In a commencement address, Ursula K. Le Guin stated that “all the great scientists and social thinkers wrote it [the language]. It is the language of thought that seeks objectivity.” This implies that these thinkers don’t just seek answers for the sake of having them as only something to hold for the sake of holding, but they seek the truth. This reminds me of my own life when I sought answers to questions of the Gospel. When I was investigation the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I thought I was just there to argue, but the more I took the lessons, the more I loved the Plan of Salvation and understood how much other Churches were missing from their gospel.
Something that caught my attention was the idea of Spirit Prison. I loved that Heavenly Father created a plan for everyone. His nature is not to deny someone salvation because they weren’t born in the right time or place. The answer that many non-denominational Christians (which is what I would have classified myself as) would give to a question like where people in the middle of Asia go after they die would be that they go straight to Heaven. But even that answer is unbiblical. Not only would that lessen the value on Heaven by allowing anyone in who may not have a relationship with God, but agency would be taken away at that point. Not only does the Spirit testify of it, but it also makes sense.
I did not just stick with an answer that was insufficient. When I slowed down from my argumentative questioning of the Church, the missionaries picked up and made me seek truth.
Ursula K. Le Guin's full commencement address can be read on the following link.
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_cult/leguin/
Is seeking the truth (and not just the ideas or beliefs that one holds to be the truth) itself a form of folk knowledge? What cultures have cultivated a search for truth? Check out the philosophers of ancient Greece for starters.
ReplyDeleteSo what would you say "the language" is in this context? Is it the scriptures, the missionary lessons, your own questions?
ReplyDeleteI am a little confused as to what the folk knowledge would be. Is it the seeking of truth (as Dr. Burton said)? Or maybe the beliefs that we have grown up with is folk knowledge and you are giving an example as to how hard it is to unlearn that knowledge?
ReplyDeleteAs we seek 'objectivity' in the form of truth is that something we learn naturally, is it a folk knowledge? or something that we have to learn line upon line, precept on precept? Martin Luther's search for truth came at a great price. He stated, Peace if possible, truth at all costs." http://www.tentmaker.org/Quotes/truthquotes.htm
ReplyDeleteWith the 400th anniversary of the Bible this year, its interesting to reflect on the struggle for knowledge despite strong authoritative sources! I wonder if I'd be willing to make sacrifices for knowledge like Martin Luther did! I'm not sure (for me) it's a folk knowledge!
I would say that the language in the commencement address was the language of questioning and seeking knowledge.
ReplyDeleteThe folk knowledge is a little bit ambiguous here. But it's there. For me, I have always been a questioner, maybe it's just who I am, maybe it's because i'm a younger sibling, but if my parents did something right, it was that they raised me to questions.
By the way, I still don't know how to use technology, but it's Maddie Grant.