What is relevent?

Relevant means closely or directly connected, applicable, significant or pertinent to a given matter or situation. Relevant information is data or details that are important to the topic at hand and have a bearing on the outcome or solution. Information that is not relevant can be discarded or ignored as it does not contribute to the discussion or decision-making process.

In various contexts, relevant could mean different things. For instance, in business, relevant often means a factor that has an impact on the company's financial performance or market positioning. In education, relevant coursework or training refers to materials or topics that are essential to the student's intended career or academic focus. In legal proceedings, relevant evidence is what can be expected to provide meaningful support for a claim, argument or defense.

It is important to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information, as the former enables us to make better-informed decisions, while the latter can lead to confusion or even harm. Identifying relevant information is a critical thinking skill that involves evaluating the credibility, validity and significance of data to determine its usefulness or applicability.