Sadly I feel extremely confident that the vast majority of people in this country (at the very least millennials and younger) literally do not know how to think critically. This is validated by test scores on critical reading/writing comprehension, but that is only one metric.

As I noted in another comment, I attended some of the best public schools in America; I never learned this type of critical thinking until I was in college. That is a very common experience. Sure, many people have compelling talking points and indeed even some salient rationale for why they strongly believe something. That is not the same as critical thinking, nor is it the same as understanding the rationale and emotional drives of your adversaries.

Obviously this wasn’t an article about the legal history or precise definitions and semantics of Roe v Wade. It’s more about critical thinking and ethics than an indictment or analysis of abortion legislation in America. But I certainly think that component is well worth considering in an American context — but alas, abortion as an ethical issue extends far beyond America.