Language is the first step towards civilization. It is the core of everything that we know and understand. We really don't take the ability to speak, read, and write in consideration very often, but it is the foundation of how far human beings have come. Language has a role in everything involving the physical world. The aptitude of the human brain to develop and understand a language, or multiple languages, is a testament to the vast space in our mind that can be filled with knowledge. Reasoning is the clearest cut way to use language. Once you step into the realm of emotion and perception the lines become skewed and blurred. The way language is used in respect to these is different yet vital for comprehension.
Denotation is the direct dictionary definition for a word. The interesting part is that most dictionaries do not have the exact same definition for a word. Nevertheless, they are generally similar and can come to a common consensus. When you use the specific definition for a word it is assumed that those around you will have a fair amount of understanding. This is the way that language is best used in terms of reasoning. There are many words in English that have very closely related definitions. This makes it possible to describe the reasoning for something in a generally easy way. The rawest form of reasoning without any form of personal point of view can be construed to a large audience by simply speaking about it. Writing takes on different meaning even if you just use the denotation of a word. This is where grammar comes in and has an effect on meaning. For example, there are sentences that can be completely altered by a comma. "The panda eats shoots and leaves." This is a sentence describing the vegetation that a panda consumes in its diet. This is greatly changed with the placement of commas. "The panda eats, shoots, and leaves." This makes it seem as though the panda is a gunman in a restaurant even though the denotation of the words is used. This seems to defy any common sense or reasoning, because pandas do not eat in restaurants or carry weapons. This misunderstanding is a result of the fact that English, along with many other languages, has different meanings for the exact same words. This can be confusing at times and may lead to bad comprehension of what is really going on. This may seem like an obscure case, but it may have consequences when these mistakes are made in different situations, such as science reports or court transcripts. Another way language plays into reasoning is in translation. There are more than six thousand known languages in the world. Some of these are only spoken language with no writing system. In every language, there are words, phrases, and ideas that do not translate literally. This leaves the possibility for error in understanding wide open. What becomes lost in translation may never be recovered. This is hazardous in issues of international interaction. If the others' language is not completely understood by one side, than there can be catastrophic misinterpretations. The reasoning of each side may not be effective based on this.
When you enter the world of perception the meaning of words can change. Connotation is the perceived definition of a word. This generally has a social understanding of the word, but it may not always be the same from person to person. There may be a big difference between "slim" and "skinny" for one person but not so much for another. Connotation is where language gets sticky and opens the door even further for misunderstanding. This can be in spoken and written language. When you speak, there is generally a tone to what you are saying. This is a way in which spoken language alters one's perception of meaning. This can be a good or bad change in understanding, but it is nevertheless present. When you write, this tone may become harder to recognize. This is based on an individual point of view of a reading. It may vary from person to person. Once again this can be horrible in different cases. Grammar is a way in which this tone is changed. Grammar and word choice can alter the speed of what is written therefore giving it a different tone or mood. This may not always be obvious, but authors are always trying to make the message they are sending through their work more clear. A lot is put into the way something transcends from the page to the mind. This is possibly lost, once again, in translation. It takes time to understand the difference in tone through script. This is something that many spend a long time learning when you are multi-lingual. The perception you get through language in terms of writing may be more powerful than speech alone. This is something that is individual and can conform to each individual that reads it. This is seen all the time in figurative language that is in poetry. Any type of figurative language can be used to alter the way in which each individual reader understand and interprets the poem. With all this said, it is essential to understand that the key element to what guides perception is emotion.
Emotion is what guides the actions and beliefs of each of the six billion people on the planet. This is the hand behind any thing that goes on in the world. Everything that we hear, see, or do goes through an emotional filter in our brain. This is evident in the way words can cause a big emotional charge in someone. Words like genocide, rape, puppy, or even chicken can cause an emotional roller coaster even if it goes unnoticed the majority of the time. Whatever the reason behind the emotion, it is still there. This usually varies on the background relationship with the word or words. It is hard to know how someone will act based on the terms you use. Politicians look at this when they begin every speech. They play with the words that they know will bring a crowd to their side and steer away from words that they know might incite negative emotions. This is a tool that can be utilized very effectively in terms of persuasion. Language can convince someone of virtually anything. Tone really plays into the emotion of language. Oration is a strong tool in portraying what you want to get across. Hitler was the prime example of how tone can get across your emotion and embed it in others. He was a very morally unjust man, but he understood the power that words can have on people. The comprehension of words get even foggier when you start using words to describe emotion. If it is not already hard enough to predict what emotions will come out based on the words used, it is exponentially harder when you use words to represent an emotion. Emotions are presumably different from person to person, therefore the description of them is near impossible. Love means something different for anyone that feels it. Happiness is different for anyone that seeks it. How then is language reliable in the is area? The obvious answer is that it is not. People have decided that it is necessary to describe everything around them, but in the end it is a fruitless waste of time. It results in a loss of what the emotion really is when you try to put a label on it. Language does not conform neatly to the realm of emotion.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Worshiping at the Alter of Science
"Its a scientific fact." This is a phrase that rolls off the tongues of millions. For many this gives validity to any statement. When scientists come out with a new conclusion, the masses cling to it and take it as a fact. There is little scepticism among the majority when "they" say something is a fact. The term they is used everyday. "They say gravity is an attraction between two objects." "They say this is the best new wieghtloss program." These are both facts that have come from a type of scientist. The media puts these out as correct so people cling to them as truth. When did this absolute belief in science come about? This is something that is somewhat addressed in Embracing Mind. Although I don't agree with the majority of the book, I agree with the author's interpretation of history in respect to science and religion; for the most part.
As anyone that reads this blog can tell, I relate almost everything to history. Well, this is no different. I think there are a variety of reasons that science has taken over the everyday lives of most people today. Multiple steps have been taken to make this the "religion" for many. There was a time when people realized that they could benefit from knowing more about the natural world and its set principles. Understanding that wood will float in water ended up changing the world. Boats littered the oceans for hundreds of years. This was the first way that global commerce could get a foothold in th lives of people. Cultures were able to clash and combine. Continents were discovered. This was all a result of someone using science to better their life. Observation is a key component to the scientific method. Even the Bible sets high priority on the seeing-is-believing idea. Science is built off this principle. Observation is the key of any experiment. People have grown to rely soley on what their senses say is "real". There is speculation for anything that can not be seen or felt.
If it is not visible or palpible then it must not be real. This statement has validity in many respects, even to religion. Dictionary.com defines religion as "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs." This definiton is a combination of the tradition thought of religion and the new emergence of science as a religion. Most people equate religion with faith. This is the, sometimes, unjustified belief in events or facts. To the faithful, there may be plenty of justification. Most of this justification comes from the belief in a higher power that can make the seemingly impossible, possible. This belief and the testimony of others has been enough for the majority of the world to believe in different religions. The three most prominent religions in the world-Christianity, Judaism, and Islam-are all guided by the belief of a supreme creator and a book that gives the foundations of how to live. More people have died for their religious beliefs than for any other cause. This is because of a passionate and strong belief in something that can not be seen or felt. Science, on the other hand, relies on the ability to physically confirm a theory. It acts in the same way as a religion. It seeks to find the answers to the questions that are not obvious on the surface. Durnig the Enlightenment, there was a new belief that the scientific method could be used in the observations of social life. I think this is the point where science made the jump to be classified as a religion. Now it could be used in all aspects of life by anyone that choose to use it. Justification in science comes from the observation of the physical world instead of the ideas created by the affirmation of people that lived thousand of years ago. There have been no holy wars in the name of science, but science has led to the death of those whos technology was less supreme at the time. Its a sad thought, but it seems the beliefs that people around the world possess will only lead to the death of others that dont possess the same beliefs.
As anyone that reads this blog can tell, I relate almost everything to history. Well, this is no different. I think there are a variety of reasons that science has taken over the everyday lives of most people today. Multiple steps have been taken to make this the "religion" for many. There was a time when people realized that they could benefit from knowing more about the natural world and its set principles. Understanding that wood will float in water ended up changing the world. Boats littered the oceans for hundreds of years. This was the first way that global commerce could get a foothold in th lives of people. Cultures were able to clash and combine. Continents were discovered. This was all a result of someone using science to better their life. Observation is a key component to the scientific method. Even the Bible sets high priority on the seeing-is-believing idea. Science is built off this principle. Observation is the key of any experiment. People have grown to rely soley on what their senses say is "real". There is speculation for anything that can not be seen or felt.
If it is not visible or palpible then it must not be real. This statement has validity in many respects, even to religion. Dictionary.com defines religion as "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs." This definiton is a combination of the tradition thought of religion and the new emergence of science as a religion. Most people equate religion with faith. This is the, sometimes, unjustified belief in events or facts. To the faithful, there may be plenty of justification. Most of this justification comes from the belief in a higher power that can make the seemingly impossible, possible. This belief and the testimony of others has been enough for the majority of the world to believe in different religions. The three most prominent religions in the world-Christianity, Judaism, and Islam-are all guided by the belief of a supreme creator and a book that gives the foundations of how to live. More people have died for their religious beliefs than for any other cause. This is because of a passionate and strong belief in something that can not be seen or felt. Science, on the other hand, relies on the ability to physically confirm a theory. It acts in the same way as a religion. It seeks to find the answers to the questions that are not obvious on the surface. Durnig the Enlightenment, there was a new belief that the scientific method could be used in the observations of social life. I think this is the point where science made the jump to be classified as a religion. Now it could be used in all aspects of life by anyone that choose to use it. Justification in science comes from the observation of the physical world instead of the ideas created by the affirmation of people that lived thousand of years ago. There have been no holy wars in the name of science, but science has led to the death of those whos technology was less supreme at the time. Its a sad thought, but it seems the beliefs that people around the world possess will only lead to the death of others that dont possess the same beliefs.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Moral Action
"Doing the right things starts with knowing the right things." The "right things" can be defined differently for each individual. This can go further to encompass what a whole culture considers to be the "right thing". Morals vary from person to person, but there are common grounds. Virtually every culture in the world views murder as morally wrong. This comes down to an individual consensus that killing is wrong. Why then, are there murders all over the world every day? When is it ok to go against your moral judgement and take action that could be interpreted as the "wrong" thing? This does not just apply to murder. This can be any individual choice that is in opposition to that person's personal beliefs. One would tend to believe that this would require some strong reasoning. This reasoning would vary of course, but there would have to be some strong base whether it be ethical, emotional, or logical. The steps that an individual takes to create their idea of what is right and wrong can be a life long journey. The big question is what you decide to do with these morals. Morals are virtually meaningless until someone acts on them.
As an American kid, I was taught with my peers that America is the supreme power of the world. Social studies in school teach us about a glorified country that has led the world for almost a century. We are subconsciously taught to become "good Americans". Military service is advocated n almost every high school across the country. JROTC is in most public high schools. Along with that, recruiting officers can be seen traveling from school to school. Should everyone serve for their country? Many believe that this is essential to become a good American. There was a time in American history when people were prosecuted for their refusal to join their fellow Americans in arms. These were the Quakers. Their non-violent ideals made them turn the other cheek away from way they believed was morally wrong. So who was Right? Those that stood up for their country or those that held there religious beliefs close? If they both acted on what they truly believed to be morally right, than they both did the right thing. Each side will look at the other differently, but when it comes down to it the conscience of both are at ease. With this being said, its evident that doing the right thing is, among other things, simply a point of view.
I am the millennial generation. I am just one of the 95 million that echo the baby boomers. The Generation We video made me open my eyes to the huge issues that have been left behind by the generations before me. My generation is inheriting a country that is going in the wrong direction as a result of the bad choices made by those in power now. Our country is declining not because of outside influences, but because of the problems that have arose and been ignored inside. Sitting on the sidelines watching my country go into decline is morally wrong to me. The right thing is to make an effort in aiding my country's revival. Now that I've defined what the right thing is, the next step is answering the call to action that has been sent. At the moment, all I can do is wait for the first chance I have to excersize my inalienable right of voting. Voting is the best way for the majority to get out what they want to say. The millennial generation is in the best position to prove this point in a way that it has never been affirmed before. Once everyone in my generation has the power of a vote, we will be the biggest demographic of voters. We can literally determine the national elections. This is the best way for the masses to affect the direction of the country, but I'm aiming for something more. There is a limited number of people that make the laws for our country. They are the 535 men and women elected into Congress. 100 of these make up the Senate leaving 435 in the House of Representatives. To me, serving in one of these seats is the most supreme way to do good for my country. These are the elite in the American system of government. To me its not the military action that changes the world, its the legislative moves that our country takes. A seat in Congress is the "Right" thing to do for the progress of my country and generation.
As an American kid, I was taught with my peers that America is the supreme power of the world. Social studies in school teach us about a glorified country that has led the world for almost a century. We are subconsciously taught to become "good Americans". Military service is advocated n almost every high school across the country. JROTC is in most public high schools. Along with that, recruiting officers can be seen traveling from school to school. Should everyone serve for their country? Many believe that this is essential to become a good American. There was a time in American history when people were prosecuted for their refusal to join their fellow Americans in arms. These were the Quakers. Their non-violent ideals made them turn the other cheek away from way they believed was morally wrong. So who was Right? Those that stood up for their country or those that held there religious beliefs close? If they both acted on what they truly believed to be morally right, than they both did the right thing. Each side will look at the other differently, but when it comes down to it the conscience of both are at ease. With this being said, its evident that doing the right thing is, among other things, simply a point of view.
I am the millennial generation. I am just one of the 95 million that echo the baby boomers. The Generation We video made me open my eyes to the huge issues that have been left behind by the generations before me. My generation is inheriting a country that is going in the wrong direction as a result of the bad choices made by those in power now. Our country is declining not because of outside influences, but because of the problems that have arose and been ignored inside. Sitting on the sidelines watching my country go into decline is morally wrong to me. The right thing is to make an effort in aiding my country's revival. Now that I've defined what the right thing is, the next step is answering the call to action that has been sent. At the moment, all I can do is wait for the first chance I have to excersize my inalienable right of voting. Voting is the best way for the majority to get out what they want to say. The millennial generation is in the best position to prove this point in a way that it has never been affirmed before. Once everyone in my generation has the power of a vote, we will be the biggest demographic of voters. We can literally determine the national elections. This is the best way for the masses to affect the direction of the country, but I'm aiming for something more. There is a limited number of people that make the laws for our country. They are the 535 men and women elected into Congress. 100 of these make up the Senate leaving 435 in the House of Representatives. To me, serving in one of these seats is the most supreme way to do good for my country. These are the elite in the American system of government. To me its not the military action that changes the world, its the legislative moves that our country takes. A seat in Congress is the "Right" thing to do for the progress of my country and generation.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Rose Colored Glases
"In order to find out how things really are, one must understand the filters through which one perceives the world."
Do you have rose-colored glasses on? Or do you see the smog that covers the skyline? Many people choose to overlook the reality of things. They view life through a filter that hides the truth. Others have an extreme cynicism towards anything. Everything we learn has a point of view from someone else attached to it. Every subject area is seen and taught in a different way. The way knowledge is passed down through different topics is also vastly different. Everything around us is a product of someone else's perception and, therefore, someone else's filter. This makes the things we learn unreliable. The only way to really know something is by looking at as many sides as possible. The more points of view you observe the more likely you are to get the real truth. The facts are skewed by every party that deals with them. Understanding each of these is probably one of the best assets a knowledge seeker can have.
History is one of the most biased subject areas. From ancient times we only have faded, yellowing paper that is written in languages that we can't fully understand. We may have an idea of the meaning but there are connotations that may only be relevant through the times. The Bible, for instance, is the most printed book in the world. People around the globe in almost every country use this book as a guide on how to be a good person. This book is accepted as the ultimate truth for millions of people yet the original book was written in a language so complex that nobody fully understands it today. Old Hebrew is literally a dead language, not because it is no longer used but because no one on the planet knows it anymore. From Old Hebrew the Bible was translated to Greek. This document is known as the Septuagint. People rarely think about this filter through time that the Bible has gone through, but it is there never the less. This causes the entire Christian following to look through the filter of translation. History is also a product of the winner's point of view on the event. The loser rarely gets a say-so in the matter that the story is told. The Civil War is a great example of this. The South is seen as the bad guy because the Northern victory is so glorified. No one really stops to think about the rights of the southern states to break off from the Union based on the same principles used for revolution only a century earlier. As someone learning history we see the event through the eyes of the winning team. All we know of the Persian Wars is the Greek account. This is because history is seen through the artifacts left behind. When a culture took over another they'd ruin records and decimate structures. We are taught about history through the remnants of what is left. This gives us a huge filter of the facts of our ancestors.
Do you have rose-colored glasses on? Or do you see the smog that covers the skyline? Many people choose to overlook the reality of things. They view life through a filter that hides the truth. Others have an extreme cynicism towards anything. Everything we learn has a point of view from someone else attached to it. Every subject area is seen and taught in a different way. The way knowledge is passed down through different topics is also vastly different. Everything around us is a product of someone else's perception and, therefore, someone else's filter. This makes the things we learn unreliable. The only way to really know something is by looking at as many sides as possible. The more points of view you observe the more likely you are to get the real truth. The facts are skewed by every party that deals with them. Understanding each of these is probably one of the best assets a knowledge seeker can have.
History is one of the most biased subject areas. From ancient times we only have faded, yellowing paper that is written in languages that we can't fully understand. We may have an idea of the meaning but there are connotations that may only be relevant through the times. The Bible, for instance, is the most printed book in the world. People around the globe in almost every country use this book as a guide on how to be a good person. This book is accepted as the ultimate truth for millions of people yet the original book was written in a language so complex that nobody fully understands it today. Old Hebrew is literally a dead language, not because it is no longer used but because no one on the planet knows it anymore. From Old Hebrew the Bible was translated to Greek. This document is known as the Septuagint. People rarely think about this filter through time that the Bible has gone through, but it is there never the less. This causes the entire Christian following to look through the filter of translation. History is also a product of the winner's point of view on the event. The loser rarely gets a say-so in the matter that the story is told. The Civil War is a great example of this. The South is seen as the bad guy because the Northern victory is so glorified. No one really stops to think about the rights of the southern states to break off from the Union based on the same principles used for revolution only a century earlier. As someone learning history we see the event through the eyes of the winning team. All we know of the Persian Wars is the Greek account. This is because history is seen through the artifacts left behind. When a culture took over another they'd ruin records and decimate structures. We are taught about history through the remnants of what is left. This gives us a huge filter of the facts of our ancestors.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Universal Truth
Every culture develops what they believe to be true. Americans believe that everyone should have freedom of speech. Christians believe that you should follow the message of Jesus Christ. Muslims believe women are children and should be treated like property. The English believe that you have the right to rule the country based on your parents. At one point Germans believed themselves to be the superior race. The Aztecs believed sacrificing a human would make their gods happy. All of these beliefs, at one point, were or still are seen as truths. These are just a few examples, but in reality every culture holds They took an idea and decided it was absolute and therefore fought to protect it. How can all these be truths though if they are not seen as the truth by everyone?
I think labelling an ideal a cultural truth is misleading. Instead I think these are strong beliefs that become a fact to a majority of people. I don't think it is very likely that anything can be an ultimate truth to everyone on the planet. This is especially true in the respect of ideas that aren't solid. The idea of one omnicient being, although widely accepted by a majority of the world, has proven time and time again that everyone in the world does not have the same views. Even through physical force this idea could not be changed from a belief to a truth. This leads me to raise questions about the ideas behind the Truman and Bush doctorines. These both state that democracy should be pushed far and wide. The Truman doctorine goes farther and states that Communism should be completely obliterated. Two presidents in what is considered to be the most powerful country in the world have written what they believe to be truths. These documents can be used to destabilize numerous governments and potentioally kill hundreds of people. Democracy is purely a political belief, but in America this has become a political truth. This is the perfect example of how cultural truths can become lethal.
When people believe an idea to be an absolute truth, they become blinded by it. Cultures close their minds off to the possibility that their truth could be a lie; an illusion fabricated to make meaning or re-enforce dominance. The idea of a "cultural truth" has rarely been a good thing throughout history. Many people have been pursecuted because of the beliefs of others that had been made into "truths". When people are hurt because of a truth, that should be a sign that it is not a truth. So are there any "cultural truths"? I think when it all comes down to it, there are strong beliefs that people have. They may become facts to some individuals, but when they are put on a large scale they have the potential to hurt others. Any sort of "manifest destiny" of any idea may have devastating results. Cultural truth is a myth that has been wrongly titled and the attempt to spread it has only been regressive.
I think labelling an ideal a cultural truth is misleading. Instead I think these are strong beliefs that become a fact to a majority of people. I don't think it is very likely that anything can be an ultimate truth to everyone on the planet. This is especially true in the respect of ideas that aren't solid. The idea of one omnicient being, although widely accepted by a majority of the world, has proven time and time again that everyone in the world does not have the same views. Even through physical force this idea could not be changed from a belief to a truth. This leads me to raise questions about the ideas behind the Truman and Bush doctorines. These both state that democracy should be pushed far and wide. The Truman doctorine goes farther and states that Communism should be completely obliterated. Two presidents in what is considered to be the most powerful country in the world have written what they believe to be truths. These documents can be used to destabilize numerous governments and potentioally kill hundreds of people. Democracy is purely a political belief, but in America this has become a political truth. This is the perfect example of how cultural truths can become lethal.
When people believe an idea to be an absolute truth, they become blinded by it. Cultures close their minds off to the possibility that their truth could be a lie; an illusion fabricated to make meaning or re-enforce dominance. The idea of a "cultural truth" has rarely been a good thing throughout history. Many people have been pursecuted because of the beliefs of others that had been made into "truths". When people are hurt because of a truth, that should be a sign that it is not a truth. So are there any "cultural truths"? I think when it all comes down to it, there are strong beliefs that people have. They may become facts to some individuals, but when they are put on a large scale they have the potential to hurt others. Any sort of "manifest destiny" of any idea may have devastating results. Cultural truth is a myth that has been wrongly titled and the attempt to spread it has only been regressive.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thalidomide
The drug thalidomide had terrible effects on thousands of people around the world before it was banned. Who's to blame for this tragedy?
The government clearly felt some blame for this because they had it banned. The government regulation of medication given to the public should have definitely went through some adjustments. The government should definitely be taking an active role in the administrating of prescription drugs. No government should allow a drug to disable thousands of people before it realizes something is wrong with it. The government should have more strict laws to ensure this.
The drug company that researched this chemical and had it cleared for general use should definitely take some responsibility as well. They clearly did not have enough research on the drug before it was prescribed. This led to a tragedy that effected thousands. That should set off a red flag that there need to be more adequate research techniques before administering a drug.
Doctors and patients on an individual level have no where near the amount of responsibility that the drug company and government have. When it comes to a drug that is supposed to help morning sickness, nobody should feel weary about side effects that extreme. It is not up to the doctors and patients to research every prescribed drug. Although this may be helpful this is work that should already be done for the individuals.
The government clearly felt some blame for this because they had it banned. The government regulation of medication given to the public should have definitely went through some adjustments. The government should definitely be taking an active role in the administrating of prescription drugs. No government should allow a drug to disable thousands of people before it realizes something is wrong with it. The government should have more strict laws to ensure this.
The drug company that researched this chemical and had it cleared for general use should definitely take some responsibility as well. They clearly did not have enough research on the drug before it was prescribed. This led to a tragedy that effected thousands. That should set off a red flag that there need to be more adequate research techniques before administering a drug.
Doctors and patients on an individual level have no where near the amount of responsibility that the drug company and government have. When it comes to a drug that is supposed to help morning sickness, nobody should feel weary about side effects that extreme. It is not up to the doctors and patients to research every prescribed drug. Although this may be helpful this is work that should already be done for the individuals.
Disembodied Learning
Does emotion play a role in knowledge? If it does have a role, is it positive or negative? A strong passion for anything will undoubtedly influence what you put into the knowledge. These passions can be negative or positive, but both have an effect. Humanity has a natural mental block against doing things they don't want to do. The real test of character is how well you get over this block. Making the best out of a class or any type of required knowledge is something that can become essential in life.
Emotion can definitely bias you towards a subject. Religion is an obvious example of this. Religion puts strong emotion in the minds of millions around the world. Many people wont give a moment towards the thought of stem cell research or evolution because of their religion. In cases like this, emotion is hindering the acquisition of knowledge. This is a negative side effect of emotion that can leave an individual blind to countless topics. The evolution of scientific knowledge was stunted for hundreds of years because religious law did not allow anything that could possibly disprove any canonical text. Things like this have held back knowledge since the birth of religion. In school, dislike of a teacher or subject may lead a student to not try their hardest. I've seen kids completely disregard a class because of this. This type of close-minded thinking is a shame. In cases like these, emotions are preventing the attainment of knowledge.
There is another side to this though. When an individual is passionate about a subject, they are more likely to put more time and effort into learning more about that subject. I am a self proclaimed history nerd. I have taken every social studies class that the school offers a year ahead of graduation. Along with that, I watch the History Channel almost every day. I plan to major in history when i go to college. Although history really has nothing to do with my career choice I enjoy learning about it so much that I am willing to put a great deal of time and money into it. Positive emotions towards an area of knowledge spurs the learner into putting more into that learning. Even just a love for knowledge in general can cause this. There are plenty of people that have an internal desire to learn more each day.
After required learning is over, how many people continue with the quest for knowledge? This is when you really understand what you truly enjoy learning about. Choosing to continue acquiring knowledge when it is not expected of you is the rawest way to show that you have a passion for something. This desire to learn has to have an emotional base which, in the long run, makes emotion a positive part of the learning process.
Emotion can definitely bias you towards a subject. Religion is an obvious example of this. Religion puts strong emotion in the minds of millions around the world. Many people wont give a moment towards the thought of stem cell research or evolution because of their religion. In cases like this, emotion is hindering the acquisition of knowledge. This is a negative side effect of emotion that can leave an individual blind to countless topics. The evolution of scientific knowledge was stunted for hundreds of years because religious law did not allow anything that could possibly disprove any canonical text. Things like this have held back knowledge since the birth of religion. In school, dislike of a teacher or subject may lead a student to not try their hardest. I've seen kids completely disregard a class because of this. This type of close-minded thinking is a shame. In cases like these, emotions are preventing the attainment of knowledge.
There is another side to this though. When an individual is passionate about a subject, they are more likely to put more time and effort into learning more about that subject. I am a self proclaimed history nerd. I have taken every social studies class that the school offers a year ahead of graduation. Along with that, I watch the History Channel almost every day. I plan to major in history when i go to college. Although history really has nothing to do with my career choice I enjoy learning about it so much that I am willing to put a great deal of time and money into it. Positive emotions towards an area of knowledge spurs the learner into putting more into that learning. Even just a love for knowledge in general can cause this. There are plenty of people that have an internal desire to learn more each day.
After required learning is over, how many people continue with the quest for knowledge? This is when you really understand what you truly enjoy learning about. Choosing to continue acquiring knowledge when it is not expected of you is the rawest way to show that you have a passion for something. This desire to learn has to have an emotional base which, in the long run, makes emotion a positive part of the learning process.
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