Pride & Prejudice

So, what is the outcome of your education? It would be a shame if all it leads to is Pride and Prejudice! The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact, he looks for them. He is continuously seeking and learning.

Proverbs (18: 13, 15, 17) for the Day:
"He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame... The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.... The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and question him."

In these concise statements, there are 3 basic principles for making sound decisions:

1. get the facts before answering,


2. be open to new ideas,


3. make sure you hear both sides of the story before judging.

All three principles centre around seeking additional information (RESEARCH). This is difficult work, but the only alternative is prejudice - judging before getting the facts (LAB, p. 1098). The Proverbs also cautioned that pride ends in destruction, humility ends in honor.

"Before his downfall, a man's heart is proud. But humility comes before honor." - Proverbs 18:12

As I reflected on these proverbs collectively, I am reminded of my own experience when I pursued my PhD. Below is what I wrote then (in 1998), ...

... the experience has also taught me the joy of research, and the importance of sound argument and good scholarship. From one who used to avoid criticisms, I now regard them as an essential part of the research process. As Watson (1987; 4) rightly put it, "a thesis asked to be criticized and it is built with a view to stand criticism much as a ship is built for the open sea". It is also a humbling experience to realize that there is no clear boundary to knowledge; the deeper one gets into a chosen area, the sooner one realizes that there is yet more to be explored.