Taylor V. Smith
⚛ Graduate
Philosopher Immanuel Kant argued that the purest form of rationality is a priori reasoning—that is, reasoning unpolluted by experiential data. Kant believed that our life experiences shape our worldview, making us bias toward certain ideas. I believe the opposite. I think that reason is strengthened by our life experiences. The more life experiences we have, the more benefited our reason will be.
Many years ago, when I was only 5 or 6 years old, my father told me that the U.S. President George H. W. Bush was the strongest man in the world. He was so strong, in fact, that if he were to drop a sewing button onto the ground, the entire world would blow up. At the time, I was very impressed—and a little afraid that the president might accidentally drop a button, ending our existence. However, looking back on this instance, I realize now that I misinterpreted my father's words.
In hindsight, what my father probably said was that the president was the most powerful man in the world. He was so powerful that he could push a button (i.e., the electronic kind) and blow up the world. At my age, the word "powerful" meant "strong". Moreover, I was unfamiliar with buttons used to launch nuclear missiles—I only knew about sewing buttons. It was not until I had more life experience that I was able to interpret my father's words accurately.
Just as my understanding of President Bush evolved with age, so does our interpretation of the world evolve as we gain greater life experience. Our goal should be to absorb as much experience as possible for the benefit of our reason and judgment.
Many years ago, when I was only 5 or 6 years old, my father told me that the U.S. President George H. W. Bush was the strongest man in the world. He was so strong, in fact, that if he were to drop a sewing button onto the ground, the entire world would blow up. At the time, I was very impressed—and a little afraid that the president might accidentally drop a button, ending our existence. However, looking back on this instance, I realize now that I misinterpreted my father's words.
In hindsight, what my father probably said was that the president was the most powerful man in the world. He was so powerful that he could push a button (i.e., the electronic kind) and blow up the world. At my age, the word "powerful" meant "strong". Moreover, I was unfamiliar with buttons used to launch nuclear missiles—I only knew about sewing buttons. It was not until I had more life experience that I was able to interpret my father's words accurately.
Just as my understanding of President Bush evolved with age, so does our interpretation of the world evolve as we gain greater life experience. Our goal should be to absorb as much experience as possible for the benefit of our reason and judgment.
