Wang's Perspective on the Role of Education
Wang describes the goal of learning as what extends the pure knowledge in the mind of a person. He says that people are born fully with knowledge of good and bad. The role of education is not to fill out what is contained in the mind of an individual but to increase the knowledge already in the mind. The mind of a person does not require learning to disapprove or approve actions. The mind can recognize right and wrong without acquiring knowledge. Wang disapproves former scholars who explained the role of education as the act of taking out what is in the mind and filling it with new and perfect knowledge. Everyone has 'innate knowledge' according to Wang. He used the term liangzhi to describe innate knowledge. The process of knowledge acquisition does not form liangzhi but keeps it in motion. The aspect means that one does not require education to form liangzhi but everyone is born with innate knowledge. One does not require any more information to make a moral judgment but the moral guidance performs the function independent of any external knowledge. Liangzhi of an individual has the ability to respond to all situations regardless of the factual knowledge that involves learning. In summary, Wang describes the role of education in enhancing the knowledge one already has in the mind.
Pico's Perspective on the Power of Education
Pico states that the power of the mind increases in strength and vigor through educations and knowledge acquisition. By saying this he does not mean that the mind cannot function without learning. The work of education is to stimulate the mind and make it reason well. Pico used the example of the gymnasium to increase the power in the body so is education to increase the power of the mind. He added that education is a sword and the symbol of wisdom. Great people use education as a tool to sharpen their wisdom according to his arguments. The mind of an individual tends to be more sluggish and slower without education. Knowledge acquisition is a symbol that the ancient philosophers like Aristotle used to enhance their wits and wisdom. An individual who is more learned tends to be more armed to conquer life issues according to Pico (Erik 354).
Common Ground: The Purpose of Education
The two authors Pico and Wang have the same view on the purpose of education. Both of them agree that education does not give people the power to think but enhance what is already in the mind. People are born with a conscience that guides their judgments according to Pico. Actions done by an individual are approved and disapproved in the mind by the conscience. The arrogance of the mind can be solved by knowledge acquisitions through the process of learning. Schools and educational facilities are meant to confirm the truth that already exists but not to weaken the truth. People can live and reason without learning anything because the mind of everyone is equipped with the ability to reason and come up with proper judgments. Education is meant to illuminate the mind of people and make them understand clearly some philosophical phenomena. Many successful philosophers read books and base their arguments on the knowledge they acquire through various sources. Therefore, the two authors agree that the role of education is to increase the knowledge that already exists in the minds of people.
Work cited
De Bom, Erik. "Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola, Oration on the Dignity of Man. A New Translation and Commentary. Ed. by Francesco Borghesi, Michael Papio and Massimo Riva. Cambridge/New York, Cambridge UP, 2012." (2013).
