Re: Real world issue:- OT recreational interval

From: Marshall <marshall.spight_at_gmail.com>
Date: 17 Sep 2006 12:28:15 -0700
Message-ID: <1158521295.184353.151800_at_m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>


pamelafluente_at_libero.it wrote:
>
> In all my life, my constant inclination was to be *creative* instead
> of to be "learnitive".

The two are not antagonistic; in fact they are actually synergistic. Education and creativity reinforce each other.

> I always preferred to create my wheel instead of
> studying the others'.

Widespread adoption of this technique would lead to every generation trying to reinvent everything that came before. It is directly counter to human progress.

> And sometimes, it even turns out that my wheel run
> better than the existing ones.

How would you know, if you hadn't studied the others? How would you even know how to compare different wheels if you only knew your own?

This common idea is actually the fable the ignorant tell themselves to justify their lack of education.

> Actually, I do think, seriously, that some (clearly "relative")
> ignorance [...]
> is fundamental be be able to give original contributions [...]

The greatest scientists reject this idea. The greatest artists likewise.

Do you think any of the great computer scientists practiced ignorance? Just about every advance in CS I can think of was made by someone with a PhD. About the only exception to that rule is Robin Milner, who only had an undergraduate degree but did spend much of his adult life in academia.

Andrew Wyeth's father made sure his son was extensively tutored in painting, drawing, and illustration. A reported once asked him if we wasn't afraid that all those classes might kill talent. His father replied, "If that had killed it, it deserved to be killed."

> "Ignorance" is, in my opinion, a fundamental ingredient for real
> originality.

Really, the only thing ignorance is fundamental to is in knowing less than the educated.

> Courage to be wrong and humility to recognize when you are, are
> essential to grow.

I am glad that you recognize this, and I look forward to your realization that your attraction to ignorance was a severe mistake.

Although actually I don't see any way you could realize that it's a mistake until you had tried it both ways. Why don't you?  

Marshall Received on Sun Sep 17 2006 - 21:28:15 CEST

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