THE RATIONAL’S IRRATIONALITY
Intellect and rationality over the past few decades have asserted itself as one of the most valuable entities that an individual can possess. In the boom of the Enlightenment in the 18th century, the world saw the power of intellect at its peak, with its effects still rippling in the world of today. The rise of philosophical thinking, guided arts, science, and belief systems. Individuals started employing their thinking faculties to a new level and as a result, they got answers that applied to actual issues that required inquiry. The strongly rooted tree of superstition was uprooted as empiricism and pragmaticism took over and provided rational answers. Humans began to see the God aspects of themselves; they were creators or modestly, agents of creation. Through the mind, relevant ideas were created.
THE MIND AND ITS VIEWS
The mind’s power of comprehension, analysis, understanding, and solution provision is extremely fascinating. The mind here would refer to conscious brain functions (The faculty of reason in man).
However, the way the mind functions is simply dependent on its experiences. What the mind learns defines what the mind becomes. When the brain learns, there is a physical change in the structure of the brain. This phenomenon is known as neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain to modify itself based on the environment it finds itself and the stimuli it receives.
Since our thought processes are a result of different past experiences and no two people can have the same experience, we process and think about things in different ways. This results in the world being a different thing to different people. This is why everyone might have a different perspective and understanding of life because we have lived through different experiences.
SEEING THE FULL PICTURE
Does this mean that every perspective of the world and its happenings are correct? Well, not really. However, the view of all is a bit important in a bid to get and understand the full picture. This is something governments fail to do. They fail to understand how policies affect the totality of the population; they limit themselves only to a few perspectives and thus, they fail to get the full picture and consequently fail to satisfy a portion of the people they are supposed to govern. The same goes for the people being governed. They fail to consider the perspective of those in government and the reasons that propel some actions.
Getting to understand the full picture transcends limiting the self to only one perspective. However, since humans became highly rational with them seeing the God aspects of themselves, it has become quite difficult for them to acknowledge that their perspective or view is limited about the world and that it might not be all that universally valid.
The outlook view plagues the most. Most people view things from the outside and are quick to give judgements of how things should go without fully understanding the intricacies of certain situations. The ability to successfully analyze a particular phenomenon in a given context sometimes tricks us to believe that it is all applicable to whatever matters arise.
This does not deny the presence of absolutes, but it also accepts the possibility and immovability of sometimes present absolutes.
It would be irresponsible to deny the views of others as invalid due to a perspective that might be more or less very limited. The world is more in harmony than is thought, but irremissible divergent views create most of the issues that are generated in ideology.
In the words of Francis Marie Arouet, "The most useful books are those to which the reader contributes half; they develop the idea which the author has presented the seed.” The development of an idea should not be limited to a perspective. Sometimes an open mind is all it takes to see the whole picture.
Two statements that might look contradictory might not necessarily be contradictory, they might just be two slightly or partially correct perspectives that have not been viewed uniformly in relation to seeing the full picture. An invalid argument can sometimes possess a true premise. The invalidity of the argument does not erase the truth of a premise that makes up such an argument. So, the true premise is still true and should be taken as such.
Upon objective analysis, most of the polarity present in today’s world (including ideology) should not be as serious a problem as they are.
Sometimes all we need is a little tolerance and an open mind in other to achieve balance for a better world.
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