Knowledge without Character

Taking a much inclusive view of the biblic whollyy-based sevensome noxious Sins, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (i.e. Mahatma Gandhi) wrote his version the Seven Deadly Social Sins. One of the sins he warns of is Knowledge without address, and to understand why he reads this combination as a potential sin, one must look at what Gandhi thought of education (Hansen).Of education, Gandhi said, The ancient aphorism Education is that which liberates, is as authentic as it was before. . . . . Knowledge includes all training that is useful for the service of mankind and going means freedom of all manner of servitude . . . . . . slavery and domination from outside and to ones own artificial needs. The cognition acquired in the pursuit of this ideal alone contributes to true study. (Gandhi & Education)A simple interpretation of this statement requires that those who are currently pursuing a higheducation in a collegiate aspect need to analyze their reasons for doing so, and if they find thatthe potential to earn a greater income is the primary drive, they are headed down a path of socialsin. Students need to upset the bigger picture what can their particular academic interests doto make the world a better place? Can the lessons learned in an economic science class be applied tothat students participation in local government to a solution to nation-wide obliteration ofhomelessness to increasing the wealth of the constitutional world so that no human being is faced withdying of hunger or is that lesson merely a small step towards making more money for a privateenterprise?A grander interpretation of these address could be applied to the current desire to end terrorism. Looking back to WWII, the scientific knowledge needed to create the nuclear bomb was used without genius. Without taking sides or creating a political debate, the fact is that the United States of America dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, and no other country before or since has dropped an atomi c bomb in an act of war (Burr).Moving back to today, it is the United States that is leaders the fight against terrorism, and that fight began as an eradication of world-wide weapons of mass destructionweapons that were made possible and whose force was proven by the same nation that is currently performing as the worlds watchdog. Fortunately, the United States is getting a second chance if we are able to combat terrorism and eliminate the threat of atomic weapons and their kin, it may be that the knowledge gained so long ago regarding the devastation of the atom bomb will be applied today with the necessary character by assuring all of humanity that such force will never again be unleashed.The reason that the Social Sin of Knowledge without Character is such a great threat to humanity is directly related to the degree of power that is inherent to the possession of knowledge. Looking back at the troth of Frederick Douglass, a man born into slavery who taught himself to read and wr ite so that he might better understand his captors and eventually escape his enslavement, it is clear that go away the knowledge of reading and writing, he never would bring forth had the power to forge his papers and flee to the South (Douglass passim).Today, politicians, attorneys, the media, and others like them who generate the information used by society to stay informed must comprehend the responsibility of what they do. The power they possess to control the knowledge that is dispersed into society demands that they have the character to present all sides of an issue and report only factual detailsof course, as Gandhi predicted, the character flaws inherent in the average human being often precludes the knowledge being disseminated in a manner that is completely accurate and/or honorable.Consumers of this information must take it upon themselves to assess what they read and hear and are told with a critical eye, and when discrepancies are found, each observer must demand cor rection. The knowledge needed to assess information critically is often honed in the arena of higher education, so individuals involved in academia have an opportunity to gain knowledge and apply that knowledge with strength of character.Patrick Bassett expresses the relationship between educators and Gandhis Seven Social Sins in this way, we must continually seek to discover opportunities to challenge our students and to have them challenge us on values issues. We must continually seek to carve out time to address issues of the community. We must continually keep the moral agenda before us. When our first and second curricula merge, we teach youngsters to avoid all of Gandhis sins and perhaps a few of their own design. (Bassett)As responsible individuals in a world that is partially in our hands, we must each consider the words of Gandhi and our connection to them. It may be the role of the educator to plan actions, but it is the role of the student to take them. If this were not the case, the words spoken by Gandhi would have fallen uselessly to the ground, never having been truly heard and incorporated into the lives of those who have both the necessary knowledge and character.Works CitedBassett, Patrick F. Do the Right Thing The Case for moral Education. NAIS Academic Forum. Dec. 1995. Independent Schools Association of the Central States.Burr, William. Ed. The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II A Collection of Primary Sources National credentials Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 162. The National Security Archive. 5 Aug. 2005. 27 Sept. 2006. .Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. in the raw York Dodo, 2005.Gandhi & Education Basic Education (Buniyadi Shiksha). MKGandi.Org The Complete Site on Mahatma Gandhi. 25 Sept. 2006. .Hansen, Paul. Biblical Justice Consultancy Gandhis Seven Deadly Social Sins A Reflection. Redemptorists of the Edmonton-Toronto Province. 2005. 27 Sept. 20 06. .