Learning Philosophy

Have you ever found a word that just resonates with you? Whether in the way it sounds or how it looks written down? Perhaps it is the meaning behind the word that grabs your attention. It just sticks with you.

A few years ago, I became enamored with woodworking. I turned a few things on the lathe in high school, but it was exposure to the endless library of online content that really lit the fire. Watching seasoned woodworkers hand cut intricate dovetails. Marveling at the creations coming to life in the garages and shops of amateurs who took the dive into making their own functional pieces. If it was about woodworking, I absorbed it. Obsessed over it. And when you catch a bug that ignites your passion, you tend to get involved yourself. So… I began to acquire tools and equipment. A planer from my father, a jointer and table saw from Craigslist, assorted items online. My woodshop was, and still is, coming together.

It was during the maintenance and refurbishing of this equipment that I came across the word: coplanar, which refers to two surfaces being on the same plane. This is extremely important in certain aspects of woodworking because in order to make your pieces come together properly your equipment must be set up to ensure that the rough wood is processed square and true so that cuts do not become misaligned. So, there you have it: coplanar… existing on the same plane. The word that stuck in my brain. The word coplanar and the work I was doing on my jointer at the time even became my inspiration to design the logo at the top of this page which represents a cross section of a 3-bladed cutting head (big thank you to my wife for turning my sketches into something I could share online).

So, what does coplanar have to do with my beliefs about learning? How does that word encompass my learning philosophy? I will do my best to explain.

Learning, for me, can be rather addictive. It scratches an itch that other endeavors cannot. Whether learning a cool new fact or reading a book that highlights an issue, gaining knowledge is about as close to a superpower as one can come. But it only becomes a superpower if you use it and apply it to real life. I often refer to the analogy of a knowledge sponge, I want to soak up everything I can.

But what is knowledge? Is it mathematics, or philosophy, or psychology? Yes. Ethics, sociology, and biology? Of course. Street smarts, common sense, and communication? Everything can be knowledge! But all those subjects only act as information until we integrate it into reality and use it to better guide ourselves through life. Good tests scores are great, especially as I move through college, but I gain so much more when I incorporate what I learn and become a more well-rounded person.

I am not just learning about world politics but gaining the ability to analyze policy internationally and domestically in a way that makes it real. An assignment about global textile manufacturing helps me begin to understand sociology and how people interact with each other throughout society. In psychology I hone my ability to listen to the viewpoints of others and truly comprehend their needs. And ethics/philosophy prepares me for the harsh truth of life: we may not always have the answers, but we should still be asking the questions.

The potential for learning is infinite. Knowledge exists on many different levels and many different planes. So, I start by recognizing where my deficiencies lie and then push myself to reach new planes of intelligence. I want to educate myself in a way that my mind becomes coplanar with the subject matter I am learning. And as new information and research reveals new truths, it is my responsibility to adjust my mind appropriately so that my understanding remains coplanar.

In order to accomplish this lifelong and never-ending goal I must remain humble and accept the fact that there is more that I do not know than there is that I do know. And even more that I might know but not yet understand and appreciate. As such, I must always remain humble in my pursuit and confident in my efforts. The world is filled with amazing people, cultures, and ideas. To become coplanar and exist on the same plane means that a person cannot be beneath knowledge. Nor can they surpass that information and “be better” than it because it is just knowledge. There is no intrinsic good or evil in learning, only the pursuit of knowledge. Yes, one can become more knowledgeable, but that does not make them a better person by nature of virtue.

Also consider the importance of leadership in learning. Leadership for others and leadership for one’s self. It requires the drive and determination of assuming extreme ownership of your choices and your path. My intelligence will not become coplanar if I take the easy path and refuse to push myself to new limits. Leadership is often thought of in terms of a board room or battlefield, but leadership occurs everyday in the workplace, in the home, and in the classroom. It is asserting yourself and sharing your opinions as well as knowing when to listen and striving to understand the viewpoint of others. Leadership includes followership and knowing how to propel others when the situation calls for it.

One of my favorite quotes, which is commonly attributed to Aristotle is, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. We do not luck into knowledge. We do not magically become educated. It takes effort to learn. Like everything else in life, it takes practice. So, that is what I believe and that is what I will do. I will act as a leader and humbly pursue the information and knowledge that I do not yet comprehend. I will not settle for less than what I deserve. I will hone my mind with the grindstone of education and my intelligence will become sharp. My mind, and in turn my person, will become… coplanar.