Truth-seeking is the primary behavior that must be possessed by someone who thinks critically. That is because the characteristics of people who think critically when faced with problems are to think first and be careful before solving the problem by criticizing all the information in the question to make the right decision—whether the question needs to be resolved or not.
Truth-seeking is one of the seven characteristics of the disposition of critical thinking (Walker, 2003). According to Walker, “truth-seeking is being eager to seek the best knowledge in a given context, courageous about asking questions, and honest and objective about pursuing inquiry even if the findings do not support one’s self-interests or one’s preconceived opinions” (p. 264).
The characteristics of people who have truth-seeking behavior are:
- Always wanting the best understanding.
- Strongly emphasizing evidence and reasoning, even for things that have long been accepted as truth.
- Questioning beliefs that may have been taken for granted.
- Not ignoring important details.
But if truth-seeking is so central to critical thinking, why does it often seem rare in classrooms?
I can see that my students are less likely to manifest truth-seeking behavior. One of the reasons is cultural. In my country, students will not dare to question a teacher, so there is no perceived need to check the truth of information in questions, because teachers are assumed to be always correct. This creates a learning environment where obedience can be mistaken for understanding.
A second reason is the over-reliance on internet sources. Students often assume that what they read online is automatically credible, but without developed media literacy skills, they cannot distinguish between high-quality sources and superficial or misleading ones. The internet provides access to endless information, but without a habit of inquiry, it can trap students in echo chambers rather than leading them toward truth.
The third reason is that truth-seeking is a long-term discipline. It is not a single skill that can be “taught” in one lesson, but rather a disposition that must be cultivated over time. Like curiosity, it grows when it is nurtured, but withers when it is ignored.
This is why truth-seeking behavior must be accultured within the whole school environment. It is not enough for one teacher to encourage questions if the rest of the system discourages them. Students need to see inquiry modeled by teachers, valued by peers, and celebrated by the institution itself.
Beyond the classroom, truth-seeking has real consequences. A society that does not practice truth-seeking is vulnerable to misinformation, manipulation, and dogmatism. When people are not trained to ask, “How do we know this is true?” they become easy targets for persuasive but false narratives. On the other hand, a truth-seeking society is one that grows more resilient, more innovative, and more democratic.
For educators, parents, and leaders, the challenge is to make truth-seeking safe and meaningful. That means giving students opportunities to question respectfully, rewarding them for evidence-based reasoning, and modeling intellectual humility ourselves. Sometimes that even means admitting, “I don’t know,” and then showing how to search for an answer together.
Truth-seeking is not comfortable. It can unsettle long-held beliefs and challenge authority. But it is precisely this discomfort that allows growth to happen. If we truly want critical thinkers, we must embrace the culture of inquiry, even when it slows us down or forces us to re-examine our assumptions.
In the end, truth-seeking is more than just a critical thinking skill—it is a way of life. It calls for courage, patience, and humility. And perhaps most importantly, it demands hope: the hope that seeking truth, even imperfectly, will always lead us closer to wisdom.
