The Philosophy of Education Vo. 6 Book II Ch. 4 Pt. 3

Knowledge, Reason, and Rebellion

After all the changing, planning, and revamping the educational system in her day did, Charlotte felt that there was still something wrong with the “tree of Knowledge” that existed. To look at “individual fruit” from the tree would take forever but she says “let me take one at a venture: is it not true that a conviction of irresponsibility characterizes our generation?” We like to blame faulty education when someone is destructive of private property or when someone sways public opinion in a negative way but the sober fact is many of these people are educated. They can all think somewhat logically and write and speak and demonstrate some practical ability. In her day, WWI had brought a sense of national success “but” she says “education must secure to us our gains or the last state of the nation may be worse than the first.”

It is detrimental for us to think that Reason can take the place of knowledge or that Reason is infallible or that a reasonable conclusion is a right conclusion. “Reason” is a man’s servant not his master. It should be sort of like a butler but the “Will” is the man. The Will chooses and if it is to choose wisely it must “know”. Charlotte says “without knowledge, Reason, carries a man into the wilderness and Rebellion joins the company.” It is a great thing when we can see the reasoning power of our minds acting on its own to produce arguments in support of any beginning notion and we are then persuaded that our conclusions are not necessarily right.

It is a good idea to examine the kinds of knowledge that shape the ways and futures of man. They are Divinity (knowledge of God) Humanity (knowledge of man) and Science (knowledge of the natural world).

But Charlotte says that “Letters” or words should thought of as the containers in which knowledge is held. The ancient Greeks believed that training in the use of words was the chief part of education. With words came great thoughts that were expressed in wise laws, battles, temples, sculptures, and drama. Great thoughts spur great works and they only come to a people that are familiar with previously written great thoughts.

We should examine the three areas of knowledge to find out which one is the most in error of not educating. Some are content with the knowledge of God that is picked up in a weekly sermon at church but are the words being spoken inspiring us to thoughts of peace and Godly purpose? Even if the words do not “burn within us” our sermons do not leave us underfed. We are also hearing literature, poetry and history from the Bible as it is read.

Science says of literature “I’ll have none of it” and unfortunately science is dominating in educational society. Science tends to strip away the “flesh” of knowledge; history expires in this process, poetry is not birthed, religion faints, then we are left with dry bones and say “this is knowledge”. At one time science was alive and expressed with passionate words of discovery but the way science is taught now is more utilitarian. But the fault is not found in science, just the way it is taught. The methods used tend to leave people with crude thinking and hard narrow judgment.

When we look at our national problems we can see that we are losing our sense of values- except the value of money. Young people are attracted to a career in proportion to how much money they can make. Charlotte says “Nothing can come out of nothing and if we bring up the children of the nation on sordid hopes and low ambitions, need we be surprised that every man plays for his own hand?”

When men unite together for a cause justified by Reason they may gain what they are seeking but will not be able to sustain the gain if the Spiritual things are lost. We must be convinced that knowledge is the basis of a nation’s strength.