Dear Editor:

Gov. Paul LePage uses critical thinking in his August 12 radio address to Maine citizens. However, it appears that he forgot what critical thinking requires when identifying the problem. It is not uncommon for businessmen to score low in this area. A Pearson study showed that of managers with college degrees only 28 percent were rated excellent critical thinkers.

LePage, like many of us, overlooked that part of critical thinking that expects us to objectively analyze a situation by gathering information from all possible sources — addicts recovered, addicts in recovery, medical experts, groups that have been working with addicts, families of addicts, employers, and local police.

Critical thinking was first introduced 2,500 years ago through the teaching practice of Socrates. It became embedded in the teaching profession where students were encouraged and expected to ask questions as well as answer them. Rote memory is insufficient without critical thinking. Socrates discovered people could not rationally justify their confident claims to knowledge due to: “Confused meanings, inadequate evidence, or self-contradictory beliefs.” He established the importance of asking deep questions that probe into thinking before we accept ideas as worthy of belief. Today we call that the scientific method.

To ensure success in the drug summit, we need a broader group of participants, and we might want to look at how Gloucester came to implement “addict amnesty” after Darrel Stephens, executive director of the Major Cities Police Chiefs Association concluded: "Jail does nothing to help people stop abusing drugs."

Critical thinking uncovers layers of complex problems — often resulting in multiple solutions. Everyone wants to see a better result for all addicts and CDC’s July 7 report notes states play a central role in addressing and helping to reverse the heroin epidemic. Key on their list is: “Increase access to substance abuse treatment services, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid abuse or dependence.” In 2009 Maine was among six states that had a decrease in deaths resulting from an effective treatment program. Perhaps the summit should consider that as well.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb