on education

“There can be no more practical education, in my opinion, than one that launches you on the course of fulfilling your human capacities to reason and to imagine freely and that hones your abilities to express the results of your thinking in speech and in writing with logic, clarity, and grace.” —A. Bartlett Giamatti

Mr. Giamatti is absolutely correct in his assertion that the intent of education is to springboard oneself onto the path of reason and ingenuity. I believe education is no mere tool, a means to an end of material success—rather, the opportunity to pursue higher learning is one which should unlock the abilities God has given to each of us so that we may go wherever He leads us. In my experience, the educational opportunities I have been given have best been utilized when I have grown in my capacity for thinking critically and introspectively as a result of them. For instance, my physics class, which I found particularly challenging, forced me to go beyond formulas and instead analyze problems creatively and often independently. Consequently, my endeavors in other areas have benefitted from this ability to invent and weigh solutions in a variety of situations. A college education, I expect, will be no different in this manner; it will further develop my “human capacities,” as Mr. Giamatti pens it.

With regards to my specific goals of contributing to American democracy, this understanding of how to evaluate a situation dynamically and not only through simple, factual knowledge is critical. In light of contemporary events, it is crucial that I develop said skills so as to not be lost in the tumult of polarized political debate. For example, the Kavanaugh hearings: each side in this issue feels extremely strongly about what ought to have been done. Regardless of my personal views on the matter, if I intend to make a career out of my interest in our political system, I cannot afford to make decisions based solely on emotional reactions to events. Rather, I must put to good use the education I have been given and reason out both perspectives on the matter. No small amount of empathy is required as well; I find this to factor into Mr. Giamatti’s idea of “imagining freely.” It is important for all people to be able to look through the lenses of others, to be able to imagine oneself in a variety of scenarios and resultant viewpoints.

I do believe there is a right answer in each situation, the one which lines up with God’s Word and accomplishes His will. I also think our Creator has given us the capability to “feel” for both sides in a matter, just as Jesus told us to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). The latter part of Mr. Giamatti’s claim tells us one way in which we can accomplish all this, by speaking and writing with “logic, clarity, and grace”—that is to say, we must be able to share our ideas with others for the purpose of resolving societal issues which in turn should be for the purpose of furthering God’s kingdom. Thus in all of our academic endeavors, we should be prepared for the necessity of approaching situations confidently and proposing the solutions which are both indicative of well-considered reasoning and glorifying to God.