Posted by B on 03/31/06 18:59

Fred Doyle wrote:
> A couple of the truly great thing, and key indicators, of any good
> education, formal or informal, is an understanding and recognition of what
> you don't know as well as what you do; and the thrill of particpating in
> growing a body of knowledge, as opposed to personal knowedge.
>
> A couple of the truly sad things about a lack of education is never
> recognizing what you don't know; and mistaking the importance of the body of
> knowledge on a subject, and personal knowledge. The true experts in every
> field that I've met, (and I'm proud to say there are many, in a variety of
> fields, ranging through the arts and sciences) are humbled by the difference
> between the body of knowledge in a field and their personal knowledge.
>
> --
> Fred Doyle

Fred, I completely agree. In formal education, you realize that what
you know is only a small drop in the sea of knowledge on a subject.
As I progressed through all three of my post-secondary degrees, I
realized that my immature understanding of what 'I know' is a pittance
to the body of knowledge in a given subject area.

One thing you do learn, however, is critical thinking skills. You
learn that sometimes the 'best' way to do it is not the best in terms
of usability, efficiency, scalability, extensibility, etc. There are
instances where inferior technological or artistic choice is simply
better. Mies van de Rohe was quoted as saying, "Less is more."
(although, I'm not sure if that was *his* verbal concoction). You
learn to examine an idea and look ahead at the impact and possible
paths and weights to an outcome (excuse the comp. sci. background
metaphors). The truth is, when you purport to have all intelligence in
a subject area, you are really showing your immaturity and lack of
knowledge. There is always someone smarter and faster, and there are
always things you simply do not know.

B

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