Books & Thinking for Oneself

http://www.amazon.com/Communication-Uncovered-General-Semantics-Ecology/dp/09... ACCESS TO ARTICLE :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX9TL6t5kzw
This is a talk against the idea of thinking for oneself by considering the role of books and literacy. also cf. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsbGdsDR62Q

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Professor Anton
• professoranton
• Reading
• Books
• Study
• Learning
• Pedagogy
• teaching
• Twain
• School
• University
• Thought
• independent thought

[aaronhemeon]

What about College? It's 5 classes, no time, even if you can afford not to hold a part-time job. Cram for tests, memorize this and that, be told that your gem of insight in a book is wrong. The most paradoxical situation I have ever had was a disagreement over whether I had a right to disagree with Gadamer's "Truth and Method." The prof. said I misinterpreted Gadamer; I said we both get different things out of it; he said I was wrong; I said that's the part of Gadamer I don't like. :)

[Professoranton]

I guess I agree (and for my own part I often like creative misunderstanding) but could you both have been right?

[jak1428]

i agree. there is a lot talk about this new illiteracy these days caused by new technology. people are less and less capable of reading long texts...

[Professoranton]

Very seriously. Reading atrophy on many fronts. People today just skim and glace by web browser.

[thepathlesspath]

We best use this "interwebs" thing to be an alternative. The holons network, you and I, Matt and John... Don't we engage ourselves by engaging others?

I agree with you... "thinking for oneself" misses the point... It's more about relation and connection, and growing from that wisdom. I hope we can have that here on youtube, at least amongst those we know and appreciate.

[Professoranton]

Meaningful dialogue, heady talk and interesting ideas, articulated possibilities, all of these are among the tastiest fruits for those who have cultivated the appetite and palate.

[amoxtlacatl]

Thank you, Corey, for addressing a common misconception and thus contributing to my education and that of so many others.

[Flenos]

I agree!

I think your argument is specially relevant when you consider the American culture related to arguing and debating.

People like to have opinions and to defend them. But rarely anyone takes the time to read what others have been saying about the topics they are talking about. (It seems to be the case in those endless debates we see in Youtube).

[Rattapax]

I think Twain was referring to the authoritative power a text has over 'reality.' He was kind of a proto-postmodernist, where he had a suspicion of narrative. When we associate reality to what's in a book, the 'reality' is distorted. If you look at the end of 'Huck Finn,' Tom can't see 'reality' until it looks like a scene in the 'Count of Monte Cristo.' But all along unassociated 'reality' is in front of the eyes...it's very Nietzschean.

[cocogrrl]

Thank you SO much, sir, for posting this video. I've been making the habit to self-educate by reading books--ones that allow people to ANALYZE AND THINK!--at my own pace (that's important as well). I've found that reading a few good books throughly (so far; have tons more to read) that my own ignorance is totally diminishing. Liked and subbed!

[Forkroute]

You don't want to think by yourself, but for yourself.

In "How to read a book", this idea is formulated beautifully.

[knowcipher]

Excellent video!!! I have to re-iterate a previous comment in that the hits on your videos truely do not reflect the gems of valuable information that you're putting out. As a person of Caribbean descent living in the UK, I finding it interesting that the self-alienation of reading and further educating oneself seems to be a pandemic in my community. Although there are many factors which have influenced this, your coments have are very relevant. Thank you for sharing.

[AFairysTail]

Interesting video. Definitely gives me something to ponder for awhile.

[f1ghtclub2k3]

heheh 0 for me...pick a book and I will read it digest it and live it for a bit until of course my natural state to flight and sheeding of chains make sme go somewhere else...b/c I have to.

[f1ghtclub2k3]

Good stuff I think it would be appropriate to distinguish disinterested scholastism and true will to truth which involves perspectivism, and close personal self change, and unchartered seas....why do we learn professor Anton...what is this? what is the point? why that drive that ims ure we both experience...surely not to just know for knowledges sake but to ascend ever higher into the air be able to look down and say I should go back down to the people and help them out...B/c now i have ethos.

[egoistorms]

hallelujah!

[Professoranton]

Thanks so much