For Tuesday morning, please reflect on the text below.
Your writing should include—though not be limited to—answers to the four
questions that follow the excerpt. We will begin our class discussion here, and write further for Thursday.
“If
when we learn new things we can see the world differently, then as we
learn new things we react to it differently. We are then living in a
different world, a world with different possibilities, different
impossibilities. Which world is the right one, the real one? Is it the
new world or the old? What do we mean by this question? And,
ultimately the question, if this is true, what new things should we try
to learn so as to live in a different world?” (Lawrence LeShan, Alternate Realities: The Search for the Whole Human Being. New York: Ballantine Books, 1987, 8.)
1. What happens to us when we learn?
2. What happens to the world when we learn?
3. Do human beings, living in the same society, live in different worlds because of what they know?
4. How does the following quote, from Emerson's Self-Reliance, affect your thinking on the previous question? “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all...that is genius."Tuesday Update:
Please continue your conversation in the context of the following ideas and questions, the first in honor of the 84th anniversary this week of the publication of The Sound and the Fury. This writing should reflect your consideration of your classmates' first round of comments on this post, as well as our class discussion.
"Fact and truth really don't have much to do with each other"
-William Faulkner
"Every knowledge system is shaped by the characteristics of the society that produced it. We are accustomed to considering the flow in the opposite direction, seeing how scientific and technological advances have shaped modern society. But it is of critical importance to recognize both flows. We have the kind of society we have in part because of the fruits of science and technology. But the converse is also true: we have the kind of science we have in part because of the particular nature of the society in which it was developed." (Willis Harman, Global Mind Change: The Promise of the Last Years of the Twentieth Century. Indianapolis: Knowledge Systems, Inc., 1988, 27.)
1. How has your knowledge system been shaped by your society? For example, how has science been shaped by your society?
2. Can different societies have different sciences, histories, etc.?
3. To what extent do you agree with Faulkner's assessment?
And speaking of decoding, check this out.
After reading the extract from Lawrence Leshan's, Alternate Realities: The Search for the Whole Human Being, I was asked to develop an answer to the question; What happens to us when we learn? In my opinion when we learn we develop new ideologies that helps to bring about a change in perspective to many things . When we learn we develop new innovative ways to carry out many physical and psycological activities. For example : I know how to make an omlette in 10 minutes using cheese, salt, pepper and onions , but after researching I found that there are many faster and easier way to make that same omlette. This shows how through learning we are presented with many methods where we can chose the most suitable one to carry out activities. When we learn we see the world in a new way.This brings me to the second question asked; What happens to the world when we learn ?
ReplyDeleteThe world is made up of many individuals with opposing ideas. Why is this so? Well, this is so because people develop different ideas based on what they learnt through either being taught or through personal observations. Therefore when we learn, the world becomes separated by individuals who do not share the same perspectives. Different perspectives and different ideas bring forward many possibilities and impossibilities of thoughts depending on the person's perspective it is being concentrated from. I personally think that this is how the theory of the new world and old world came into play. I take the new world to mean a world where not everyone shares the same opinion and there can be different views to situations presented. It also means to me that the type of life you live is based on what you view as right or wrong in the world free from judgement. The old world is therefore to me viewed as the past where if society never shared one ultimate belief they would be deemed as being wrong.
These many concepts enable me to agree with the statement that human beings living in the same society do live in different worlds because of what they know. Individuals who live in a specific society based of certain norms and morals can physically be apart of that world but not mentally. If they want to disagree with a certain practice or teaching in that society or they deem something viewed as right to be wrong then through their opinion they are not part of that society's values or the society. If they are confident in what they know and they live somewhere where that view is opposed then they are not apart of the society or world. This is because of what they know and the confidence they have in what they know. For example if I moved to a part of the world where they worshipped sticks and stones , I might be physically there but through my confidence in knowing that there is a greater being I am not mentally apart of that society but apart of my own world.
Emerson's quote "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all ....justifies my answer to the previous question asked. If you have such strong confidence towards a personal opinion that you think should be true for all that is truly genius. What ever your mind believes and your heart conceives and a burning passion about an opinion is expressed especially to help change the minds of many others to be expressed by them , how else can being genius be viewed as? Look at the individuals in society we have viewed as being genius. We viewed them as being that way because of their strong beliefs of their thoughts and the confidence that it should be believed by us they changed our perspective on how a certain topic was viewed.
So through my perspectives and different views, Yes I did just Change the world if I put them into practice and have strong confidence in them.
In my opinion, when someone learn something, the world he or she lives in slightly changes. There are so many different worlds. The first one is the physical one, composed of seven continents, four oceans, and countless animals and plants. The second one is human’s world of thoughts or civilization which is invisible but contains every human being’s thoughts and ideas. The last one is every individual’s inner world: psychology, that only the person himself or herself can fully understand. I believe that everyone live in different world. Although every human being live on a planet called earth which is human’s physical world, every individual’s inner world can be entirely different. We get new understanding and thoughts that can add to and change our original knowledge, so at the same time, our personal inner worlds and how we look at the outer world change. Thinking about the outer world, we do change it when we learn. Every individual can influence human’s world of thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI believe that although human beings live in the same society, their different knowledge make them live in different worlds. For example, one well-educated person can get information from reading while one illiterate can only listen and watch to gain new knowledge. Books, newspaper, and other printed document play important roles in the former’s world while they are only tons of paper for the latter. Hence, the worlds they live in are different. As I mentioned before, there are different kinds of worlds. Obviously, earth would not change because of what we know. Civilization and psychology would absolutely change due to the increased amount of knowledge.
I interpret this quote as saying that you are genious if you believe other people believe in what you believe, which means smart people believe in everyone live in the same world. I do not agree will this statement, so this quote can not affect my answers to the precious questions. I think that if people believe in what Emerson said, they would be considered stubborn or even worse than that. Relationship is built based on understanding and acceptance. Obviously, there are not two identical people on earth, so human have to accept or at least understand different thoughts from other’s world in order to get along with other people. If someone really follow what Emerson said because they want to become a “genius”, the two results would happen to them is to be totally isolated or become a dictator like Hitler. The premise for the later is that the person has to be extremely persuasive and cruel and have endless ambition. However, neither of these is great.
1. When we learn, we start to see things through different perspectives. I think we begin to see why things work the way they do and oftentimes why people do the things they do. I think when we learn, it also puts a burden on us, sometimes bad and sometimes good. I find that when I learn bad information, or disturbing information, I feel as though I have to live with that the rest of my life. The burden following it is what I should do to prevent it or what I could have done. I also think this can be put in a positive light as well. When I learn a new thing that I consider good or helpful, I feel a burden to tell other people and let other people know that new thing, I think this is why we have an education system in our world.
ReplyDelete2. I don't think the world changes immediately when we learn. Say, if we learn that the Earth has a core, well that doesn't mean that the Earth's core will change. I do however think that the world changes as a whole together sometimes. An example of this would be how in the last 30 years, our global community has been chatting about global warming and how we can fix things. I think now that most of the world is thinking about the global warming crisis, it's always in the back of our heads. When we learn, the world can change through our actions.
3. Like the last question, I think there is no right answer to this question. I believe that humans can live in different mind sets when they learn certain things, but we all live in the same physical world. When I think of people living in a certain mind set, they are just a group or chunk of the physical world, not the entire world. And example would be the Nazis. They all had similar mind sets, but they were part of the same physical world as the Jews. This really depends on your definition of world. If we are talking about a global community, no, they are not in a different global community. If we are talking about the mind set/ideas as a world, yes, they definitely are in a whole different world.
4. For this question, I find this particularly disturbing. I actually really disagree with this quote. The fact that people think that their way is the only way is a very frightening thought. People will always have different and conflicting ideas and morals. I personally think you can never tell someone how to think, it's just too controlling. It reminds me of communism and dictatorship which both bring a strange feeling in me. I guess I automatically thought of a book I read called Athem about a community/utopia where everyone was classified as the same person. If, in fact, we all thought the same, our world would look very very different and strange.
All in all, I think with knowledge, our society could change and has changed throughout the years. With more knowledge comes more power and also more burden.
I believe that when we learn, our minds are able to bridge together and or strengthen connections between things we have learned in the past. Learning makes you susceptible to viewing things in a different way. When we learn, I do not believe the world around us changes, but that our understanding, logic, and perception of our world changes. Of course, through learning we can impact our world in a positive or negative way, but in general as we learn more, we see more, or understand more. Things we may not have realized before, we now realize; or connections we may have not made before, we can now make. Our world after learning becomes a world full of more and more questions to ask, answers to seek, and connections to create. Human beings, living in the same society do not live in different worlds because of what they know; instead, they live in the same world but by different understandings and perceptions of it. They may understand life differently, and may decide to live life differently based upon their understanding of it; however after learning more their ways of living may develop changes. The quote from Emerson’s Self-Reliance, affects my thinking on the whether or not humans living in the same society live in different worlds because of what they know makes me question but also agree with my previous response. This quote, in my mind, basically means that everyone has their own perception and or understanding of the world, but that does not necessarily mean that anyone is wrong. If one truly believes in their understanding of their world, than it is assumed that the rest of the population views the world as they do.
ReplyDeleteWhen we learn our perceptions, actions and attitudes change. For example, when I learned how to do proper MLA citations, my old way of doing it changed and I started to do it the right way. When I get to know I person on I judged on first impression my attitude towards them and perception might change. In my opinion, We only learn if something changes and in answer to what happens to us when we learn, I would say we change.
ReplyDeleteWhen we learn nothing happens to the world we live in it will be the same. However, it might seem to us that the world has change because we might have learned something that changed how we look at the world. Our views and outlook on the world can change but the world itself will always be the same. It might not appear to be the same to all of us but it does not necessarily change.
I think human beings living in the same society can be somewhat live in different worlds based on what they know. Knowledge is a powerful thing and what we see the world as is built upon what we know. In the “Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, the narrator made a remark that though he had lived in Pakistan he had been a tourist there. This is simply because while he lived there he was sheltered and not exposed to many of the horrors in Pakistan while His neighbours were living it. As he grew up and knew more about Terrorism and the Taliban he realised that he was living in a totally different world from other Afghans while they were living in the same society.
I interpreted that quote to mean that relying on your perceptions and being sure of what you think is genius. It does not really affect my answer in previous question partly because I don't agree with it. This may be a result of how I interpret the quote but as it stands now I don't quite agree with it. I think that when it relates to learning and viewing the world the key aspect is open mindedness and acceptance. While being confident in yourself and trusting your intuition are important, widening your horizons and considering other opinions are what I think is genius.
1. When we learn we gain new information and may see things in a new light or from a different perspective than we used to. I think that learning something new certainly dawns on the way that we think of things when we learn something new because, it allows you to see in a new way.
ReplyDelete2. When we learn new information I think that our world stays the same, but is just enhanced in a way. I find that when I personally learn something new it makes me think of things in a different way, however the world that I live in stays the same. Just because new information is gained does not mean that the world is a different place, people are still the same, places are still the same. Nevertheless thoughts could be different, however, thoughts in my opinion does not change my world. I guess it really depends on the person.For someone new knowledge could literally be life changing and for others it could just add to what they already know.
3. It really depends on what the person get out what they learn and if they think they are changed by it. I don’t think that we can generalize the effect on which learning has on people as individuals. Some peoples worlds may be changed and some may not. One can not be entirely sure. Each person is an individual so their take on certain things will be different.
4. From my understanding I do not think that the quote affects my thinking on the previous question because why would someone think something and believe that it is true for all? People have different thoughts and personalities.
I don't really see how a new piece of information can completely change someone’s world. I see how it can change your opinion and perception of something but I don’t see how that could be life changing. This is my opinion. For example you are deathly sick and there is a cure, and thats awesome, but you are still sick. Sure the cure can open new possibilities and hopes but how does that necessarily change your world? Of course it will make you think about your life in a different way, but I don’t think that it will all of a sudden have an earth shattering effect on you.
When we learn, we obtain new ideas about a subject we have encountered. As for the world, when we learn, we add to the accumulative knowledge of the world, and the amount of people who know the same information. There are so many people in the world that know of the same thing, however with so many different brains, there are countless perspectives on the same thought. Also, nobody in the world can know everything; therefore people can be categorized according to what they ‘know’ the most. This happens everywhere on many levels. For example, in high school, people separate into cliques based on their interests, hobbies and backgrounds. Beyond school, adults are divided into jobs based on the amount of knowledge they have acquired in a certain area of knowledge. Therefore we all live in different worlds, based of our level of knowledge in any given subject. This is not a concrete rule however; we may discover a new world quite easily-- as long as we have the stamina to seek new ideas. I believe that the quote from Emerson’s Self-Reliance does not negate the previous question about humans being divided into different worlds in the same society. I think that the quote is an aid to the idea that even though people are divided based on what they know; it does not mean that they are limited to those boundaries.
ReplyDeleteI believe that we change when we learn something new, and because of that, the world can change because we change. I also know that the world is not easy to change, it is going to take a lot of people and a lot of learning to really change the world. However, there are small reactions that lead to big changes, which lead to even bigger changes. Sometimes, people gain knowledge that can change a country, and that’s one step closer to changing the world. An Anglican Bishop once wrote a poem about how he wanted to change the world, and that dream evolved into changing his country, when that didn’t work, he thought about changing his family, that didn’t work, and finally, on his deathbed, he realized that he should start by changing himself. Changing oneself is the first step to initiating any other change. I completely agree with that, and so my answer to the question in the text is that we should learn how to change ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think that what one person learns can change the world directly; it has to go through some kind of a process of change. At the same time, the world is changing constantly; it’s not going to stop changing if we stop learning. This goes back to us as individuals being too insignificant to actually change the world.
Human beings definitely all live in the same physical world, but it’s what each person knows that makes them live in a seemingly different world, because we all have different perceptions on the world, we all have different perspectives, and its wrong to say that some one else’s perception of the world is fake, because ours could be wrong too. Perception and emotion are both ways of knowing that varies depending on the person, so these are not universal ways of knowing. Newborn babies definitely live in a happier world than adults because of what they don’t know. Adults are aware of how hard life is, how dangerous the society is, while babies don’t know any of that. Therefor, they are happy and carefree. Ignorance is bliss. Knowledge can often times be a burden, but people never the less acquire and willingly bear that burden. Why? Don't people want to be happy?
Ironic that people think of the level of education is one's key step to achieving success and being happy. Yet, knowledge is misery, and people acquire knowledge to pursue happiness.
People who think that what is true for them must be true for all others are only genius if they can identify what could be held true for everyone. Those who see and accept that some things are in nature various, cannot be the same for everyone. Each human being is built in a different way, and learns to react to different things in different ways. If a person cannot accept that, then, he or she is very much a fool. Reading this quote and reflecting on the previous question, I think that people still live in different worlds. The “genius” would indeed be a genius if, after separating the things that could be true for everyone from the things that vary with different people, he or she can reach a place where, he or she lives in a higher world, that is different from everyone else’s because the others have just not acquired that knowledge.
I'm sitting here reflecting on this comment and I can't help but think that these questions are what this theory of knowledge class is trying to get us to answer. I don't think I can give a concrete answer to any of them, but my interpretation is that as we grow the world around us grows as well. First things first; I define the word 'world' in that statement as anything I interact with or think about throughout my life. As I interact with more people, learn, and gain experience doing whatever it is I do, my world grows. Does this reflect the physical earth? Well, no, but then again if the earth is my world, then what is the universe?
ReplyDeleteThe point I'm (clumsily) trying to make is that I have no idea if the world is growing or changing or becoming different as I move through it and as my perspective changes. I could make an argument for it changing, by saying; I perceive the world in the present moment ; the present is a moment in time; time is always moving forward; moving forward is a form of change; therefore my perception of the world is always changing. That means that the world doesn't change, its just my perception. But is that argument valid? Is it true? Does it even make freaking sense?
Anyway.
1) We learn through experience and through the four ways of knowing (perception, reason, emotion, language).
2)The world changes as we learn, and as our perception changes.
3) Yes, human beings live in completely different words based on what they know.
4)It doesn't really affect my answer to the previous question but it makes me think about how we think separately and how we know truths together. How do we perceive things differently? Why do we perceive things the same?
Learning changes the way you think, act and believe. In general, learning changes the way one handles something or the way she lives. Learning helps people to start applying the knowledge they have acquired. This means that learning changes completely the world one has been living in because it sets a new path of understanding that was not there before. When you learn, you see things differently because your new understanding or acquired knowledge changes your perceptive.
ReplyDeleteHuman beings living in the same society might be living in different worlds because they might have different views or knowledge that propels them to handle and view things differently. Human beings can interpret the same thing in different ways, which makes them live in the same world but in a different way.
I agree with Emerson's quote because everybody has a way they understand something. Every body has what he/she can relate their knowledge to. You might struggle hard to understand the way that the other people understand but it won't be exactly the same way. Just believe in what you think is true because the other people also have the same brains that enable them to believe in what they believe. What makes you believe that somebody's understanding is better than yours when he/she does not believe in your understanding and yet you use the same way of understanding, but come up with different knowledge. What you know is true. Believe in your own understanding and challenge people.
I believe that learning is the one thing that changes people the most. We learn from bad experiences, we learn from good experiences. We learn how to behave, how to be comfortable, and who we are. That shapes us into the thinker we are. It creates a flexible mold that is always changing, because we are always being presented with new experiences. Because of this, our perspective of the world changes. An event in the world could be a major cause of stress for someone, while for another person it could be nothing but a news headline. It all depends on how we have learned to set out priorities. The world grows and changes as we learn. New discoveries are always being made, and impacting the ways of going through life. The world must constantly change as we learn, because if it didn’t everything’s balance would be thrown off. I’m not talking about how our learning affect what shape the world is, or the salt content in the ocean, but how the world works with people, and interconnects to create bonds and realization. In the more scientific aspect, the world becomes clearer as we learn. We’re able to understand what it needs, and what we need to keep the balance the same. We learn how to use resources, and harness the world so that it works to our advantage.
ReplyDeleteI believe that humans living in the same society can live in different worlds because of what they know. Take children for example. Children often live in a fairytale world. Their thoughts are filled with Santa clause, flying reindeer, Easter bunnies and colored eggs. Adults become closed off to this world as they increase their knowledge and gain world experience. It all depends on what you’re exposed to. This happens in different classes too. A large CEO could have no idea or perspective of the world a homeless man lives in. This is not to be confused with people who have obtained a lot of knowledge, and do not use it to better the world, or to relate to others. I am strictly speaking about a person’s experiences in the world, and how that effects their views.
This quote is a little confusing to me. I interpret this as a quote that favors having a mind riddled with ignorance, and having that be bliss. It presents a very close-minded way of thinking, stating that what is true for you is true for all. I would like to see how someone with this mindset could function in society. This would cause much controversy in economic circumstances, and especially religion. After I looked at this quote it made my personal stance on the previous questions stronger. I don’t believe ignorance is bliss. I believe that the best thing to do is to stock your mind with knowledge of your life, and the lives around you, and to let your knowledge and ideas be shaped by the world you live in. I’m not saying that you must conform. I’m saying that you must be aware.
This was a truly amazing quote. Like a lot of my classmates said, this truly intertwines everything we have discussed in class and everything this class is attempting to teach us to understand. Most of the questions that Lawrence LeShan asks are extremely hard to answer. In my opinion there is no definite answer. But that is exactly what he is trying to say. We are all individuals and have individual minds. When I first read it, it was hard for me to understand what he was trying to say. How are we living in different worlds if we are the same being except with individual minds? And then I understood. His point was not to have his questions answered; it was to have his questions looked at in a different light. Go against the normal ways of thinking and see what is actually happening. At least that’s what I took away. Before I read the quote I glanced over the four questions, which helped me slow down and really read each line.
ReplyDelete1. What happens to us when we learn?
When we learn anything, through language, perception, emotion, religion, faith, or logic, we obtain new information that we did not know before. When we learn we find out new things that help us understand the past, the present, or the future. We understand things we did not before. We sometimes grow wiser with the new information we have. We gain a new perspective on things that we did not have before. In my opinion, when we learn and the ability to learn present us with the ability to not only expand our knowledge but also have the freedom to obtain the new knowledge in our own individual way. I believe that this is what Lawrence LeShan means when he states that if we learn things we see the world differently, thus we are living in different worlds.
2. What happens to the world when we learn?
In my opinion nothing happens to the world when we learn. The only thing that is affected by the new knowledge is the knowers and the learners, and everyone around them. The world is the holder of all knowers. It can, however, be affected by the new knowledge that knowers have obtained. In that case the world can be affected only if the new knowers decide to affect it with their new knowledge.
3. Do human beings, living in the same society, live in different worlds because of what they know?
I don’t believe that human beings, living in the same society, live in different worlds because of what they know. I believe that all 6 billion human beings have individual knowledge that they have obtained from each other. The only thing that separates us is the unique perspective we have on that knowledge. The reason I don’t believe that humans are on different worlds is because we are all interconnected with some common knowledge. Although some human being share different ways of knowing or different knowledge, we still somehow remain connected with each other in one world through the sole idea of knowledge itself. We all know, we just have different ways of obtaining that information.
4. How does the following quote, from Emerson's Self-Reliance, affect your thinking on the previous question? “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all...that is genius."
In the previous question I said that we all have unique ways of obtaining knowledge and knowing, however we all share the ability to know. I believe this quote expands on that point. I agree with this quote entirely. Contrary to what Lawrence LeShan stated, I believe that just because we know different things does not separate us to different worlds. I will admit that this quote was hard for me to understand when I first read it. That is why it took me a little while to link it back to the previous question.
After reading Lawrence LeShan’s quote I spent a lot of time thinking about learning and how it can affect our perspectives and reactions and it can affect the world. I believe that when we learn something we begin to process it through our minds, relate it to other things we know, and create opinions and reactions to it. Beginning to process what we learn would be to think about what you are learning and try to grasp a basic understanding of it. Relating it to other things would be deepening our understanding of what we are learning by using what we know to put it in context and perspective. When we learn we also begin to form our own opinions of what we are learning; this happens because everyone’s way of processing and understanding what we are learning is different so everyone has a different perspective. When learning there is also retaining the information. If we completely understand what we are learning and remember it then we have retained the information; this is very important because if we don’t retain what we learn then we can’t use it in the future and we would not be able to gain knowledge and better ourselves. Learning new things can change our opinions and perspectives on other things that we have learned; with this we can advance and succeed in life.
ReplyDeleteWhen we learn, the world becomes a more well-informed place. Learning allows people to be cultured and diverse in their ways of thinking. When we learn, the world also advances. People learn new things everyday and that is how the world changes and becomes more fit to handle what is currently happening in it. When we learn we become more aware of our surroundings and we can also be inspired to make a change and come up with new ideas or beliefs that can help others to learn as well.
I do not believe that human beings, living in the same society, live in different worlds because of what they know. I think that we all live in the same world, but we all have different perspectives, beliefs, and ways of living. For example, a person who has studied religion their entire life may have different beliefs than a person who does not think about religion at all; they have different perspectives and outlooks on life, but that doesn’t mean that they live in different worlds. I know that the word “world” can have sort of different meanings, but I think it is too strong of a word or not word that I would use in this situation.
I think that this quote kind of contradicts his previous quote. The first quote was basically saying that everyone’s knowledge and perspective is different and that this is important because it is what makes the world different. This other quote is saying that thinking that how you learn, what you believe, or what you know is the same way that everyone else; this would lead to a world a non different world. Maybe I just didn’t understand it correctly, but the 2nd quote did not change my opinion at all because I don’t think it makes sense or is accurate. The world is a very diverse place and everyone’s ways of doing things are always different in some way, so how is thinking that “what is true for you is true for everyone else” correct?
This quote completely opened my eyes to the importance of learning. When reflecting on this quote I realized how incredibly true Lawrence LeShan's words are. The more one learns, the more they change. They are changed by the different things they are told and experience. When someone learns something they are able to grow from that idea and develop it. They are able to transform the lesson learned into something which shapes their world. Everything they learn changes or proves previous beliefs, and therefore, the person and their perspective is changed.Their world is different than before, even just by a fraction of a difference.
ReplyDeleteI found the the thought of a simple lesson changing my whole world absolutely fascinating. After reading this quote I began to truly believe that each of us, living in the same society and community, are living in different worlds. With each thing we learn we are changing perspectives and ideas. Not everyone's perspective and ideas will be the same and also, people will learn things differently than others. So, while we are living in the same building, town, city, state, country, or society, we are living in different worlds with different ideas and perspectives.
The quote, "To believe you own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all... that is genius" is an interesting quote to try to understand. You can wonder whether the author of this quote is being sarcastic, saying that you are ridiqulous for believing that your thought is true for everyone. However, you could also look at this quote in the way that it is written. If one is to believe that their thought is true for everyone, they must be a genius, for knowing what everyone knows. They must be completely amerced in all of the world and all of the lessons it has to offer. This quote is saying that, although impossible, one must be an incredible genius to believe that their thought is one that everyone knows is true.
We understand others and define ourselves as we learn. The world makes more sense for us as we get more knowledge. I remember that I always ask my mom when I was a little, "how to differentiate boys and girls and why they go to different restrooms?" My mom did not answer me directly, but let me guess by myself. I clearly remember that I said boys have short hair, but girls have long hair. But my mom and I were both short hair at time. This question confused me for so long. But when I went to elementary school, I learned that boys and girls have different physical on body, and what is the right way to communicate with boys. (I used to think that kiss could make a baby). And now, I learned that how the men and women think differently.
ReplyDeleteThe world became either bigger or smaller as we learn. How come I say that you may ask, then let me explain it. On the one hand, we explore that the world is big as we travel; as Chinese government reform and opening up to abroad; as Nicolaus Copernicus provoked the universe which placed the Sun, rather than the Earth; as we invented the spaceship and went to other planet. We learn that not only us, or Chinese people, or human beings on earth exist. It broaden our horizons. On the other hand, the world became smaller for us. Since the technology rapidly developed, we have internet and efficient transportations. The world became a global-village. I can easily video chat with my mom, and my mom can mail me food from China.
Human living in the same society do live in different worlds. Every human being is very different individual. I believe that the education from their parents influence people most. People imitate their parents when they are little, and it becomes their behavior. However, Michelle and Nicole in our class are twins which means they have same parents. They looks like each other, but they have totally different personality if you know them well. So I also insist that some personality are born with people and depends on the role people play in the family and society.
I disagree with the words "to believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all.. that is genius" that Emerson said in Self- Reliance. There is not absolute true and false. We need to respect other people's opinion even it is opposite from ours. We should not judge others, but we can learn from others.
First off, I had to read this quote multiple times to actually get the gist of what it meant. It expresses a very complicated idea that to my understanding means that as we learn new things, those things that we learn cause us to have a different view on the world. The idea that I take away from this quote is that we collectively create the world that we live in because of the things that we ‘learn’, or tell ourselves. When we learn, we base our lives on the things that we know from then on. We use what we learn and apply it to our life, which then changes our perception of the world from then on. For example, once you learn colors, you use them to describe things. We do not normally realize when this happens, because we learn so much on a daily basis, especially when we are younger. We also do not take time to think about the fact that we learn so much. Now we know colors, but there once was a time when we did not know our colors, and it made a significant change in our lives even if we don’t realize it. If we did not know any colors now, the IB art people would be failing their class, and having normal conversations would be different. Just as when we learn, our lives our change, when we learn, the world changes. Us learning causes a domino effect because information spreads very quickly. Soon from the time one individual learns something, it affects the people they come into contact with.
ReplyDeleteI actually do believe that humans living in the same society live in different worlds because of what they know. I think that everyone lives in a slightly different world because of the way that they perceive their knowledge. Every individual knows a different amount of things, so even if they live in the same society, they can live in a different world if we assume that the quote is correct. Even if two people know the same exact things, they will live in different worlds because of their opinions and usage of their knowledge. On the other hand, I think that people living in the same society live in similar worlds than people living in different societies because societies tend to share some common knowledge. For example, my world is totally different from the world of a person living in Madagascar because we know of many different things. While I may know a lot about squirrels, that person may know a lot more about lemurs. But someone from New York also probably has common knowledge with me because we both we both know a lot about squirrels. Emerson’s quote makes me think that not everyone is on the same page of knowing. Since, we live in ‘different worlds’, what is true to me may not be true for everyone. This quote makes me realize how separated the human race can be due to what we do and don’t know. It also makes me realize that you can really choose what you know from what you don’t, because often times, people know what they want to know.
Knowledge is definitely influenced by societies and it varies is different societies. Some of the factors that contribute to the differentiation of knowledge in a society are religion, culture and history. Using a persona anecdote I can give an example of this. My home country, Jamaica has a very rich religious culture. For a small island, it has over 250 different Christian denominations. Growing up knowledge was mostly centered around Christianity and it seemed to be the reason for everything. Why are there racial differences among humans? Because God made us that way. Why do people do bad things? Because Satan exists. At one point I accepted all these religious related answers as they were. However, as I got older and moved into a slightly different society, I began to seek Scientific rather than Religious answers to my questions. This just goes to show that knowledge changes based on the culture of a society or a place.
ReplyDeleteWhile some knowledge remains Universal like the quadratic formula or the system of Binomial nomenclature there can be a difference in different Subject areas. There can be different Histories and Sciences in different societies depending on how you define these things. While historical facts about World war remain constant, like mortality rates, peace treaties etc., the history might change base on where it is taught. German students will learn about World War 2 from a different perspective than American or British students. Though these 2 sets of students will be learning about the same war they will have different knowledges of it.
I agree with Faulknor's statement because it can make so much sense if interpreted in the way I interpreted it. In my opinion he is saying that though there are some given facts not everyone will accept them as true. What we know is solely dependent on us and we chose to know what we want to know. Again, everyone is different and our minds work differently. One of the greatest privileges of mankind is the power of choice and choosing what we want to feed our minds with an think.
1. Knowledge is always shaped by society in some form or another. When the majority of people think in one certain way, an individual can always question why they think that way, but more likely, that individual will use society’s knowledge to form their thoughts. It’s easier to fall into the norm by not thinking in one’s own way. Science has been shaped by our society in very obvious ways. Humans tend to gravitate towards issues WE see as important or concerning instead of all possibilities as a whole. An example of science being shaped by our society was when people thought the Earth was flat. On the other hand, Pythagoras was one of the few people of that time to go against society and say that the Earth was round. I think this shows that society can shape science, but science will always come through with the truth in the end.
ReplyDelete2. I definitely think different societies can have different sciences and histories. Many religious groups think God started the Earth, while many scientists believe the Earth was creating through evolution or the big bang theory. When stories and “proofs” of beliefs are passed down through groups of people, it’s easy to believe that they are all true. This is evident in society today with every individual being able to choose what they think about science, history, etc.
3. I don’t completely agree with Faulkner’s quote that fact and truth are not necessarily one. I think the two go hand in hand most of the time but I also believe that some facts are not true. If you look at the meaning of fact, it means something is true, but people have different views of the word fact so it can be argued both ways. If we were talking about fact and truth in one individuals mind, I would completely disagree with Faulkner, but looking at society and all the different people in it, I do, however, agree with this quote.
Every knowledge system is shaped from the characteristics of society. Each society shares a particular view to certain situations different from others. Societies can share similar views but no two societies will possibly ever share the same views. I am a first hand witness to this situation. Growing up in Jamaica and moving to America is one way to view opposing societies with knowledge characterized based on their views. Then again I can also compare different internal societies in Jamaica as well to show the difference in knowledge based on their characteristics. Where I grew up in Jamaica what we know and how we know it's right was characterized based on the teachings of the holy scriptures. Therefor the individuals in my society base knowledge around the bible. They believe that all knowledge comes from God and any other is wrong. These spiritual beliefs and characteristics is what moulds that particular society. Meanwhile, in other areas in Jamaica that lean towards the practices of the western world , they seek knowledge through what can be proved, seen and felt. In other words they look to scientist or use science to characterize what they know because it can be proved. In other areas of Jamaica and around the world knowledge is characterized from experience. Oncea large group of individuals have experienced one thing and it resulted in good or bad it becomes a norm through what has now been learnt from to be either done or avoided. For example if more than one persons discover that it is better to walk in shoes rather than barefooted then through experience other people will wear more shoes because of the new knowledge on what was shaped by society.
ReplyDeleteDifferent societies can have different sciences or histories or languages. Why? Well simply because the knowledge of each society is differently characterized. While one society may believe in scientific knowledge to prove a point, others can believe in spiritual knowledge or knowledge from experience. If then different views are apparent in different societies then of course different societies will be characterized differently and have different histories and sciences.
"Facts and Truth really don't have much to do with each other". This statement made by Faulknor in my opinion is to be agreed upon. While something may be factual it may not be true to another person. While something may be true it may not be factual. Societies characterize things differently so one societies fact may not be another's. If then what exactly is factual and what is the truth ? I honestly don't know, but based on how I was raised and how my society viewed things that helped me to distinguish facts and truths. That still doesn't mean my fact is your truth. The world may never know the difference between these two words, but based on your opinion and characteristics in society you may be able to distinguish the two for yourself. I
1. How has your knowledge system been shaped by your society?
ReplyDeletePeople’s knowledge is largely shaped by the society they live in. Society is the basis of how people live and think, so what is important to the society would be the preferred things people what to learn. I think that people almost only learn things that society values. Knowledge taught in school are mostly helpful and necessary for children’s future life. For instance, the school would not teach a student how to be a thief or how to be poor because these things are not valued by the society. Most individuals tend to be normal. As the formation of norms occur, knowledge that is beyond the social standard or pattern would be largely ignored. Ergo, knowledge is mainly framed by society.
2. Can different societies have different sciences, histories, etc.?
I believe that different societies develop different things. The culture of every society is different so people in each society would need and expect different things. As people’s needs differentiated, the path in which each society develops would be different. For science, the primary purpose of it is to help people have a better life. Since the definition of good life is different between societies, the product of science would be different. For example, Brunei, a small country in southeast Asia, is well-known for its nature of peace. Citizens in the country do not want to compete with other countries and enjoy their current life, so political leaders would not devote much money on the development of weapons. Countries like the U.S., Russia, and China would spend more money on things that would help them to ensure their international forces.
Although everything can spread to every corner in the current world, somethings are more popular in one region than in other regions. Hence, different societies values and develop different things.
3. To what extent do you agree with Faulkner's assessment?
I interpret fact as the external reality or something that has happened and truth as proven ideas. Fact is an objective reality while truth is what we subjectively understand. Also, to me, I feel fact is a point that one thing happened but truth can last forever. I am not really sure if I agree with Faulkner’s assessment, but I feel that I have more reasons to explain why I agree with him. I think facts are more concrete because they have actually happened or existed. For truth, it is just something that people believe in. For example, people believe in the truth that water flows downhill because of gravity. However, the fact is that in some special places, water really flows uphill. This example shows that fact is not limited or restricted by truth. Concludingly, fact and truth are not necessarily correspondent.
My knowledge system has been shaped by my society by the way that I am taught. When being taught, I feel like there are two components to it; one is the actual presentation of the information you are to learn and the other is how you should use what you are being taught. In my society, when I am taught I feel that I am given facts and opinions on whatever given thing I am learning. For example when learning about the civil war, I am given basic facts about the war, but I am also given convincing opinions on why the North was right; which in some opinions (not mine), is arguable. I think that this has shaped my knowledge system because when I am taught, of course I can challenge other people’s opinions and form opinions on my own, but when it’s all said and done, I have formed my own knowledge and perspective from a common basis of fact and opinion. The other component is how we are suggested to use what we are taught. In our society, I think that it is really encouraged to go above and beyond and come up with new ideas or concepts based off of what we already know. I think this has shaped everyone’s knowledge system because we are not only taught to learn what we are being taught, but also learned to use it to better our society. How could our society advance, in science for example, If people weren’t taught a common base of knowledge and expected to build off of it? Our society can force us to have the mentality to always do better and learn more so that we can advance ourselves, thus advancing society.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, societies can definitely have different sciences, histories, etc. Obviously there is common knowledge that, for example, the sun provides light for Earth; there is no society that can have a different science that proves that wrong because it is a fact that is correct. however, societies can have different resources or ideas or beliefs that can change their perspectives, causing things to be a bit different. For science, I feel that societies can be different in regards to how advanced they are or what their discoveries are, but a lot of science is fact. Societies could have different opinions about science based on beliefs, but most of the time fact is fact. On the other hand, if you bring religion in to the picture, the theory of evolution could be perceived differently in different societies based on the prominence of religion there. History is another topic, every society has a different history. There are facts about history that are set in stone, but history also gives a lot of room for challenge and opinion. Artifacts and resources from the past can be thought of differently in different places and if no one is still alive from that time period, than it is hard to say exactly what is true or not. Depending on a society's beliefs and cultures their history or theories on any particular history could be different.
I don’t totally agree with Faulkner’s assessment because I believe that fact and truth have a ton to do with each other. I know that there are arguable differences, but I sometimes use them interchangeably. The only difference that I see is that fact is a statement known to be accurate, but there are many sides to the truth. I know this is kind of a big difference because often people don’t question facts, but they question the truth. But at the same time, I still think that they have a lot to do with each other because we used them to prove things and to know what we know.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in order to answer questions 1 and 2, one must have a clear understanding of ones society. For example, I am part of several different societies: Russia, America, and Stoneleigh Burnham. I guess I could say that all of my societies have shaped my knowledge system in different ways, in that; together they have provided me with a broad, unique, and international knowledge system. Being bilingual, I witnessed how two separate cultures work together. For example, Russians and Americans have different ideas and societal values concerning politics, economics, family, friends, and relationships. These different ideas have given me the opportunity to choose what societal values I can relate to. Stoneleigh Burnham, in more ways that one has helped me bring my two cultures mentally and cultivate myself to fit both. I believe that in general, humans develop knowledge through their societies. For example, Stoneleigh Burnham is full of individuals who are from different societies and cultures. We all have different values, ideas, opinions, and abilities. Some of them come from ourselves; however, some of them come from our societies and how we grew up. I believe that having a strong society and knowledge of said society is crucially important in constructing yourself as an individual. I believe that our knowledge systems would not be the way that they are now if we did not receive knowledge from our different, or sometimes the same, societies.
Having re-read Faulkner’s about 100 times, I keep asking myself how he interprets fact and truth. To me, a fact is something that cannot be argued; something that is set in stone. (This of course made me ask myself “Well how Franny!? How do you know that something is a fact when you cant really know anything is really a fact because TOK has blown your mind”). So then I took a step back. I asked myself what truth meant to me; how I use the word truth. To me, truth is your personal fact, something that you, yourself, can prove to be accurate and true, whereas, a fact is something that is a worldly knowledge. I believe that fact and truth are different. For example, something that I think is the truth might not be a fact. When someone is telling the truth it can also include their personal opinion, their bias, whereas a fact is true for anyone. I agree with Faulkner’s point.
1. My knowledge has been shaped by society because of societies own views on certain ideas. I think that a lot of what we read and watch and see on a daily basis contribute to our thinking of things. Our society actually influences our thinking because society puts certain “normal” ideas into our heads that we might not even know about. A lot of subliminal messaging goes on through the media and this influences and can sometimes impair our thoughts on something. If you think about it society plays a role in our everyday lives so it is only natural for society to make their way into our heads. For example, in 1900’s society demanded that a woman be the perfect housewife, the one that cooks and cleans and tends to their husbands every need. In the 1900’s most of the women accepted this because it was ingrained in their brains. They did not know that there was another way to think about themselves. This shows how societal norms can have an impact on one's thinking.
ReplyDelete2. Different societies can have different ways of handling academics. It is pretty normal for that to happen. America can have a way of solving an equation and Rwanda can have a different way and still get the same answer.
3. I agree with Faulkner’s statement because it kind of explains where our influences and ideas stem from. I think that his statements true because it answers questions that we have about where our ideas have been and how they can be developed.
ReplyDeleteThe societies that I have lived in have all shaped my knowledge system. So I vacillate between the Chinese society where I was born and the American society where I currently am. So I can reflect on and compare how these two societies have shaped their knowledge system. In China, people value their written language, not only is it part of the nation’s culture, it is also their history. The Chinese writing system has been altered many times, and it is a national pride. The same may be said about many other countries in the world. However, in America, I think people are more concerned about the message that a written work portrays, whereas in China, more attention can be put on analyzing each of the characters that make up a message. If science is used as an example, I would relate back to the Ancient Greek societies. Athens and Sparta are two distinctly different societies. Athens was more artistic and cultural, whereas Sparta was all about warfare. The effects of the values of these societies have shaped the way that their science and math field developed. Athenians used math to develop architecture and useful physics, while Sparta used their math and science to develop weapons. A lot can be inferred about a nation’s knowledge system by looking at their educational system, because that basically shows what that nation values. One of the biggest failures of the Chinese educational system is that it makes the students work so hard to actually learn knowledge that they don’t need in later life. By doing this, China has a shortage of creative minds that can be useful to a nation. There are the so-called “main subjects”, which are math, language in elementary school. In secondary school, English becomes on of the “main subjects”. Only in high school does Physics and Chemistry become a main subject. The case is different in America because every subject is worth the same, and there is really not a distinction of what is more important.
Different societies can definitely have different sciences or histories, and I think that the main contributing factors are values and/or religion. Some of this was discussed in the answer for the last question, but social boundaries are determined by religion or value, and science can also change based on those.
I cannot say that I agree with Faulkner’s assessment completely because as far as I know, the two are very much related, but that doesn’t mean that they are one and the same. There is a clear distinction between the two, and they are different in theory. Before I carefully thought about Faulkner’s quote, I had a an initial urge to agree with him, just because he was William Faulkner. If it were my younger sister who said it, my instinct would be to cynically think about it and tell her she’s wrong, I could even skip the cynically thinking. So although I have failed to find proof for Faulkner’s quote, I still think it is right. Again, that’s just because I think that he is at a higher intellectual level than I am, so I could just take that as a fact. The difference between fact and truth is that I think of fact as something that is provable by logic, and truth kind of concerns all the other ways of knowing, that I don’t consider being as consistent as logic. At the same time, at an emotional level, fact is on the surface, so it’s easy to validate, but truth goes deeper, and so there is no way to know the validity of it for sure. One can never be 100% sure about a truth. I think of fact and truth to be like math and biology. Math is pure logic while biology is a mix of math, perception/observation, and inference.
1) Everybody has a way they understand something when they first get exposed to that particular thing but they stick to their own understandings if they are the same as the one of their society. For example, when I was young, I knew that I was not supposed to jump over anybody who is sitting down because they would then grow shorter. Everybody in our society believes so, but as I went on growing, I started to realize that those were false beliefs because it did not make sense to me according to the knowledge I acquired about genetic inheritance. I started understanding that everybody is born to be either short or tall according to his/her genes unless she/he encounters an accident or physical disability. The society is a great influence to people’s understandings because up to now, the society where I was grew from still believes in that way and jumping over someone who is sitting down is considered as a taboo.
ReplyDelete2) Science and history are different all over the world in different societies. It is very common to find people living in the same society, sharing the same knowledge and understanding. An example one can give is how most Rwandese used to worship their own god, “Ryangombe” except the Western part of Rwanda which largely believed that the true god was “Nyabingi”, before the coming of colonialists. If you were a Rwandese by then who was born in the West, you would automatically believe in “Nyabingi” because that was the real god that was believed to be the most high in the Rwandese Western society.
3) According to me, a fact is something that cannot be changed at any time which may be true or wrong whereas, the truth is what we understand and accept to be true. I really don’t know if I have to agree with Faulkner’s statement a fact can be true or may state the truth which means that a fact can be related to the truth. At times, a fact cannot be true according to one’s understanding which means that a fact can totally differ from the truth sometimes. I’m just not sure about this.
1. How has your knowledge system been shaped by your society?
ReplyDeleteIndividuals' knowledge systems are greatly impacted by society. In general, what someone experiences in their surroundings, and what they are constantly around has a large effect on their knowledge: what they know and how they know it. For me, I have been around different cultures all my life, experiencing my family's culture, the culture of New York City, and the new cultures I experience with new people I encounter. Personally, I feel as though society can cause ignorance within a person because in my life, I believe only being open to the city/fast-paced living does not expose me to the other types of atmospheres in the world, Before coming to Stoneleigh-Burnham school I never experienced such a change in environment from city life to another different type of living.
2. Can different societies have different sciences, histories, etc.?
Yes, I believe different societies can have different sciences and histories but I also believe there are some fundamental things within these core subjects that cannot be different despite the society. Science and history can be taught in different perspectives within different countries for example. Wars or other serious occurring in history can be taught in different ways depending on the country and its position in the world. In my opinion in almost all societies, sciences and history are different. Another reason for this could be because of language as well. With different languages, the actual subjects are literally different though there subject content may be the same.
3. To what extent do you agree with Faulkner's assessment?
I am not sure if I am in agreement with Faulkner's assessment "Fact and truth really don't have much to do with each other". Fact while it is true, it is universally seen as true. The truth however, does not necessarily have to be universal, I suppose. I am not really sure if this statement is actually true or not, but it is hard to wrap my mind around.
My knowledge system has been absolutely shaped by my society. I imitated the people around me when I was little. I observed people’s behavior and learned from them. In this way, my knowledge system established. After I went to United States, and studied for two years, my parents told me that I did not like a Chinese kids anymore. I had more critical thinking which Chinese kids and the past “I” do not have. Chinese teachers teach students how to solve the problem, and give an absolute answer. However, American teachers allow students to read independently, and accept varies answer if you can prove it. Also, Science has been shaped by the necessaries and the politics of our society. For example, the South Korea, as we all know, is a very dictatorial country. The government completely controls the development of science and technology. In the contrast, the United States, as the strongest power in the world right now, is very open, and encourages people to invent or explore.
ReplyDeleteDifferent societies definitely can have different sciences, histories. Because they have different geographies, cultures, and religions.
Indeed, I do not know clearly about the difference of facts and truth, so I look up the dictionary. It tells me that “facts used to refer to a particular situation that exists”, and “truth is a fact is believed by most people to be true”. From the definition of dictionary, truth does have something to do with fact. But facts base more on logical while truth bases more on emotional, languages and perception but lack of reasons. Therefore, I partly agree with Faulkner’s assessment “Fact and truth really don’t have much to do with each other”.
Within every society, there are different perspectives and beliefs. Different Religions, and different levels of exposure to the scientific world. In my society, I have been lucky to have much knowledge accessible to me. At Stoneleigh Burnham I have knowledgeable teachers that can analyze and explain topics of the world, and teach them to me. I’ve been exposed to a global perspective, and I have had glimpses of what it is like to live in a third world country, or an overflowing city. I haven’t lived in this environment however, and I think this limits my knowledge. My little town has sheltered me in a way, because I have not had much firsthand experience with the rest of the world. Although I have learned about it, I think that my small town society has secluded me from the joys, and hardships different people have all around the world. I have a third-hand experience, but those are not the same. My knowledge is based most on my small town, just because it is what I have grown up with, and it is what has shaped me. I have a broad perspective of the world, but I have not truly been exposed to life around the world.
ReplyDeleteIn a different society, I think there can totally be different sciences, or histories. Take religion, for example. In a town there can be many different religions, each one having a different perspective of the world. It doesn’t mean any one is right or wrong, they’re just different. It is hard to argue with fact however. There are facts that are the same around the world, such as “the ocean has water in it.” This is where Falkner’s statement comes in. His statement “fact and truth really don’t have much to do with each other” is somewhat right and somewhat wrong (in my opinion). Fact and truth have much to do with each other in a scientific context. If something is fact, and it is proven, then it is truth. However, there are some cases where something is only true for one person. Because everybody has their own perspective on the world, Truth has many different meanings, especially in different contexts. An atheist could believe that the big bang is truth, while a Christian could believe that God is truth. It is impossible to tell which one is right, but they are both right in their own worlds. Fact has nothing to do with it.
I agree with the idea that we are accustomed to seeing the flow of how things like scientific and technological advances have shaped modern society, which was expressed in the first quote. I have to admit that I never really think about how modern society has influenced aspects of life like science and technology. I think that it is safe to say that many other people also don’t often analyze or even recognize the idea that modern society had influenced technology.
ReplyDelete1. How has your knowledge system been shaped by your society? For example, how has science been shaped by your society?
My knowledge system has been shaped by my society by the things that society focuses on the most. For example, as I mentioned before, there are some things that we as humans do not think about often because they are not relevant to our everyday lives. Understanding how we know what we know is more difficult for us to grasp because we are not forced to think of these things normally. An even better example of this is shown in science and technology. As of late, we have put more stress on hand held technological devices such as cellular phones, and tablets. Our society has shaped at just by being humans. If we were not humans, or were not as reliant on our hands for some reason, then we would not have developed hand held technology, or if we did, it would not be as integral to our lives as it is. To sum my idea up, I believe that a certain society’s qualities steer that society’s knowledge into a specific direction.
2. Can different societies have different sciences, histories, etc.?
To be straight forward, yes. Different societies can have different histories and sciences. If my previous idea that the knowledge system of a certain society is based off of the people in that society is correct, than different societies can have different histories. These separate societies are made up of different sets of people, so it is expected that they have different sciences histories, religions, values and more. We can see this throughout the world. Different ethnic backgrounds have differing cultures, religions, sciences, and histories, therefore they have different knowledge.
3. To what extent do you agree with Faulkner's assessment?
William Faulkner said “Fact and truth really don’t have much to do with each other”. This quote confuses me, but I accept it. Facts are general statements of accepted and/or proved knowledge, and they are usually accepted by a wide variety of societies. On the other hand, the word truth is a broader term. Truth is more personal. One person’s truth can be completely opposite from another person’s truth. Truth has more to do with personal opinions and ideas of a certain person, group or society. For example, something that one person can say is true is that there is 1 God. Another person might say that it is true that there are 23 Gods. So, I somewhat agree that fact and truth don’t really have much to do with each other. I also do think that the two words can often be used interchangeably at times, and that is what makes it so confusing. So, fact and truth are connected because they have similar meanings, but the meanings also differ greatly.
Sophia writes: 1. My personal knowledge system has been shaped by ever-changing societal views. I believe that no matter who you are, everybody is affected by the general flow of society and the way it functions. For example, modern technology has created such an open environment for views to be shared, that it is easy to be influenced by the opinion of the majority. Obtaining general knowledge in my society is, for the bulk of the time, placed upon you. The main way that my knowledge system has been shaped is through technology and media, because that has been the dominant source of information for my adolescence (or as far as I have matured). There is always new information and ideas circulating at my fingertips, which has altered my knowledge system both for the good and for the bad. On one hand, information and constituents of knowledge are almost unlimited, due to technological resources. On the other hand, society has come to such a point that said information is often taken for granted.
ReplyDelete2. It is definitely true that according to society, there are different versions of subjects such as science and history. Depending on the society in which scientific development is pursued, there are different resources and approaches to the research. However, the subject of science is based on set facts, which have been discovered by researchers around the world. Science, although it may be pursued in different ways depending on the society, comes to the same conclusion of factual evidence. On the other hand, history differs in every society. Although it is remembered along the same lines of evidence and fact, the method of teaching the information is often bias and in the point of view of the given society. For example, U.S history is often generally spoken about in the point of view of the Europeans who “discovered” the land, while the true interaction with the natives is an often-avoided discussion. Therefore, historical knowledge is often partial according to societal views.
3. Depending on how you look at it, Faulkner can both be easily agreed with as well as the contrary. In a scientific point of view, for example, fact and truth generally go hand in hand. A fact is the truth because it can be proven correct. However, when contemplating Faulkner’s words with an objective perspective, the response can potentially be debated. I could question the meaning of both fact and truth, and define what the purpose of each idea could potentially suggest.
I believe that knowledge is completely changed by the society in which you live. Each society teaches something different. Living in different societies change people's perspectives and emotions on different subjects. For example, in a church society, people believe that God is the reason for life the way it is. They claim to know that God put everything on this earth and made it the way it is today. However, in a biology graduate class at a college, it is more likely that these students and professors believe, and claim to know, that evolution exists, and the Big Bang is one of the possibilities for life. The different societies affect how and what people know. This basically shows that societies do have different histories and sciences. The history of the creation of the world in a Christian society is going to be very different than the history and science in a biology graduate class. Their different perspectives and point of views change what they know, and therefore, everything they know.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of what Faulkner says. I believe that our society is the way it is because of the technology we have developed. Without the things we have today our world be very different and we would know not what we know now. However, I do believe that our society has shaped technology, just as technology as shaped our society. The technology that we have would have not been developed, had there not been controversy and exploration within society.
I personally believe that society is shaping our thoughts all the time. The way we are brought up and educated, as well as what we are told by our parents, by our friends, by media and culture, all shape what is true and real to us. For example a christian person might believe that the messiah has yet to come, and that is fact for them. But for an atheist, that fact is not true, not real, and irrelevant. Science has also been shaped by society because we are using it as a means of finding easier, faster, ways to live our lives. Smartphones, iPhones, and tablets were all made to produce easier, simpler lives and information at our fingertips. Meanwhile apple has one of the highest sales for stocks while we could be spending that money on research for cancer (alright so we probably still wouldn't have found the cure for cancer by now and I know we spend a lot of money on this already, but you catch my drift, right?)
ReplyDeleteDifferent societies have completely different histories. The interesting thing about society and history in general is that its based on the perspective of the learner. American history is written by americans; we want to shed the best light possible on ourselves. Therefore, when history is written by the winners, we cannot possibly know what is true, what is real, what is relevant, because it all depends on who or what is being reported and what perspective they are taking. Society has different views and every individual has different experiences from their life that shapes opinions and fact. Based on this, I whole heartedly agree and am fascinated by Faulkners quote. Truth and facts aren't related because theres no way to define truth or fact. Truth is a belief, truth is a part of what your perspective is. Fact isn't truth, and they can be entirely different things. They aren't even linked in thought, because fact is stated while truth is based on perception? I guess? My head is being blown by all the different possibilities of the world if I even start to consider that truth and fact don't actually have to be one and the same.