The ways of knowing, as they are laid out in the course, are: Aesthetics
- the academic way of knowing, emotions - sadness, anger or love, science - the
empirical or testable way of knowing, reason - employing math and the
facilities of the mind, and revelation - knowledge from and outside source
given to mankind. When evaluation each way of knowing there are basic or
primary truths that must be establish before any discussion can take place. The
fact of existence must be present. If human kind does not exist then there are
not truths. The principle of non-contradiction and the ability of the mind to
know truth are also essential. Contradiction makes truth a difficult idea to
establish, and without an ability to know truth, there exist no reason to
attempt to know truth.
There are tests that are used in identifying truth along with the three
criteria stated earlier. Authority considers the source from which the truth
came, such as a king. Coherence corresponds with reality. Consensus gentium is
a group belief or majority rule. Consistency holds to a basis in reality. Rocks
do not walk and socks do not talk on their own. Correspondence relies on
evidence and custom relies on the traditions of a culture. These are some
examples of the tests that are used to examine truth.
Looking at how the five areas interact with each other and the different
ways that can take place, one specific way stands out. The idea of
interpenetrating magisteria defines how this writer looks at the world. The
aesthetic way of knowing is important, if only by designation of the state, but
this in itself is a truth. It comes out of the test of consensus gentium. It
has been decided by the whole that having an education is important, it is
therefore important to have an education. To know purely by the aesthetic way
of knowing makes one learned, but application of the knowledge to something
more is limited. Linked with emotion academics become a passion and a way of
betterment. By denying these five areas interaction, the risk of narrowing the
mind is great. Giving greater preference to one of the five over the others
opens the mind to a degree. The area of preference is drawing from the other
area but in a limited fashion. Different ways of knowing are still taking
preference. By looking at each way as a core which tapers off, one is able to
know truth in each area but use those truths to explore other truths in a deeper
manor. Art is an expression closely linked to the aesthetic way of knowing. Limiting
art to the aesthetic diminishes the potential that exists. Art can portrait
reason or revelation. The truths that exist in reason or revelation may remain
hidden until they are expressed in a way that exists outside of them.
It is also dangerous
to interpenetrate ways of knowing but still by far, from this author'
experience, the best way of interrelating. One area that many are familiar with
is revelation and science. The battle for greatness, one over the other is
constant. This is one major reason for not overlapping ways of knowing. On the
other hand, leaving them separate destroys any chance of the two complimenting
one another. Emotion and reason are two other ways of knowing that do not
always exist in harmony, save interpenetration. Reason is the voice of wisdom
to emotion in many situations. One cannot exist as a superior to the other
because situations arise where one is needed more than the other. In revelation a key assumption is
the authority of the bible. Without the inerrant word of God, revelation or
using religion as a way of knowing does not stand. The assumption of revelation
is a valid one when taken in context. This could be seen as a weakness if one
is using another way of knowing to analyze, or overlapping ways. The strength of revelation is that it has
such a base of support. God speaks through his prophets, the inerrant word that
is at the heart of revelation. The assumption, which Thomas Aquinas would say
is inappropriate to say of God, is that God is real and that what he says is
truth. The weakness that exists is that once God is taken away, revelation has
no base. Science says there is no evidence and reason says there is no logical
reason to believe any of the things that are written, all because of lacking
evidence. The context of revelation is faith. In the realm of faith
revelation's assumptions make sense (to appeal to reason).
In Aesthetics some
assumptions are that knowledge reigns supreme and knowledge is power. The
assumptions are valid but in a cultural context. The strength of these assumptions is that in
a society that is driven by success and personal gain they are both true. The
person with the knowledge and power to use it has the world on a string. The
weakness once again is context. Look at a culture where the most successful
people are the ones that survive. The amount of stuff that one knows is not to be
comparable to the skills needed to survive. Academic knowledge is not
empowering if someone cannot catch a fish or kill a deer. A CEO provides for a
family with an income by which the knowledge provides the job. One is not
better than the other and the weakness of the assumption that knowledge is
supreme is exposed. Emotion might look at the painting and be drawn to the child in the center. The artist appears to have made great effort to draw attention here as he has placed the child in the center and left the background with a darker feel while the child is very bright in contrast. The setting is out doors which would give and open and freeing feeling. This might be associated with happiness and not being bound by walls or other boundaries. Looking at the child's face one gets the sense of wonder and what the child is looking toward. That wonder could lead to a feeling of innocence which is embodied by the child. The nude nature of the child along with the setting of the open plains would further this interpretation. At the same time, the large shrub limits the open view that exists and creates a dark-feeling presence. This could allude to some kind of danger that threatens the innocence of the child. This in turn could create a feeling of pity that the innocence of the child could be taken away. The presence of the older female figure places a barrier between the child and the dark presence. Emotion could see the message of the painting as keeping the innocence of a child while the threat of destroying it always exists.
Revelation would see the message in a far different light. The Child is still the focus. The light which contrasts the dark is a biblical metaphor for good and evil. The fruit in the hand of the older adult figure might be interpreted as the fruit from the fall of mankind. The captivation of the child is highlighted by the bright light in the picture and this light could merely be the sun or perhaps a biblical reference to purity. White is cited in different ways one being sins washed clean and becoming whiter than snow. The fruits presence might draw the fall into the focus when using revelation as a way of knowing. The white innocence might suggest the forgiveness of sin while the darkness or evil always is near. The adult figure also may act as a barrier similarly to emotion.
The Christian
religion has been a great influence on perspective. The reformation and Martin
Luther's 95 Theses are of the greatest influence. The morals that have come out
of the Christian tradition create a framework for a person to light a right
life. This framework has been taken to heart and guides the thought and actions
of the individual that is in adherence. Without the guidance that faith has
provided life would be very different. Christianity's influence is critical in
perspective, especially concerning the critical issues that face the world today.
This is a very western view which was amplified in the time of the reformation.
Martin's accusations of the church at the time, sparked reform that still has
influence today.
Independence is an American right, drawn into the constitution to ensure that
it continues to exist. Growing up under that influence holds great shaping
power. The desire to grow up and move out is greatly stressed and this too has
its origin in the reformation. The founding colonies wished to escape religious
persecution which has its roots in the reformation. The breaking away from the
Catholic church added fuel to future action. This escape could be likened to a
teen's desire to escape the authority of a parent which has been felt by this
author. Independence and the stress that it sees in America is almost
inevitable. The inevitability of certain situations, as they appear in opinion,
also affect the perspectives of the writer in a severe fashion.
The feminist movement has been another great
influence, but in a way that may not be traditionally thought. The movement
could be most closely linked to the age of reason and enlightenment. Females
are indeed endowed with the right to be equal, but at the same time the roles
of male and female are falling apart. This has influenced many choices,
including that of a spouse. God created Eve as a helpmeet to Adam and that
traditional perspective fell apart in the feminist movement. Women started to
take the spot at the head of the family as the 'bread winner'. The collapse of
traditional roles pushes this writer to a more traditional perspective on a
daily basis.
All three examples
draw on the cores of more than one way of knowing. At the center of two is
revelation. Religious bias is a factor to be considered when reading this
essay. But in light of the bias, other ways of knowing are not denied, but
indeed embraced. Reason and emotion are very present. The third example takes
to heart both reason and emotion while penetrating into revelation. All five
ways of knowing should be considered as supreme within their respective area,
but as an equal in its ability to contribute to the others. Using more than one
way of knowing, and keeping each in mind while considering the other, is the
best way of looking at the world. Each way has a different approach and can
provide unique perspectives that are not possible in other ways of knowing.
Assumptions asserted in each way of knowing bring with them both advantages and
pitfalls which are to be considered. When looking at ways of knowing,
understanding the context of which an individual lives, brings greater
opportunity to understand perspectives that are held. The context a person
grows up in is most often limiting, creating a tunnel vision effect that limits
the ability of the mind. The ways of knowing when used together, not superior
to each other, help an individual to better assess the world around them.
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influence today.
Independence is an American right, drawn into the constitution to ensure that
it continues to exist. Growing up under that influence holds great shaping
power. The desire to grow up and move out is greatly stressed and this too has
its origin in the reformation. The founding colonies wished to escape religious
persecution which has its roots in the reformation. The breaking away from the
Catholic church added fuel to future action. This escape could be likened to a
teen's desire to escape the authority of a parent which has been felt by this
author. Independence and the stress that it sees in America is almost
inevitable. The inevitability of certain situations, as they appear in opinion,
also affect the perspectives of the writer in a severe fashion.
The feminist movement has been another great
influence, but in a way that may not be traditionally thought. The movement
could be most closely linked to the age of reason and enlightenment. Females
are indeed endowed with the right to be equal, but at the same time the roles
of male and female are falling apart. This has influenced many choices,
including that of a spouse. God created Eve as a helpmeet to Adam and that
traditional perspective fell apart in the feminist movement. Women started to
take the spot at the head of the family as the 'bread winner'. The collapse of
traditional roles pushes this writer to a more traditional perspective on a
daily basis.
