This reminds me so much of the ten commandments. The only difference is that this ten duties to be observed by students and eight duties to be observed by teachers, is more profound.
Let's enumerate each duties, using my very own comprehension. Starting with the ten duties of a student first:
1. The first one basically implies that just by practicing certain religious acts or habits does not make you good or if it does to some extent, it is not good enough. Being good is something that should be practiced not just when you're in front of other people but it should be applied to the way you live your life, in a daily basis. Be particular when it comes to people you associate yourself with, be with the people who will do you good and influence you for the better.
2. There's a saying that in order to reach the state of enlightenment or nirvana, one must separate himself from worldly affairs and wants. Embrace the beginner's mind, a state of mind wherein one has emptied his cup of wisdom in order to acquire more, for how can one fill a vessel that is already full?
3. It is self-explanatory, Be humbled and be grateful for what your teacher/master has taught you and in time you shall prosper.
4. Savor everything that has been taught and let your mind absorb them completely. Another thing is a student should know how to comprehend and comply first. That is one example of a military rule being followed by subordinates.
5. Do not take shortcuts. Patience is a virtue so no matter how tedious its is to learn a new task or acquire wisdom, have perseverance, endure and it shall be fruitful.
6. It goes hand in hand with the fifth duty, taking one step at a time is better than rushing into things. One gets a better chance if he lets everything sink in. Slowly but surely is one way of learning.
7. One word: commitment. To be adept at something, one should learn how to fully commit himself, no matter how daunting it is. Do not be distracted and be impulsive in jumping from one science to another.
8. In order to become well versed and better acquainted with the science that one is learning, he should know its objectives and goals first and start from there.
9. In everything that a student does or thinks, he should focus on getting closer to God so as he may not be lead astray by anything this world has to offer.
10. Nothing is constant here in our world except changes. One of those changes is death and after death, there is something that most people believe in, that is the after life. The after life wherein, it is believed that we will all be living a glorious life with God. For the time being that we are here, living this temporary life, a student should know that our main purpose s to live according to His will, glorify his name and to follow His righteous path.
Now that we have tackled the ten duties of a student, let us proceed to the manners or duties to be observed by a teacher. As always, It will be explained in accordance to my comprehension of the article. They are as follows:
1. A teacher should serve as the parent who is nurturing to his students. His main goal should be about the importance of a person's relationship with God and he should educate his students about it.
2. Seek not the wealth of this world but seek the kingdom of God first and live a humbled and modest life as an exemplary model to his students.
3. A teacher should not only care about whether a student is learning from him, he should also be concern about his students' well being and give proper advice when needed and pay compliments or words of encouragement where it is due.
4. To have someone to guide you and teach you distinguish the difference between right and wrong, aside from your parents, is one of a teacher's myriad duties.
5. One should not just take pride in his teachings but of other people's teachings as well. Having an open mind is a must in opening up more pathways to learning.
6. Acknowledge that we are all created equal but different so a teacher should teach in a manner that his students will comprehend fully despite the difference in intellect levels.
7. Before coming up with mind boggling questions, a teacher must first gauge his students' intellectual capacity and from there come up with a specific lesson plan or approach that will enable him to be on the same page as that of his students.
8. Practice what you preach!
That is basically what I understood from the said article. The world would be a better place to live in if we practice this as a way of life. I honestly believe that to comprehend them all is not that difficult, the only question that lingers in my mind is that, "would I be able to abide by them rules or duties?" We are all human beings, and to err is human. To abide by them duties or manners is not a child's play but it sure is not an impossible feat either.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Allegory Of The Cave
The Allegory Of The Cave
The allegory of the cave is a perfect example of how we live our lives. The cave is the world we live in, we are the prisoners, the flame is the knowledge or wisdom being offered by the outside world of the cave.
The prisoners in the cave, assumed that the world they live in is reality when in fact they would not know reality even if their struck by it! It’s because they do not know anything else, all they know is that the world where they were born into, grew up in, is what they are all used to. In there, they have formed a camaraderie with one another, sharing the same beliefs. That belief was never questioned for why would they question anything when no one knows any other way of life?
As Socrates mentioned, what if one of them was released from that bleak existence, into a world of light? How would he react and how would he feel? At first, he will surely be scared! When we are being presented with something we are not used to, even with courage, we would still be afraid. It is only natural for the newly released prisoner to be disoriented and nervous. These negative emotions will soon be toppled by mirth. He will be joyous, exuberant to some extent, because he has been enlightened! It would take some time but he would learn to take it all in, one little step at a time. He would savor every drop of it in order to quench his thirst for knowledge. Then another reality struck him, with all the wisdom pouring into him, he would suddenly realized, that free as he is now, his old fellow prisoners are still prisoners with no knowledge of the outside world. He would sympathize with them and decide to go back so as he may impart what he learned. He would stumble his way back inside the cave that he is not used to anymore. He would tell them what has transpired when he was outside, make it known to them that they have been living in a world of lies and that the truth is out there, waiting to be discovered. How would they react to his monologue of the outside world? He would most likely be shunned. looked down on, even talked down to. For them, he is talking gibberish. How can they believe this mere guy when it is only his words against their empirical evidences i.e. sense of sight, sense of hearing and the rest of their senses? It is such a pity that this one person who wanted to be of help in enlightening them will end up being mocked because he is talking about the unknown to them!
We are somewhat similar to these prisoners. ”What you see is what you get and to see is to believe”, some of the old cliches that come to mind. We often believe that what can be seen is mostly what is true or factual since we have one of our senses to prove it. We are also like them because we would rather stay within our comfort and safety zones by living our monotonous life for it is easy and simple. What is not known to us, we mock and evade. We refrain from asking questions because we might not like the answers.
”Living simply means searching for what you yourself believe and struggling with fundamental questions”, according to Helen Buss Mitchell. Just like what Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living”. If you want to be enlightened and not end up becoming like these prisoners in the cave, ask questions, put them to tests, use empirical evidences and process all the information and wisdom you have acquired in your mind and use your reasoning to come up with an answer that has been tried and tested and with no loopholes. You will find your broad minded self more accepting of the unknown and more logical when coming up with conclusions, you will not be swayed by anything because your reasoning is not deceiving.
The Socratic Method & Academia "The Allegory Of The Cave"
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/allegory.html
Socrates on Self Confidence
Socrates is indeed a good philosopher! He knew or felt no fear when he sought after the unknown, after something that most folks of earlier days thought would be best left alone or not ventured. Socrates is different, he chose to tackle about something so simple to define as broad as its definition is and yet hard to embody for most folks, that is Self Confidence.
What does it mean to have confidence in one's self? How does it affect a person's way of living? Why is Socrates' perspective about confidence related to how we live our lives?
Simple as it may seem, the definition of self confidence is not something that can be easily put into words. The meaning varies, depending on who uses it or on the situation that arises with it. For some, it may be as plain as not being anxious or nervous or for most modern folks, being self assured or self reliant. Socrates' take on self confidence is related to some of the above mentioned examples of its definition, but he took it to a new level. He emphasized about self confidence in its broadest sense.
Self confidence is the basic of all basics when it comes to one's attitude in tackling the world. It is required when one is living in this modern society wherein the principle, oftentimes, is the survival of the fittest. It should be like a second skin or better yet an armor that will help one fight off against being carried off or taken in by the crowd. Let's face it, it sure feels good when you are a part of a pack. To be inside a circle sure has a ring to it, along with the benefits of not having to stand alone and that sense of belonging. It sure helps when you are being supported by all these folks who share the same sentiments and outlook in life. But what happens if one day, you wake up and find out that you do not agree with your group's insights anymore? Would you be willing to walk away from that comfort zone that you have been used to in exchange for voicing out your opinions? That's where Socrates' take on self confidence comes in.
As we have seen in the video, Socrates is comparing us to a flock of sheep being herded by herdsmen. It is somewhat demeaning to be compared to some mindless sheep, but his statement is not far from being true. As human beings, most of the time, it is in our nature to just go with the flow and just let nature take its course. We oftentimes let other people dictate us on what needs to be done in our lives, on what is right and what is wrong. Socrates refused to give in, he refused to conform to what his society dictates and expects of him. He was not being argumentative or defensive for the sake of just being a pain to everyone around him (although they saw it that way). He thirsted for knowledge and he would not end his quest for it, regardless of the consequences that awaited him. The end result was his death, he died for his beliefs, but he did not die in vain. That is what he wanted us to know, to learn and to exercise.
For me, self confidence simply means that I know what I am capable of and what I'm not. For what I am lacking, I will try harder to attain them and for what I already have, as hard as it may be because of the fear of being shunned for voicing out my opinion and standing my ground, I will see to it that I will live by my own codes and principles. It will take time to really use my free will to that of Socrates' or I might not even be able to but I have a better understanding now about Socrates' main point, a better society requires better people and to become better people, it is essential to start with oneself, have the courage to live a life wherein you are not scared to test the waters and still be able to co exist with your fellow men, all these while not hesitating in sharing your perspective, thus not losing your sense of self even when you have that sense of belonging.
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