Learning

十六

~What does Confucius mean by learning? How is this different from the investigation of things? How is learning to be accomplished?

~Why does Confucius consider learning as the second step in the development of the superior man? What does it contribute to the development of his character?

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Tusculan Disputation, Cicero

Taken from The Consolations of Philosophy (de Botton, 2000)

“…scholarship is the means of making known to us, while still in this world, the infinity or matter, the immense grandeur of Nature, the heavens, the lands and the seas. Scholarship has taught us piety, moderation, greatness of heart; it snatches our souls from darkness and shows them all things, the high and the low, the first, the last and everything in between; scholarship furnishes us with the means of living well and happily; it teaches us how to spend our lives without discontent and without vexation.”

Oftentimes, we would hear people say that learning is a process. Modern interpretation and definition of learning entails reflection, thinking, application, and experiencing. Some would agree that this is so while others would not and so instead they would provide a counterargument or other designs for such. The social sciences would provide us with an extensive analysis of how learning occurs and of how learning takes place in the person’s cognitive area. Can a mere repetition of something be considered as learning? How about mastery or the degree of mastery of a person? When can we confidently say that we have learned something?

Chan, 1963

“…To Wang Su, hsi (to learn) means to recite a lesson repeatedly. To Chu Hsi, however, hsi means to follow the examples of those who are first to understand, and therefore it does not mean recitation but practice… Ch’ing scholars emphasised practical experience. In this case, hsi to them means both to repeat and to practice… Generally speaking, the dominant spirit of Confucian teaching is the equal emphasis on knowledge and action…”

What learning is varies from person to person. For Confucius, his idea of learning is greatly set on the Tao (Fung, 1947). For a college student, however, learning could mean being able to answer the questions on his examination or knowing what to do during a practical application examination. The mere accumulation of trivias or knowing a lot of jokes can be considered as learning. So on and so forth. The value that you place, however, on what you have learned creates a significant meaning of it to your life. Your intentions are also to be considered. If you set your mind on learning, only to put yourself up the pedestal and to put others below you (horizontal extravagance, Ricoeur), may not be as meaningful as learning for the sake of learning. A person may be considered high in position because of his wisdom but if his character dictates a starved personality, then a kind beggar who does not know how to read yet who is able to tell the time by the position of the sun may be a better person than him. What have you done with what you have learned?

Analect 1:14

“Confucius said, ‘The superior man does not seek fulfillment of his appetite nor comfort in his lodging. He is diligent in his duties and careful in his speech. He associates with men of moral principles and thereby realises himself. Such a person may be said to love learning.’”

In another note, we can also take learning and experiencing as one. Suppose that on your way home a book by the display window of a shop has caught your attention. Checking it out, it drew you in and you begin to want the book. You check the price and then your allowance. Seeing that you have money, you decided to buy the book even if it would mean limiting your budget for the week. Suppose something happened within that week, something that you need to pay a certain amount. Then you begin to think. If you did not buy the book you could pay and not feel bad about it and you didn’t have to limit your food budget. The next time that it happens to you, you now have two choices. Either you wait and save extra money to be able to buy what you want or buy it right away regardless of the consequences that you have experienced. Learning from your mistake is one thing but correcting your mistake is another: you have learned not to do it again. Whatever happened before, you charge it as a learning experience: …he who thinks but does not learn is in danger (Analect 2:15). What is the end product of what you have learned?

Analect 7:27

“Confucius said, ‘There are those who act without knowing. But I am not one of them. To hear much and select what is good and follow it, to see much and remember it, is the second type of knowledge.’”

Learning can take on many forms. Knowledge, skills, and abilities are but of the many things that can be learned. It can also evolve and even develop into something concrete, something utilitarian. Making use of what you have learned is learning in itself.

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