Showing posts with label Knowledge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knowledge. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Pursuit of Knowledge

Have you observed something? The more Man pursues knowledge, the more closer he comes to understanding himself. The more he comes to understand himself, the more he understands his actions and choices. The more knowledge he searches the more meaning he finds in everything that he does. His life actually becomes all about ideas because it is these ideas that Plato talks about that fires up Man and which Man should rightly live for


And the more idealized he becomes trying to romance these ideas with his own limitations the more he realizes how sorry his state his that life is actually real and an idea cannot fit into reality the way an idea is. But his only satisfaction is to appreciate the purity of the idea and his humble opportunity to implement it imperfectly. He finds meaning in the imperfection created by a real world. Thus Realism has really given impetus and recognition to Idealism. Plato and Aristotle have reconciled in my little musings.


There is a greater demand of living life well if one has greater understanding how life should be lived well. If knowledge eradicates ignorance, then the suffering that was obscure and an ‘obstacle’ becomes known, challenging, charming and enigmatic. Suffering finds meaning in knowledge and knowledge finds pursuit in Man. Man finds purpose in Action.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Love of Learning

I have learned the secrets from the philosophers. I have understood the actions of God and his design from the theologians. I have learned the mysteries of the world from the contemplatives. I have transcended to learn what is noble from the mystics. I have learned to appreciate simple truths with the pleasure of reasoning and logic.


Yet all this is not enough for me to love my neighbor. All the reasons my neighbor does what he does is not enough for me to show compassion for I am busy scheming my next rebuttal. Knowledge does not give you grace but opens one out to the reality of it: that one needs it and it cannot be culled out of books


How much more proof does one need that mere learning cannot help me love a neighbor while a poor peasant who knows nothing about the awesomeness of the ways of the world and of noble conversations may love a neighbor more than I. What more proof that grace comes from God only if I in humility ask it and no amount of knowledge of the world can teach me any bit of love.


I read about God design of free will and how he can achieve his will without destroying my freedom and will. I may have understood such lofty proofs but if I may not able to love my neighbor sitting next to me, how much does the knowledge account to? It is better that I learn to love than to be puffed up with pride of learning that does not dispose me to love.