The tricky part sometimes shows up as a restriction on research. As a student at Fuller Seminary during the 1970s, I chose to do a couple term papers on the Christian Kabala for two classes in church history. The professors were skeptical, and somewhat unsupporting, but did permit that topic, which ultimately gave me a more in depth understanding of the background of the Reformation than I would otherwise have acquired.
Frequently there is a desire to keep the student safe from unwise explorations. This desire is understandable, as often students lack both the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to properly evaluate much of the material. On the other hand, although adolescence can be a time of unwise stretches of exploration, curtailing such exploration can result in students either remaining in a more-or-less pre-adolescent approach to the world, or on the other hand rejecting academic rigour in rebelling against the strictures.
Be Well, Bob Griffin
Drew Tatusko
· 2 years ago
Bob,
Thanks for the comments! What you state about student exploration is true and there needs to be a balance achieved between exploration that allows one's own creative freedom to flourish, but to a degree that exploration should be checked by something or some one in the interests of accountability.
For the adolescent we can call this mentorship, apprenticeship, or even basic parenting. For adults we can use these same terms, but can also throw in the peer review process for academics as well! That would be to describe that "someone".
The "something" is usually the tested and accepted theories and facts of a school of thought or intellectual community. Or even a accepted method or tradition. This is a check as it serves as a foundation or conditions for new knowledge to emerge. For instance, Savadore Dali had mastered virtually all forms and media for painting before he began his later surrealist stage, T.S. Eliot had a firm understanding of literature and literary convention before moving into his more abstract poetry of the new critical school, Einstein developed his theories of relativity that broke down Newtonian mechanics, but did so from within a firm and fluent understanding of all the rules of Newtonian mechanics! Thus new methods emerge from accepted ideas and traditions and we must be aware of those marginal thinkers who would test those boundaries, and allow that to flourish, but engage these thoughts on rational grounds so that the new thinking is clear. Hence the importance of teachers and mentors who are not afraid to hold a brilliant student accountable while at the same time allowing them to become better thinkers than the teacher.
Glad you found my thoughts engaging and I hope that we can dialogue more as new stuff pops into my head and out on to these pages!
All Comments
Frequently there is a desire to keep the student safe from unwise explorations. This desire is understandable, as often students lack both the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to properly evaluate much of the material. On the other hand, although adolescence can be a time of unwise stretches of exploration, curtailing such exploration can result in students either remaining in a more-or-less pre-adolescent approach to the world, or on the other hand rejecting academic rigour in rebelling against the strictures.
Be Well,
Bob Griffin
Thanks for the comments! What you state about student exploration is true and there needs to be a balance achieved between exploration that allows one's own creative freedom to flourish, but to a degree that exploration should be checked by something or some one in the interests of accountability.
For the adolescent we can call this mentorship, apprenticeship, or even basic parenting. For adults we can use these same terms, but can also throw in the peer review process for academics as well! That would be to describe that "someone".
The "something" is usually the tested and accepted theories and facts of a school of thought or intellectual community. Or even a accepted method or tradition. This is a check as it serves as a foundation or conditions for new knowledge to emerge. For instance, Savadore Dali had mastered virtually all forms and media for painting before he began his later surrealist stage, T.S. Eliot had a firm understanding of literature and literary convention before moving into his more abstract poetry of the new critical school, Einstein developed his theories of relativity that broke down Newtonian mechanics, but did so from within a firm and fluent understanding of all the rules of Newtonian mechanics! Thus new methods emerge from accepted ideas and traditions and we must be aware of those marginal thinkers who would test those boundaries, and allow that to flourish, but engage these thoughts on rational grounds so that the new thinking is clear. Hence the importance of teachers and mentors who are not afraid to hold a brilliant student accountable while at the same time allowing them to become better thinkers than the teacher.
Glad you found my thoughts engaging and I hope that we can dialogue more as new stuff pops into my head and out on to these pages!
Regards,
Drew