Introduction to Rational Inquiry
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The book Introduction to Rational Inquiry by KP Mohanan and Tara Mohanan seeks to help learners from Grade 8 onwards to develop the capacity for critical thinking and inquiry across academic disciplines. Rather than teaching subject-specific content, it equips readers with the foundational tools of academic intelligence — observing, classifying, defining, reasoning, explaining, justifying, and debating — skills that cut across the boundaries of science, mathematics, the humanities, and everyday life. The book grew out of ThinQ's course Inquiry and Integration in Education and has been refined over a decade of classroom and workshop use.
The book's core conviction is that real learning happens when learners encounter questions they don't already know the answers to, and are guided to find them through observation, reasoning, and judgment — a process the authors call Rational Inquiry. Organized across twelve units, each chapter serves as a "learning trigger," accompanied by supplementary readings, exercises, and reflective notes. The goal is not just academic sharpness but the kind of thinking that helps one make sound decisions in personal, professional, and public life. The book is available under a Creative Commons licence for non-commercial use.
Introductory Material
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
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