Don’t Say “You are Wrong”

Don't or Never say "You are Wrong" to anyone because you might be killing a great idea. 

Don't forget to remember that
"A theory is correct until and unless it is proven to be wrong".

When someone explains a theory in a wrong way, Don’t say “You are Wrong”.

There are a lot of advantages in saying like that. I will try to point some of those. This is especially for teachers because they are the one used to say this to their students. So, I will take the case of the students.

When someone comes and discuss you about some theory. Let’s say some Physics concept for example force.

If someone explains the force as the follows where he don’t know anything about Physics (e.g. students),

"The force is amount of thrust that is given to an object to move from its motionless state. Depending on the amount of thrust the object will travel to some distance. The movement is proportional to the thrust applied on the object."    

         

       We Physicists know the explanation is wrong. The force is not the amount of thrust.

But that doesn’t mean he is completely wrong because his explanation is good. Moreover this is how the great Aristotle himself thought for the first time. This point of view was agreed for more than many centuries.

         

          But you can ask me “yeah.. it is Aristotle’s explanation. But it is proven to be wrong. Then, How will I say he is correct?

           You needn’t say he is correct. But either don’t say it wrong. Instead of saying "you are wrong" just give him the situation of a real life problem where Aristotle’s explanation of force would go wrong.

          

         If he is arrogant in his theory, then it is very good. He will try his best to prove that his theory is correct. Every time when he comes up with some better explanation to explain the situation, you will have to give new situations. 

Depending on the capability of the student’s new explanation, you will need to give him a tough problem than the previous.

The profit is for both of us. In the case of teacher and the student,

When student comes up with good explanation, the teacher needs to think hard than the previous to give him a more difficult problem. And to solve that difficult problem, the student will have to take more effort every time.

         

        At the end, both will be very clear on that topic. They will know the history, they will know the different type of problems faced in real life, they will know the various ways of thinking about the same concept, and how scientists overcome those problems in any concept, etc.

And also at each time he will understand his mistakes. Maybe he will come up with a better solution than Newton, Hamilton, Lagrange and others. Maybe it is possible to create a new scientist.  

From this method both will learn new way of thinking.

Various students will have various kind of thinking skills. If you can manage all those students, you will be the one of the finest person in the world to clearly understand the concept.

Note: And moreover one should try to think in other's point of view when they need to give the correct situation and problems. Only then they will get new ideas.  

To think in other's point of view, you just need to forget who you are and what you have learned And completely go with your student’s concept. Then you will understand him.

         

        And "student" doesn’t mean only students but everyone who comes to discuss with you.