On the Educational Value of Conflict

The quest for knowledge is ingrained into our human mind. This ongoing process distinctly separates us from all other biotic creatures on earth. The methods we humans use to acquire this knowledge is varied and diverse, and throughout time, many men and women have asserted that their particular method of acquire knowledge was best. But, what is knowledge? Of course, knowledge is many things to many people. For the medical doctor, knowledge represents understanding the human body and its systems. For the auto mechanic, knowledge represents understanding vehicles and their inner workings. For the elementary teacher, knowledge represents understanding pedagogy and the development of children. Although every interpretation of knowledge is different, all have something in common; to gain this knowledge an individual must first be educated. And, although there are many methods used to educate people, one concept will, directly or indirectly, inexplicably find its way into all forms of education. To be truly educated people must explore, study, and understand viewpoints and idea contradictory to their own. Humans tend to be very one sided in their understanding of the world. We believe and covet our truths, believing our particular truths to be best. But, this mind set is flawed. There is a very real danger in such a closed minded approach to the world. For example, the United State's invasion of Iraqi may have been less disastrous if the Bush administration had explored, studied, and understood the customs of the Iraqi people. Iraqi and the United States have very different cultures. If the Bush administration would have taken time to gain insight into the Iraqi people's culture, it may have affected how, when, and even if the invasion of Iraqi would have taken place. Clearly, the Bush administration made an uneducated decision, because they were unwilling to explore a different value system than their own, in this case, the Iraqi way of life. Of course, this is an extreme example, and in most situations, the consequences of not exploring, studying, and understanding conflicting ideas tend to be less obvious. A true education requires conflict. Without conflict, humans are not forced to validate their knowledge, a term that is interchangeable with education. John Stuart Mill says, "However unwilling a person who has a strong opinion may admit the possibility that his opinion may be false, he ought to be moved by the consideration that however true it may be, if it is not fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed, it will be held as a dead dogma, not a living truth." (34) Education is the engine that drives our lives, and conflict is the fuel needed to start this engine. To fully understand another's conflicting view we must follow a particular process. First and foremost, a complete exploration of the conflicting idea must be made. Everything in life, as far as humans go, starts with exploration. The infant explores his/her world through touch and taste; the toddler explores his/her world through experimentation and assertiveness; the adolescent explores his/her world through defiance and independence; and the adult explores his/her world through contemplation and resolution. A human's education begins with exploration, and the exploration starts with exploring conflicting ideas. The exploration stage is the time for data collection. During this initial stage, the conflicting concept must be looked at one dimensionally. For example, a conflicting belief must first be broken down into its basic components. What is the belief? Why and how did this belief become valuable? Who spreads and maintains this belief? What are the consequences of adhering to or not adhering to this belief? Questions like this give valuable insight into what the foreign belief is built around. This is the first basic step in becoming truly educated. Exploration is intricately tied to conflict; it is an ancient rhythm that has echoed throughout human existence, and it is now and always will be the first step in becoming well educated. After a full exploration of a conflicting idea, we now move into the studying stage. At this point, one may ask, how is studying different from exploration? Exploration is limited to basic facts. Exploration focuses on who, what, where, and why. While, conversely, the studying stage focuses on the consequences or the affect of a conflicting belief or idea. This may be the hardest stage in becoming truly educated. For it is within this stage that we begin to draw conclusions. In layman's terms, the conflicting idea is now pitted against the individual's own accepted idea. The studying stage is more philosophical and asks questions such as, does the belief in question help, hinder or do both? What would happen if the conflicting belief were applied to another way of life? Is one group of people more or less affected by the different idea? As you can see these questions are vaguer and require deeper thought to answer. Clearly, by its very nature, the studying stage, if nothing else, forces people to think beyond their own limited view and instills knowledge, a concept synonymous with becoming truly educated. Finally, after exploring and studying, the ultimate goal should be an understanding of the conflicting idea or belief. It is at this stage that people come to a final conclusion. It is here that a person can now look at the conflicting idea three dimensionally. This three dimensional view allows an individual to make a truly educated decision or come to a truly educated conclusion about a particular conflicting belief. Although achieving an understanding of a different mindset may or may not persuade an individual to change his/her course of action or even their mindset, it does, by default, validate not only the individual's ideas but the conflicting ideas as well. Understanding another person's different ideas is foundational to becoming truly educated. Not understanding conflicting concepts, allows people to feel justified without justification. Also, understanding another's viewpoint leads to acceptance, and interestingly through acceptance we gain understanding. Of course, some may argue that unwavering adherence to a particular truth is more productive to becoming educated than contemplation of conflicting ideas, because the individual who does not explore alternative ideas is less distracted. Also, the argument could be made that a person's particular truth, and thereby their education, could become polluted through the exploration, study, and understanding of conflicting ideas. On the contrary, unwavering adherence is not conducive to becoming truly educated. Unwavering adherence limits a person's abilities and options. These limitations are in direct conflict with what it means to be truly educated. The ultimate goal of gaining an education is to expand an individual's ability and options not limit them. Of course, by exploring conflicting mantras, an individual's accepted mantras might change or mutate. But, by no means will they become polluted. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pollute as, "to contaminate (an environment) through manmade waste." A true education does not aspire to pollute or contaminate. Conversely, a true education aspires to cleanse and purify. Yes, gaining an education may change or mutate a person's accepted beliefs, but the concept of change is wholly different than the concept of polluting. Life is filled with conflict. From our struggle through the birthing canal to the acceptance of death in our old age, life is riddled with conflicting ideas. Without it in our lives, we would not grow or evolve. The motivation found within contention inspires man and animal to over come adversity. We learn how to make our lives better each time we overcome or understand a particular conflict. A true education is inescapably connected to the exploration, study, and understanding of conflicting ideas, concepts, and mantras. Through conflict we gain a useable education. As the famous American ambassador, Bruce Laingen once said, "Human beings are like tea bags. You don't know your own strength until you get into hot water."