Beyond Information Organization and Evaluation: How Can Information Scientists Contribute to Independent Thinking?

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is making fundamental changes to our life, our society, and our thinking. The substantial influx of information on disease updates, case analysis, suggestions, and recordings leads one to contemplate what information professionals and information scientists can contribute to shorten the pandemic, improve human lives, and build a more impactful profession. This viewpoint examines concepts related to misinformation and discusses the responsibilities of information scientists, especially in the context of independent thinking. It suggests that research on and education in information science could help to develop independent thinking and train independent thinkers.