Reading this, I was reminded of Forms of Ethical and Intellectual Development in the College Years: A Scheme by William Perry. You can read a good introduction on Ed Nuhfer's excellent Nutshell Notes, starting with Vol 7 issue 7 and those immediately following. From least mature to higher levels of undergraduates' development these [stages of intellectual growth] are: (1) dualism; (2) early multiplicity; (3) late multiplicity; and (4) contextual relativism....The dualistic thinker has certainty that there are right and wrong answers to every problem. A "good teacher" will be seen by dualistic thinkers as one who provides absolute authority as a source of knowledge, and an ability to clearly convey "the truth." Students see their role as receiving information and demonstrating that they have learned the right answers.... Students in early multiplicity begin to realize that some important real life questions just don't have unique right and wrong answers. ... The stage of late multiplicity arrives when students begin to discern and value good evidence as opposed to mere opinion and feelings.... Contextual relativism is reached when students are able to distinguish reliable information from the ideals of infallibility and absolute truth. At this stage, students can distinguish that, while a situation might not be suited for generating strict right or wrong solutions, there are nevertheless degrees of reasonable and unreasonable methods that can be employed, and these are likely to generate appropriate or inappropriate solutions accordingly. In short, knowledge is seen as contextual...