Self-Actualizing Learning for Me
This is what my experience teaches me about self-actualizing learning.
Start with a question: How has the concept of ‘self’ changed as a result of culture from the beginning of civilization to the present?
Go to the library and check out books on Medieval, Renaissance, Reformation, and Humanism history. I start here because my understanding now is that this concept has changed dramatically since the Renaissance.
Based upon what I discover from this history determines whether I need to move backward and or forward in history. I suspect I will then need to go both directions. Based upon that decision I will take out on loan from the library books on the Greek-Roman period, the three thousand years of Egyptian history, and modern history.
Depending upon what I find and upon my motivation to continue I suspect that at the end of several months I will have created an understanding of the matter.
During this period of study I will have written several essays all of which are for the purpose of organizing and discovering what I know and what I need to know to complete my quest.
Why would I undertake such an effort to understand a matter that has no money-in-it?
The only reason I would do this is because I wish to understand the matter in question. A person does not usually have time to do such things until about mid-life when the job and family do not require so much attention. However, if one does not ‘keep curiosity alive’ during the early years it may be that there will be no curiosity left when time permits at mid-life.
Self-Actualizing Learning for Me
Self-Actualizing Learning for Me
Coberst, when you set about answering one of your questions, do you list your assumptions prior to answering the question or do you derive your assumptions from your answer(s)?
Self-Actualizing Learning for Me
OpenMind wrote: Coberst, when you set about answering one of your questions, do you list your assumptions prior to answering the question or do you derive your assumptions from your answer(s)?
My question generally arises from something I am reading. I think that a person must start with some kind of assumption. I need some kind of model of a theory in order to organize an interest in the matter.
After I start I constantly update my model, like a papier-mâché, I constantly remodel my model of the ‘truth’ until I reach a point that I feel satisfied that I understand. I consider understanding is my goal from the very beginning. I consider understanding to be an act of creationâ€â€meaning.
I never feel that my understanding is complete but is always open for change.
My question generally arises from something I am reading. I think that a person must start with some kind of assumption. I need some kind of model of a theory in order to organize an interest in the matter.
After I start I constantly update my model, like a papier-mâché, I constantly remodel my model of the ‘truth’ until I reach a point that I feel satisfied that I understand. I consider understanding is my goal from the very beginning. I consider understanding to be an act of creationâ€â€meaning.
I never feel that my understanding is complete but is always open for change.
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chonsigirl
- Posts: 33633
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:28 am
Self-Actualizing Learning for Me
What type of history books do you study? Historians describing the period, in conjunction with the primary sources themselves? And do you indulge in other histories, such as Asian, Native American, etc. for different concepts of thinking and historical perspective?
Self-Actualizing Learning for Me
coberst wrote: My question generally arises from something I am reading. I think that a person must start with some kind of assumption. I need some kind of model of a theory in order to organize an interest in the matter.
After I start I constantly update my model, like a papier-mâché, I constantly remodel my model of the ‘truth’ until I reach a point that I feel satisfied that I understand. I consider understanding is my goal from the very beginning. I consider understanding to be an act of creationâ€â€meaning.
I never feel that my understanding is complete but is always open for change.
I follow your thinking. Whenever studying a complex subject though, it is essential to be able to break down the component parts of the subject into easy to understand models. The models contain parameters that enable us to understand the subject and determine outcomes for different circumstances.
On the other hand, if we are approaching a subject or field of knowledge for the first time, we need to learn about it before we are able to make any assumptions. We need to find out what common parameters are involved.
If we had no suitable reference materials to use, we can brainstorm for ideas and list everything that appears to have a relationship with the subject. Then it would be a simple matter of studying and analysing each item listed and how it relates to the subject. At this stage, modifications are made as we establish the relationships.
The real challenge comes with describing the subjects we have studied so that others can share our understanding of it and criticize effectively.
This whole arena, however, is a social process. Brainstorming, for instance, is more efficiently undertaken as a part of a group.
A theory presented by one person needs critical examination by a group familiar with the subject to test the assumptions. Thus, a good university would teach its students that nothing should be accepted without first checking it out for themselves. This forms a part of the critical study process.
Henceforth, an author's work is the result of a social process.
After I start I constantly update my model, like a papier-mâché, I constantly remodel my model of the ‘truth’ until I reach a point that I feel satisfied that I understand. I consider understanding is my goal from the very beginning. I consider understanding to be an act of creationâ€â€meaning.
I never feel that my understanding is complete but is always open for change.
I follow your thinking. Whenever studying a complex subject though, it is essential to be able to break down the component parts of the subject into easy to understand models. The models contain parameters that enable us to understand the subject and determine outcomes for different circumstances.
On the other hand, if we are approaching a subject or field of knowledge for the first time, we need to learn about it before we are able to make any assumptions. We need to find out what common parameters are involved.
If we had no suitable reference materials to use, we can brainstorm for ideas and list everything that appears to have a relationship with the subject. Then it would be a simple matter of studying and analysing each item listed and how it relates to the subject. At this stage, modifications are made as we establish the relationships.
The real challenge comes with describing the subjects we have studied so that others can share our understanding of it and criticize effectively.
This whole arena, however, is a social process. Brainstorming, for instance, is more efficiently undertaken as a part of a group.
A theory presented by one person needs critical examination by a group familiar with the subject to test the assumptions. Thus, a good university would teach its students that nothing should be accepted without first checking it out for themselves. This forms a part of the critical study process.
Henceforth, an author's work is the result of a social process.
Self-Actualizing Learning for Me
Chonsi
My method is to have a specific question such as “did the concept of ‘self’ change dramatically following the initiation of the Renaissance?†in mind. Then I will generally go to Google or maybe Amazon.com and try the word or phrase looking for some book or some author who is making sounds that seem to be directed at that specific concept.
I have a ‘friend of the library’ card from a college not too far from my house. When I find some author or book that seems to be able to enlighten me on my topic I then go online to the card catalogue for my library. Eventually I will find a number of books that appear to be useful in my search. I do not judge based upon type of history but I base upon ‘is the book at my library’. Fortunately my library has lots of books and I will generally find 10 or 20 possible books.
I go to the library with this list of books and select from the group 6 to 10 books that look promising. I take these home for study. I generally have two or three questions that I am searching so that I have many books checked out continuously. In fact I am generally the library’s biggest customer every year. My ‘friend of the library’ card costs only $25 a year.
I never go beyond Western culture because I have more than I can possibly handle just in that category. Perhaps my curiosity will take me beyond this limitation some where along the way.
I began this kind of process 25 years ago and have always had more questions on my list than I can examine. Of course sometimes I drop out for months or even years when I get off on some other hobby.
My method is to have a specific question such as “did the concept of ‘self’ change dramatically following the initiation of the Renaissance?†in mind. Then I will generally go to Google or maybe Amazon.com and try the word or phrase looking for some book or some author who is making sounds that seem to be directed at that specific concept.
I have a ‘friend of the library’ card from a college not too far from my house. When I find some author or book that seems to be able to enlighten me on my topic I then go online to the card catalogue for my library. Eventually I will find a number of books that appear to be useful in my search. I do not judge based upon type of history but I base upon ‘is the book at my library’. Fortunately my library has lots of books and I will generally find 10 or 20 possible books.
I go to the library with this list of books and select from the group 6 to 10 books that look promising. I take these home for study. I generally have two or three questions that I am searching so that I have many books checked out continuously. In fact I am generally the library’s biggest customer every year. My ‘friend of the library’ card costs only $25 a year.
I never go beyond Western culture because I have more than I can possibly handle just in that category. Perhaps my curiosity will take me beyond this limitation some where along the way.
I began this kind of process 25 years ago and have always had more questions on my list than I can examine. Of course sometimes I drop out for months or even years when I get off on some other hobby.