Education - A Way To Wisdom - Research Paper Example

Education: A Way To Wisdom Introduction Education is one of the most important aspects of human life. Education has a potential to make a person achieve social status, wealth and respect in the society. However, human life is a witness to the fact that only social status and material possession does not make man happy. It takes more than good job, respect and social status for a man to get complete satisfaction in life. The aim of education and the way it is imparted has been a matter of debate for centuries. Different theories of education have been proposed by experts from different fields like psychology, philosophy, religion etc. However, one of the most profound and intelligent educational theories proposed was by Confucius. Confucius (551-479 BCE) was a Chinese philosopher, thinker and political figure whose philosophy of education has had a tremendous influence on both, the past and the present education system in China (“Confucius”). What made Confucius’s philosophy so popular and influential was his belief that education should not just make person a ‘learned’ or ‘educated’ being but should also make him capable of understanding his own individual talents so that it helps him to become wise, intelligent and ideal human being. Confucius believed that an ideal state of mind can be achieved only when human beings know their inner self and attain the heavenly wisdom. Hence, according to him the aim of education was to help people know their inner self and attain heavenly state of being. Confucius about education Confucius was a philosopher who believed that the aim of human being’s life should be to become an ‘ideal’ man. The term he used for this is ‘princely man’(Kaizuka 96). He was of the opinion that education is not the only way man learns but man can learn from everything he experiences in life. Most of his quotes attract the attention of the reader towards the fact that more the man follows his heart, the more he opens to learning new things and in learning new things, he becomes an ideal human being. Some of Confucius’s quotes that give an idea about his opinion about education and the way he thought human being should learn are discussed below. Quote 1 “What does the heaven ever say? Yet the four seasons go round and find their impetus there, and the myriad creatures are born from it. What does heaven ever say” (Mou 114)? Reflection on this quote reveals that Confucius believed in education that teaches the students to make learning a natural process. In the above saying, he draws the reader’s attention towards the way the universe functions. Confucius’s students were worried about his silence and thought that if the master does not say anything, how will the students learn (Mou 114)? In response to this worry, Confucius said the above statement. What he meant was that when things are taught through silence, there comes a harmony in the society (Mou 114). What he meant was that the observation of the behavior and the rituals followed by the master imparts more knowledge to a human being than the words of the master and the words in the texts. Knowledge is made by man. Men who ‘experience’ certain things try to spread it through words. However, the knowledge can become wisdom only when students go beyond words and try to experience what is being taught. According to Confucius, knowledge is nothing more than the collection of thoughts and facts. So he advised his students to learn from the nature. He believed that if human beings learn to function like nature, they will become “spontaneous, natural and unselfconscious” beings (Mou 114). What he meant was that when man behaves naturally, he learns to follow his heart and heart is always right. Only a heart has the ability to take human being towards happiness and fulfillment. Hence, he wanted his students to understand the rhythm and the harmony in which the nature works and inculcate the same rhythm and harmony in their life. Confucius knew that society can become harmonious only when the individuals become harmonious. Hence, he also believed that one should not learn unconsciously. Quote 2 “One who knows it is not the equal of one who loves it, and one who loves it is not equal of one who takes joy in it” (Mou 127). Confucius was always in support of practicing those things that were learned from the master. He believed that learning new things and skills make man skillful and more knowledgeable (Confucius & Lau 44). However, if a person does not practice what he learns, then he remains the same in spite of his knowledge and skill (Confucius & Lau 44). According to him, the ideal human being is one who practices what he learns, questions his master if he has any doubt and who acts according to what he says (Kaizuka 97). Confucius called his teachings ‘Way’ as according to him, the learning should take place in the way the nature functions. When education is made as rigid as a ‘road’, it loses its essence. ‘Way’ is a path that is made without any plans or destination. As the river flows, it goes on finding its way naturally towards the ocean. River does not have any map or a road to follow. Hence, it always reaches its destination and does so happily. In the same way, Confucius feels that the knowledge which is accumulated naturally helps a person attain his goal and a person can learn naturally only when he loves learning. It is the feeling of love that transforms knowledge into wisdom. Also, he says that love for knowledge is not enough to bring it into practice. To drive a person to practice what he learns, he has to enjoy it (Mou 127). A person who enjoys his learning finds it very easy to follow the master’s words in his daily life. He brings knowledge into practice in his daily routine. This routine slowly transforms the learner into an ideal human being and naturally makes him a good human being (Mou 127). Hence, Confucius says that people who understand their knowledge only on the mental level cannot reach the depths of people who love their knowledge and people who love their knowledge cannot reach the depths of people who find joy in learning it. Because only those people who find joy in learning reach their complete potential as joy allows them to make their knowledge an ‘experience’. Quote 3 “ By nature men are nearly alike; but through experience they grow wide apart”(Reagan 141) According to Confucius, men are born with nearly similar capabilities. However, what they learn and how they learn it makes them different. According to him, it is education that makes them different from each other. Hence, learning is not just a mental activity but a way to find individuality and to attain the ultimate potential. His idea of education was not just to spread knowledge based on texts but also to make people aware of the wisdom inside them. Hence, he viewed education as a means of making them realize their own talents and leading them on their individual paths (Reagan 141). One of the main teachings of Confucius was that whatever material possessions a human being has, are of no use as they are transitory in nature. One day a person can be rich while some other day there is chance of him losing his wealth. Hence, wealth and material possessions are not constant in nature. The thing that is constant in nature is the talent and the ability that a person has (Reagan 141). Hence, Confucius was in support of an education system which not only imparts textual knowledge to students but also takes an effort in shaping individual talents and making everyone realize his own inner self. He believed that aim of education is not just to create technical experts but to transform every human being into an ideal human being (Reagan 141). According to Confucius, education should be the medium through which knowledge is used to facilitate the wisdom and good living. The purpose of education is not just to make students attain social status to or make them recognized as a ‘learned’ people (Reagan 141). It is not just about having degrees or certificates but it is about understanding the essence of life, to be mature and to lead an ideal life. In fact, Confucius believed that education is the way through which a human being should attain God. Quote 4 “What it is to know? To say you know when you know, and to say you do not know when you do not, that is knowledge” (Confucius and Lau 65) In the quote given above, Confucius means to say that a person can be called as truly knowledgeable when he becomes an authentic person. Knowledge should make people natural and authentic. Education should make people truthful in their conduct and nature. According to Confucius, the goal of education should be to make people understand their innate nature and the essence of their being. Knowledge should make people understand their own true nature and live according to it rather than imitate others and try to be as others are (“Confucianism”).People who imitate others or try to become like others lose their talent and miss the opportunity of attaining idealness. Hence, a knowledgeable person is truthful not only to himself but also to others. Moreover, when a person understands his true self, he does not hesitate to ‘be’ himself in front of others. This habit of being true to self makes a person ‘whole’ and congruent in nature. As what he ‘shows’ and what he ‘is’ are same personalities, he leads a peaceful and happy life. There is no split between his social and personal image. An authentic human being is free from tensions and problems as he does not worry about what people think about him. Hence, he finds peace and harmony in his life. According to Confucius, it is the peace and harmony of being ‘whole’ in nature that helps human beings to attain God. When a person is happy with what he is, he does not feel any need to lie to others. Hence, Confucius says that a person who accepts himself is truly a knowledgeable person. He accepts his lack of knowledge and knows about it. This shows that he knows himself thoroughly. Such a person is not affected by ego or status. He is truthful and hence, ideal human being. Conclusion Confucius believed that only those people who are authentic and natural can attain the knowledge of their true self. He says that one who is successful in knowing himself is successful in attaining God as God is nothing but a true inner self which is suppressed inside the heart (“Confucianism”). Hence, according to him, the ultimate goal 0f education should be to help students to know their inner essence and to make them enjoy their learning. According to Confucius, it is only through joy that a person will practice what he learned. Works Cited Confucius & Lau, Dim Cheuk. The Analects. London: Penguin Books, 1979. Print. “Confucius”. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 5 Sep. 2005. Web. 14 July 2010. “Confucianism”. Al Islam. (n.d.). Web. 14 July 2010. Kaizuka, Shigeki. Confucius: His Life and Thought. London: George Allen & Unwin, 2002. Print Mou, Bo. History of Chinese Philosophy. New York: Routledge, 2009. Print. Reagan, T. Non-Western Educational Traditions: Indigenous Approaches to educational Thought and Practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 2005. Print. Read More