"A serious man in dealing with severe subjects carefully avoids writing," lamented Plato about writing. He considered unwritten knowledge more profound and seasoned because it could stand up against arguments. Indeed, human thought before the widespread prevalence of writing is notable. Ancient philosophers and sages — Jesus, Buddha, Plato, Aristotle. Laozi (Lao-Tzu) and others — produced the most important philosophical, scientific questions of human thought. Their work remains relevant. The profound work was credited to these great thinkers by contemporary writers, but the ideas might be a culmination of a long evolution of thought.
It is essential to go back to Plato's lament about memorization and reasoned thought. The accepted view is that learning must be based on understanding. Discovering logical connections in a new material makes learning fun, exciting and motivating. However, in any subject matter, lots of information fall outside of logic, such as vocabulary or definitions. Rotary memorization creates automatic associations by long-term potentiation between neuronal connections. Building new connections also weaken old associations. It increases mental flexibility, allowing focus on a larger picture.
Emotion has a vital role in memorization and learning. Emotional experiences are remembered according to their impact. Also, negative emotional experiences are remembered even better than positive ones, such as sensational, violent incidents. Csikszentmihalyi and Hunter have shown that learning imbues long-term psychological capital, inspiring happiness and well-being. A positive attitude in school makes learning pleasurable and highly efficient. Rote learning is viewed as an old-fashioned, shallow learning method with no place within the contemporary school. However, in Asian countries, rote learning is used as a form of meditation, enhancing mood and patience, and emotional stability. It also improves mental capital, which comes in handy when taking international tests or applying for higher learning.
Debates impart fluid, seasoned connections between materials; controversy creates a solid framework to file away knowledge. It ensures the validity of knowledge, proving Plato's point. Writing can cover up inconsistencies in argument, as the falsities of many 'scientific ideas' of the past demonstrate. It might also explain why the depth of philosophical discussions in antiquity was rarely surpassed. How relevant will the sea of scientific information published in prestigious journals remain in the coming years?
How to build a better society? Lively social, political, and scientific conversation and debate on social media form a better community. This would naturally weed out unreliable, fake news items. A well-informed citizenry is emotionally stable and makes good decisions even at the ballot box.
|
