on the history of Chinese thought, for instance, sought to understand the development of ideas through their historical context and practical applications, rather than as timeless truths. This emphasis on empirical verification and reasoned argumentation was my way of fostering a more rational intellectual environment.