The Empiricists believed that all data and knowledge on the world that surrounds us is learnt through our senses, experiences. On the other hand, the Rationalists that believed all knowledge about this world can be deduced through reason and mind. When these ‘red-tint glasses’ are put on by Sophie. Her ‘visual world’ goes pink and crimson; however, her mental world is still the world as it was before the glasses came along. This is because her mind KNOWS that the world is only red because of the glasses. When I put on tinted glasses, I don’t think the world is colored at all because I know it’s not; I cannot say the world is red even thought that is what I see it as through the colored glasses.
In this sense, I think the red tinted glasses are representing the limitations of the two different ideas; that of the Empiricists and that of the Rationalists.
Alberto then presents us with the idea that we cannot take off the ‘glasses of reason’. Being human, no matter how our experience tells us, if it is completely illogical, we will try to reject it based on sole reasoning. For example, if you’re sailing in the sea and suddenly, you see that the world is really flat. What do you do? You’d probably slap yourself and convince yourself that you’re probably dreaming (at least that’s what I’d do). However, it doesn’t mean that experience and senses are not dependable and influential. Once again, imagine the previous scenario. What happens, if you continued to sail and really fell off the side of the earth? Well, firstly, it’d hurt and you’d probably die; secondly, you’d probably start believing that the world is actually flat instead of round, then you’d start praying to god. However, the point here is that, what we believe is based on which set of glasses is more ‘powerful’. I also think that, whenever our ‘glasses of reasoning’ dominates, we are putting on another set of tinted glasses to cover up the real world. On the other hand, when our ‘glasses of experience’ dominates, we are taking a pair off, and revealing to the world as it really is.
In reality, we all wear glasses. What we call stereotyping is a probably a tinted pair of glasses. Propaganda is the process of putting the glasses on. Experiencing, understanding and then rejecting the false idea is taking the glasses off. Ideas like ‘blacks are inferior’ were planted in American minds so many years ago. However, we all know that this isn’t true; in fact, black men are superior when it comes to muscle build and athleticism in general. Sadly, some people still wear these glasses. I also wear a pair of tinted glasses. I think that all Asian parents are insane and expect their children to be studying every second of their life (I think many of you may relate with me?). However, we KNOW this is completely bull****. Even though I’ve seen Asian parents more slack than Western parents (another pair of glasses I know I wear) my natural ‘glasses of reasoning’ still dominates my natural ‘glasses of experiences’ and therefore I cannot yet take these tinted glasses off.
I wonder how many pairs of glasses I actually wear… I don’t think my eyesight is THAT bad….
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7 comments:
Very well written. Enjoyable and amusing as well as insightful. You use interesting examples as well.I like the idea of us all wearing glasses - there may be something in this.I agree that no one way of knowing is going to be perfect - but does it have to be a question of one dominating another? Also is you saying that black men are superior in muscle build any more true than sasying blacks are inferior?
This is a very amusing essay to read... very amusing. It's good that there are a lot of opinion based phrases included in the essay. Some of your examples are a little... out of this world, but it's a good example in any case. I can agree with some of these examples, such as Asian parents expecting their child to study a lot...
Do you think that only our senses and our reason the only things that make up our "glasses"??
Amusing and some funny yet good examples too. However, I understand how the glasses of reason can be "broken" when you really fall of the edge of this flat world but how do they cause you to put on the glasses of religion and start praying to God? Also, if you know the types of tinted glasses you are wearing, why dont you remove them?
whoa, you used the world being flat and round example too. Your points show depth and your mentioning of black muscles though; some may think is only a generalization but it could be proved scientifically.
Maybe mentioning Kant a little would be nice.
Interesting response, Stephen. I think I agree with Euky, although you used a lot of good (and funny, i.e. Asian parents) examples, you could have focused a bit more on Kant, as he was the fundamental philosopher who merged the Empiricist and Rationalist views.
I liked your use of humour! It definitely kept my attention throughout the piece, however, I did not think it was necessary to write “bull****”. But then again, I tend to wear the glasses of “not swearing”. Moreover, I really liked your examples of different types of glasses such as “stereotyping is a probably a tinted pair of glasses” and “Propaganda is the process of putting the glasses on”. It really helped me to understand how everyone wears glasses. This is because “propaganda” and “stereotyping” are often qualities that affect a large group of people.
First of all, a very good read. I agree to what you're saying. Black men are physically superior; just take a look at the olympics, nearly every runner in the 100m is black.
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