Web Assignment 4: Reason
The Process of Knowing
1.) Perceiving: is the collection of data using our senses . The subjective truth is that which we add our bias to while the objective truth is the reality of the situation.
2.) Categorizing: is the organization of all the information that we have perceived. Categorizing too quickly though, is hazardous and can cause stereotypes and prejudices to form.
3.) Evaluating: is the way our minds sift through the categories. We often follow the herd need, meaning we let others think for us, instead of making our own decisions.
4.) Symbolizing: is the way that we convey our thoughts to others. This includes the connotations and denotations of our ideas.
5.) Testing: is that we need to be open to others ideas in case our belief is incorrect or to justify our beliefs.
Perceiving
Aristotle once said, "Everything which is known comes through the senses." Over the summer I went to Siesta Key, Florida and stood on the shore of the beach gazing out into the ocean. As I was standing there, I was perceiving (using my senses) the different aspects of the ocean. I could smell the intense salt of the ocean, I could hear the the shrieking noises from the pelicans flying above me, I could feel my toes sinking into the damp sand, and I could see the jet-skis gliding atop the water. I knew that the ocean was there because of what my senses were telling me. The truth is out there waiting to be perceived, we do not make it up on our own.
Categorizing
One thing that I catch myself doing a lot is categorizing and judging people before I even get to know them. I have a bad tendency to assume the way people are going to act because of what they are wearing or the way they speak. I am oblivious to the fact that everyone has their own uniqueness and find it difficult to see past the category that my mind , has placed that person in. Once we receive information through our senses our mind automatically sorts it by putting it into different categories. We need to be aware that we cannot summarize an entire person by putting one or two labels on them. We need to get to know the person before judging them because maybe their is something really cool and interesting about them.
Evaluating
I have always been very intrigued by palm trees . I think they are the greatest tree in the world. Whenever I go out of town I look forward to seeing them. My evaluation of palm trees may be the exact opposite of someone who has been around palm trees all their life because they see them everyday and think nothing of it. My evaluation of palm trees is very high because whenever I see one I think of fun times on the beach. We as humans are evaluating information everyday and need to stay away from being a victim of "herd need." Herd need is when we allow a group of people to dictate our thoughts and beliefs instead of forming our own. Our thoughts and opinions make us who we are and we must always be looking to develop and ponder new ideas.
Symbolizing
Symbolizing involves the way we communicate our ideas to other people. It is important to communicate accurately what we mean to others. The "Right Speech Experiment" was the perfect lesson in realizing our natural tendency to deviate from the truth. Words have specific meanings and it is important to choose our words carefully and accurately so that other people understand exactly what we mean.
Testing
We need to be open to new ideas and opinions that may even contradict our beliefs. I realize that I do not know everything about soccer and am always open to new ideas and tips that will make me a better player. I realize that my coaches have been around the game much longer than I have and am always looking to take advantage of their knowledge of the game. By showing respect towards other's opinions we are much more likely to develop our own solid and honest opinions. If it weren't for all the great coaches that I have been around I know I would not be the player I am today. Most of what I know about soccer has been developed through my listening to the opinions and statements of others.
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