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Feringer Notes - CIRCULATION OF THOUGHT - 1954 38 of 65
principles, in terms of professional roles carried on past formal schooling, are the priest, the
soldier, and the artist. The priest represents the ultimate moral authority, the soldier (meaning the
fighter for new ideas) is the doubter.The artist (ERH asserts) is child-like in his drive to express
his emotional response to events, unconcerned with past or future.
In contrast to higher education, in the elementary school only two generations are represented;
there is no distinction between authority and doubt, as the child has no logical basis to doubt.
15.Another Christian discovery was that, since humankind begins as an animal with only the
CAPABILITY for rising above a purely animal state, new-borns must change not only physically
and mentally, but spiritually as well. This capability for change occurs only through language,
and when it occurs we say one begins the journey to "human." In Christian terms this means
capable of being creative (thinking for one's self) and acting on one's thought to participate in
improving the community. Clearly, such evolution requires freedom to seek truth and act on it.
16.To acquire these "human traits" allows one to rise above "natural" pettiness, jealousy, greed,
and cowardice, while engendering a potential for creativity, courage, willingness to sacrifice for
the community.A community voluntarily at peace is evidence that these principles are being
practiced that "...the word becomes flesh."
...when the whole man -- child, adult, and elder in you and me come to life together, the world is
as new as on the first day of creation.Something tremendous happens. Cathedrals are built.Cities
are built. Kingdoms -- nations are rising. (p.30)
LECTURE - 17
1.The problem with education inAmerica today is that it is directionless; a common dogma is that
education is good for its own sake. But the question arises, "What is to be its direction?" It
concentrates on facts, on data, and even some analysis, but when there is analysis it is
arbitrary.(RF - ala Whitehead, THE AIMS OF EDUCATION, 1923, p.18)In all levels of
education there must be three elements:
1) Necessity and therefore authority, 2) Freedom to doubt andfight for new insights when the old
ones no longer seem to explain our experience. 3) Faith - a willingness to obey, to accept
authority (until the stage of doubt sets in.) These levels are representative of social roles - the
elder, the adult, and the child - and also reflective of three time-spans - past, present, and future.
God is the power that makes us speak at this moment, andHe commands us to listen as well; and
that gives us common understanding with each other.The goal of education must be to create
students who will listen to necessity, who will doubt and fight for truth, and who will respond
(obey) commands towardcreating a future.Of course there are trade schools for working skills.
BUT HOW DO WE MAKE A COMMUNITY? That must be the integrating goal of education,