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Close Reading Post, Descartes, Locke

Importance of Experience

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In the texts of Rene Descartes and John Locke, both philosophers elaborate on the idea of how individuals gain knowledge. Both philosophers suggest that individuals should experience, witness, or have first-hand accounts in order to “build understanding from scratch.” With that idea in mind, Descartes implied that we should trust personal accounts rather than books, and because of that he, “spent the remainder of my youth in travelling, in visiting courts and armies, in holding intercourse with men of different dispositions and ranks, in collecting varied experience”(Descartes 6).  He believes that it’s more truthful and from his travels he was “accompanied with greater success than it would have been had I never quitted my country or my books” (Descartes 6). In a more extreme perspective, Locke believed that people could only learn from personal experiences such as sensations and self-reflection from actions: “All our ideas are of the one or the other of these [Sensation or Reflection],” meaning that all knowledge gained is built from scratch by ourselves (Locke 6). The individual should be the main, if not only, source of knowledge.

While the two philosophers have very similar ideologies, they differ in the extremity of their arguments. Locke strictly believes that knowledge can only be gained from experience: “From experience: in that all our knowledge is founded, and from that it ultimately derives itself” (Locke 5). Locke did not mention learning from teachers or books, only from oneself. Descartes on the other hand, believed that our most trusted knowledge should come from personal studies rather than books. Descartes does not disapprove of the books, he actually finds them “all excellent books”; however, books should not be the basis of our knowledge (Descartes 3). Descartes even states that the reason he shares his experience “is not to teach the method which each ought to follow,” but to share a story on his approach and success (Descartes 2). While both philosophers have the similar idea of building knowledge, it is their approach that differentiate them. In regards to the idea of “build understanding from scratch,” I believe Locke would argue that everything should come from personal experience and that is the only way to grasp an understanding. On the contrary, Descartes would prefer that most of our knowledge should come from experience, books can be used to start a foundation; but should be replaced or improved with our own personal studies.

Close Reading Post

A Passionate Education

James Marcus Bach dismissed the teacher’s comment of being “dangerous” because he wasn’t the dangerous one, the teacher was. Bach is not in favor of “traditional” education; he states that, “Education is important. School is not. I didn’t need school. Neither do you” (1). Bach believes in education and learning, just not through the means of school.  The most important thing about education to him is learning who you are and that cannot be achieve from traditional education. An individual should learn everything they want to learn, and should learn it in their own manner. If you can learn calculus from reading a book, physics from hands-on activity in your garage, or even history from watching documentary. Do it. That is a valuable education, and it is probably better than anything that you could ever get from a school. In school, “schoolism” is practiced (5). There is no you in that. The student is forced to go to school studying topics that were predetermined by the school, only to get a number that does not mean anything. There is no self-exploration or discovery in that, just another cookie cutter forcing its shape upon a student.

Similar to Bach, Kanye West is also a successful drop out; however, his view on education is different. Kanye West says, “‘it is true you can be successful without [college], but this is a hard world, a real world, and you want every advantage you can have’” (1). While he did not achieve higher education himself, he approves and promotes college. Despite the contrast in views higher education and schooling, Bach and West share a common ground; that should teach more relevant courses. Bach didn’t attend school or do the work because it did not interest him. Bach wanted to do calculus, not basic high school math. So he skipped school to learn calculus. He feed his own interest, not the schools. Kanye West went to school not for math but for gym, lunch, and arts (1). In his days, ball was the hit thing, now music is prominent. Kanye believes that there should be a curriculum focused on music production, and schools should “get with the time (1). Bach and West promote learning but it should be interesting or relevant to you. Students should educate themselves in something they have a passion for.