Monday, January 12, 2009

Our English Syllabus

There are three main ideas that this essay had. They were education, training and learning. We are college students. We are here to "learn" and get "educated". College is for pursuing knowledge, not for learning what is already known. That has been something that recently I have struggled with. I am not the deepest thinker. I like to have specific formulas to figure things out. I do not like things that are supposed to be figured out. I like learning what is already known. I enjoy doing problems, I enjoy math, I enjoy figuring out budgets and balancing accounts. I felt that the main point for this was that we need to expand our thinking. Which I completely agree with, but the way I think is not the same way that Lewis wants me to think. While reading this, I felt inadequate and stupid. Maybe that was just my interpretation. But I am not a deep thinker, and that is something I need to develop. So reading this was hard for me.
I long for knowledge, but I don't think deep enough to really learn anything. I would like that to change and I think that would help me understand Lewis better. We talked in class about how we need to be able to search for answers. Lewis wants us to dig deeper and go beneath the surface to look at things. He didn't seem to like the idea of just sitting down and taking in the information. He thinks learning should be an exploration and a pursuit of knowledge. I agree with him in that aspect.
"Nothing more comes out than what we put in." This quote has been on my mind. I find this true in everything. In high school, I put everything I had into my athletics. And I was good. I was successful. Now I need to translate that motivation and dedication to my schoolwork and to my "personal pursuit of knowledge".

1 comment:

  1. Dear Joe,

    You are ever so right and VERY good at concisely stating one of the main truths of the essay when you articulate that the ‘main point for this was that we need to expand our thinking’. Furthermore, it takes even more insight and ‘guts’, if I may say so, to state: ‘I am not a deep thinker, and that is something I need to develop’.
    We would say: you have everything you need to succeed in this endeavor! Just keep reading and expanding your knowledge (asking God’s Holy Spirit for guidance so you will learn the best of each effort) and the labor, toil and sweat that made you strong in your physical undertaking will very well translate positively in a mental exercise! You will surely be successful in your "personal pursuit of knowledge" just keep the humility alongside as your protector from becoming arrogant! As humility is a prerequisite for REAL wisdom according to God’s Word!
    "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2).

    God Bless,
    Adriana & Paulo

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