Ever since their existence on Earth, humankind has tried to productively conceptualise sensory perception and get an increasing understanding of themselves and their surroundings. The development of perception and learning initially was incidental and experience-based because the focus of the learning process initially remained on understanding things and adding to the nascent body of knowledge transmitted mainly through folk traditions or customs. The dawn of civilisation, however, has brought forth new ways of learning through innovative techniques. Thereafter, many societies realised that an inconsistent learning process barely serves the purpose at an optimal level. This led to the quest for a structured pattern of learning — the education system.
As a structured process, education equips people with information and helps them realise their cognitive potential. The formal educational journey stimulates cognitive faculties critical for braving the complex dynamics of life through informed decisions. However, as societies evolved into a complex web of intersecting interactions, the challenges became too complex to be effectively dealt with by the traditional educational standards or the existing bodies of knowledge. The humans felt the need to challenge the bounds of traditional knowledge by integrating the learning process, cognition and environment. This deep dive into potential mental capabilities dawned the enlightenment.
As identified by Emanuel Kant, enlightenment involves the conscious human efforts of thinking independently and developing intellectual capacities for determining what to believe in and act upon. It enables humans to transcend the bounds of formal education and the existing literature. It emphasises, apart from acquiring knowledge, pushing intellect from the known to the unknown. Through challenging norms, the enlightened objectives of education test the established norms for better yet unexplored experiences of existence.
An appraisal shows that education and enlightenment have a correlative and reciprocal relationship: the former lays the foundation for the latter, while the latter adds to the scope of the former. As a portal to enlightenment, education provides the knowledge crucial for intellectual development; enlightenment reflects the pinnacle of intellectual growth across the evolutionary journey. Also, it signifies heightened consciousness and a profound understanding of the universe. Education serves as a means to the ends of enlightenment, while enlightenment is a means to transcendental psychological human experience.
The symbiotic relationship between the two keeps the ongoing cycle of learning, unlearning and relearning going. However, few individuals attain enlightenment without undergoing formal education, particularly by surviving otherwise insurmountable obstacles. The saints, sages and mystics manifest this.
Though today might mark the climax of enlightenment across the known evolutionary history, many societies have failed to achieve it to the optimal level. This is perhaps because, apart from cultural dynamics, many educational systems have been systematically designed to contribute more to mass enslavement than the enlightenment. Rote learning, blind compliance and an emphasis on narrow knowledge bases build an enslaving educational system, while open academic and public discourse, intellectual debate, critical approaches to learning and freedom of questioning bring enlightened ends. Our education system is of the former type.
An ever-evolving process, enlightenment in the future might unlock the intellect’s potential to the extent that, apart from new perspectives of thinking, humans could cultivate what we call superconscious, metaphysical and spiritual awakening. An ultimate awakening may result in the transmutation of humans into beings infused with occult energies and psychic potential. How soon societies attain this depends on how well they design their education systems today.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2024.
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