When schooling is over the citizen who wishes to reach beyond naive common sense reality must develop the ability to generate questions. Questions result from a critical self-conscious intellect and depend upon the priorities of that intellect. Formal education has always furnished the learner with a question for consideration. The question asked determines the knowledge achieved and the understanding created.
The self-actuated learner must develop the ability to create questions. We have never before given any thought to questions; but now, if we wish to take a journey of discover, we must learn the most important aspect of any educational process. We must create questions that will guide our travels. We can no longer depend upon education by coercion to guide us; we have the opportunity to develop education driven by the ‘ecstasy of understanding’.
Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.
–Voltaire (1694-1778)
I’m not sure there’s a question in there, but I like what you’ve written.
coberst wrote:
Particularly this. So many of us rely on intensional knowledge (what we’ve been told, second-hand) rather than working to secure extentional, real-world knowledge. John Dewey hits hard on this, and I can’t say how much more rewarding my life is because of it.
But that extentional journey is not for everyone. Some people are happy as clams just wandering through life, without really really asking themselves “why?” one single time. And, sometimes I find myself envious of these automatons because I don’t have this capability to “turn my brain off” like they do.
It is pleasant to find someone who comprehends what I am talking about. It does not often happen. I know that self-learning is not for everyone but I think that our world needs many more to do so than presently. I think the problem is that few people have any idea that such a mode of activity even exists. I hope that by posting some ideas that more people will give it a try.