Learn to see beyond the first answer. Give a question enough space to become a thoughtful inquiry.
Question: what are we actually asking?
Identify the claim: state it precisely.
Trace the source: find the original record, study or account.
Examine the evidence: what supports the claim, and how?
Compare perspectives: consider credible competing explanations.
Notice what is missing: context, methods, dates or uncertainty.
Reflect: notice expectations, emotions and assumptions.
Discern: form a provisional view and remain open to revision.
We use Sage and Saboteur as a framework for self-observation. It invites us to notice intuition, fear and inherited patterns; it does not appoint an outside authority to decide what we should believe.
Define the words in a claim. Compare historical etymology with the meaning being assigned today. A symbolic association and a linguistic origin are different kinds of explanation.
Choose one statement from a book, video or conversation. Write down its source, evidence type, strongest support and strongest unanswered question.
Use MedlinePlus’s guide to evaluate a health-information claim
Chapter pathway: Chapter 1 — The Power of Discernment.