Just as learning is the foundation of knowledge, education is the structure from which knowledge flows.
Accumulating information is like having a marble connection, what do you do with it once you have it? The byproducts of education—knowledge of varied concepts, appreciation of ideas, understanding of divergent philosophies—are all powerful foundations for growth and change.
Intelligence contains within itself the ability to listen and reason, the knowledge to act within reason, and the power to create. From education comes wisdom and from that wisdom are born the solutions that propel us forward, whether it is building a building or nurturing an idea.
With knowledge comes responsibility
True knowledge is fearless, bolstered by the absence of doubt and bolstered by pillars of information. Growing it simply requires an open mind and a willingness to learn. Channeling knowledge into meaningful expression is always the challenge.
As William S. Burroughs, an American writer and visual artist, once said, “The end of education is knowledge, not of facts, but of values.”
Every physical structure, every scientific achievement, every philosophical breakthrough all have one thing in common; they were brought into existence by educated opinions based on knowledge. The evolutionary path of civilization would have been radically different if experiments and new ideas had been based on ‘guessions’ or ‘intuitions’, rather than analytical observation.
Scientific facts shape our future
A great example of evolution based on education is the well-known Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. It is one of the most grounded theories in the history of science. It is hard to imagine such a groundbreaking and landmark hypothesis being put forth without the benefit of informed analysis from expert practitioners.
During the beginning of his research, Darwin was much more of an observer than a geneticist. He could document the pattern of evolution, but did not possess the scientific training to understand and subsequently translate his observations. Without corroborative knowledge to back up his theory, it would have been difficult to answer the inherent questions of ‘how’ or ‘why’ it happened.
Evidence collected from various scientific disciplines, including paleontology, developmental biology, geology, and genetics, allowed scientists to advance Darwin’s stream of “theoretical consciousness” into the mainstream discussion. Questions were asked and explanations were given. It’s easy to imagine Darwin’s groundbreaking theory ever becoming more than coffee table talk in the absence of factual science.
Where learning leads…wisdom follows
The dictionary defines ‘foundation’ as the base or foundation of anything. Education is defined as the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge (along with) developing the powers of reasoning and judgment. Together, they form the basis of learning-based understanding… the path to wisdom.
Wisdom is the great enabler. With her everything is possible. Without it, nothing can be achieved. Wisdom created the pyramids and pushed us into space. He taught us how to fly and how to return to Earth safely. Wisdom is the evolution of education and the architect of our reality.
As a child learns and develops a foundation for life, learning also generates the knowledge necessary to explore the foundation of the universe. Step by step and lesson by lesson, the study of the various aspects of life in all their natural and artificial grandeur establishes a foundation of knowledge impervious to doubt and distraction.
The infrastructure of human existence will forever depend on the strength and wisdom wrought from our educational structure.