ARE YOU EDUCATED - REALLY?
What is the evidence of real education?
In another forum that discusses current events, one participant, noting the radically different interpretations of things forum participants brought forth, made the following observation:
"I marvel how educated folks can differ so dramatically when observing the "same" facts. We are all historians now, armed with our biased viewpoints, proving that recording history is an art not a science."
My response:
Careful here, sir. You risk appearing to argue that there are no real facts - no truth - only opinions.
As the saying goes, everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Facts are not determined by opinions. They are expressions or facets of immutable reality - things as they really are. Opinions, on the other hand, as every thinking person knows, have no fixed orientation to reality. As I've argued in the past, opinions are thus not all created equal and are not all equally deserving of respect. Hard, cold, uncaring, non-compromising, non-negotiable reality is the ultimate arbiter of the quality of an opinion.
Opinions differ greatly in quality - and thus utility - based on how closely they correspond to reality. The closer an opinion corresponds to reality - the way things really are - the more valuable and useful it is, and vice versa. The object of an intelligent mind ought to be to understand as much of objective reality as possible - to see reality through as clear a lens as is possible. This on the premise that being a part of that reality, the more one understands and harmonizes with things as they really are - not the way one would like them to be - the more one will prosper - and vice versa. High is the price of the intellectual, moral and spiritual discipline necessary to pursue this course. Most people don't come close. They have priorities other than truth.
The gentleman quoted above refers to "educated folks" differing radically in their views when confronted with the same "facts". These differences have nothing to do with the "facts" being observed or the absolute reality from which they spring. The "facts" are what they are - immutable, unchanging. The differences come in the various intellectual, moral and spiritual lens through which individuals view and interpret reality - and there is virtually no limit to how radically the resulting views can differ. Scripture refers to those who "call evil good and good evil" - and history, tragically, is replete with examples of how horrific the resulting human behavior can be.
What is "education"? Is it time spent in school, or a piece of parchment issued by a purported institution of learning, framed and hung on a wall? I think not. My argument is that the only meaningful indicator of true education is the possessor's manifest ability to manage and discipline his mind and character so as to be able to reason and discipline his way to an increasingly accurate understanding of reality - things as they really are.
This reality-oriented discipline is not obscure, but has several obvious features, including acknowledging there is such a thing as truth, the humility to understand and admit one does not know everything, the willingness honestly and fairly to consider new information, and the willingness to admit one's previous errors of judgment and change course accordingly - all in pursuit of a better understanding of truth - reality.
No matter what the issue at hand, there always is an absolute truth at the root of it. It is a deadly mistake to acquiesce in the face of opinion - one's own or those of others - and abandon the pursuit of absolute truth. Yet it is clear that most people are creatures of their self-serving opinions and personal weaknesses, slaves to and rationalizers of their own personal versions of the Natural Man that is perennially at war with mankind and forever obscures the path to the truth - the greatest of all truths being the truth about oneself.
Because the truth blows the cover on human failings, there are few who have the intellectual, moral and spiritual true grit to subordinate their self-interests to the pursuit of truth - reality - things as they really are. Thus, few will enjoy the ultimate benefits of a discipline that is certain to push those who submit to it rudely out of their comfort zones and into a better place. As Jesus put it, "Strait is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it."
Right vs. wrong, truth vs. lies, reality vs. fantasy, knowledge vs. ignorance, order vs. chaos, law vs. lawlessness, justice vs. injustice, patriotism vs. treason, light vs. darkness, good vs. evil, happiness vs. misery, God vs. the Godless…
What you want is what you’ll get…
Torquemada