There are 3 choices, 5 votes for Scythe Atreides' debate

Why are humans compelled to learn?

Humans go far beyond learning what is necessary for individual survival, and even beyond survival of the species. Humans delve into knowledge and then question the ability to know, and then humans learn and create to the point that they are destroying themselves, effecting a monumental paradox. Why?


  • Transcendant Imperfection

    This is a theory I've been developing. It's far from complete. What I'm about to write is taken straight from my notes, so please bear with me.

    Through flaw we find existence. Perfection, complete good, heaven, all things that destroy humanity. We are incapable of understanding the things we seek answers for so that we continue to seek the answers and grow mentally. Power in choice. Religion is the ultimate neutrality: its creation and belief makes stagnant the growth of humanity (it provides answers without proof, effectively halting our cognitive progress; thus we become stagnant), but humanity's ability to make such a choice redeems it to neutrality (the power to create something out of desire that affects everyone). Without death, the flaw, there is no life. It would not exist. Life is an absence of death, a presence of potential death, just as death is the absence of life. Flaw is existence. Why be moral? Consequential morality is not morality, but still a good example of the power of humanity. Be moral because it helps improve existence, but the choice to not be moral is also intriguing. Reality, like God, exists through man. Humanity defines God's existence, thus a being defined by a contingent being becomes contingent; thus, by being contingent, the idea of God becomes contradictory. In arguing against that point: Humanity is contingent but is still here, so what of God? Nothing can come from nothing? Humanity created God: creating a creator takes away from the unknown ambition drive. Furthermore:

    "Room 206" Exemplifies curiosity and intrigue in the unknown, despite the solution's simplicity or consequence. The door that is completely in the light that everyone passes, but is never open and has no windows--just a room number. A certain degree of foreboding, coupled with uncertainty, and a person will most likely be compelled to investigate, even if only to inquire with himself or herself (mentally). This demonstrates the human need to understand. If the contents behind the door were inherently known without learning or experience, it would create a stagnant feeling in the mind, removing the person of any stimulus or desire in growing. This is an example of how omnipotence would indeed be a negative in the human life. It removes the various purpose of life, and thus becomes flawed, and by its definition should be removed of flaw, but it is inherently flawed; thus its contradiction negates its divinity. Additionally, omnipotence negates itself in respect to power (instead of knowledge). Because there is a limit of things over which a being can have power, the power becomes limited itself, removing it from a divine status of "unlimited power."

    Imperfection is our existence. We are the masters of ignorance; it is the process of learning that we need work on.

    40%  Voted for by Scythe Atreides, Quinn the Eskimo.
    View 1 comment
  • :

  • evolution -

    It seems that we are compelled to learn because our species has evolved to posess a great degree of curiosity. Our capacity for learning and drive to understand has created a species that has changed the world like no other and has been the key to our survival and population explosion.

    Whether this is good or bad for us in the end has yet to be determined. There used to be a species of antelope whose antlers grew to be so large that they became a burden instead of an aid and they became extinct. Our growing intellect as a species may or may not be a good thing, more does not always equal better. Will curiosity kill the cat?

    40%  Voted for by happysassycassie, Maerad.
    Add a comment
  • :

  • Knowledge is only power when applied

    You can be smart, but it doesn't work unless you apply it! Tu comprehende? Why didn't they allow slaves to learn in the 1800's.. Because they would get smart and think of something better to do, like rebel. "Oh, never thought of that!" you say. Why did all the great american leaders have great minds? Because they learned and knew about things as a result.

    Voted for by Carino.
    Add a comment
  • :

    •  

    None of the choices fit your opinion?  Add one →