“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

[Sunstone]

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” -- Aristotle, Metaphysics.

Is this not also a mark of being civilized? Comments?

 

[McBell]

I would say so.
Of course, I am interpreting "entertain" in the quote to mean specifically "understand".

 

[Revoltingest]

That's an utterly ridiculous claim, so impossible that it's unworthy of consideration.

 

[Sunstone]

I would say so.
Of course, I am interpreting "entertain" in the quote to mean specifically "understand".

That's probably a pretty good interpretation. I'd go a bit further though, and interpret it to mean not just to understand, but to hypothesize what it would mean if it were true.

 

[McBell]

That's probably a pretty good interpretation. I'd go a bit further though, and interpret it to mean not just to understand, but to hypothesize what it would mean if it were true.

How can one understand a position without hypothesizing it were true?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I'm more interested in what Aristotle meant by "an educated mind." I know people without much formal education who are quite capable of considering the implications of an idea, systematically and in great deal and with great insight, while I know some with advanced education incapable, outside of their technical domain (and sometimes, not so much there), of doing so.

 

[Sunstone]

I'm more interested in what Aristotle meant by "an educated mind." I know people without much formal education who are quite capable of considering the implications of an idea, systematically and in great deal and with great insight, while I know some with advanced education incapable, outside of their technical domain (and sometimes, not so much there), of doing so.

I know such people too. But you'll note that Aristotle does not say "only" an educated mind can entertain a thought without accepting it.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I know such people too. But you'll note that Aristotle does not say "only" an educated mind can entertain a thought without accepting it.

But it does seem to imply that if you are educated, you will tend to be able to do so (and if you're not, you won't). And as I said, outside of people's specialty, I don't see a lot of evidence that they can or do.

 

[suncowiam]

Just as long as it didn't start with a ring on my door bell or phone.

 

[Laika]

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” -- Aristotle, Metaphysics.

Is this not also a mark of being civilized? Comments?

There is a sigmund freud quote about how "good people fantasize about doing all the stuff bad people do" as a way to satisfy their destructive urges which comes to mind. Sort of the next step up in thought crime.

 

[Sunstone]

But it does seem to imply...

Imply? I suppose if you see an implication, then you see an implication. I don't. I guess it's a matter of opinion. I'd rather give Aristotle the benefit of the doubt than imagine he was so dull as to have never in his life noticed that some uneducated people can and do entertain thoughts they do not agree with.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Imply? I suppose if you see an implication, then you see an implication. I don't. I guess it's a matter of opinion. I'd rather give Aristotle the benefit of the doubt than imagine he was so dull as to have never in his life noticed that some uneducated people can and do entertain thoughts they do not agree with.

Well, I read some of old Ari's works back when I was younger, and keep running into things of his in various contexts. He appears to me to have been very enamored of logic, to the point that he didn't think a whole lot in favor of experience or evidence, just perfect thought...fine in its way, but it's not the be-all end-all for human existence, in my opinion.

 

[BSM1]

I would say so.
Of course, I am interpreting "entertain" in the quote to mean specifically "understand".

Or he means maybe some tea, a little singing, dancing, charades? Who knows?

 

[Sunstone]

How can one understand a position without hypothesizing it were true?

That's a good point.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Well, I read some of old Ari's works back when I was younger, and keep running into things of his in various contexts. He appears to me to have been very enamored of logic, to the point that he didn't think a whole lot in favor of experience or evidence, just perfect thought...fine in its way, but it's not the be-all end-all for human existence, in my opinion.

I guess the ironic twist to this is that I can hold Ari's thought about the mark of an educated mind in my mind without necessarily accepting it as true...

 

[Sunstone]

Well, I read some of old Ari's works back when I was younger, and keep running into things of his in various contexts. He appears to me to have been very enamored of logic, to the point that he didn't think a whole lot in favor of experience or evidence, just perfect thought...fine in its way, but it's not the be-all end-all for human existence, in my opinion.

I agree. I think that was a common Greek failing. They seem to have been as a group prejudiced against empirical evidence and overly reliant on logical thought. I've read that their notion logical thought was more "noble" than getting ones hands dirty digging up evidence had something to do with that. Of course, there were exceptions. Archimedes comes to mind.

 

[Revoltingest]

Well, I read some of old Ari's works back when I was younger, and keep running into things of his in various contexts. He appears to me to have been very enamored of logic, to the point that he didn't think a whole lot in favor of experience or evidence, just perfect thought...fine in its way, but it's not the be-all end-all for human existence, in my opinion.

Logic is a wonderful thing.
But experience gives us the premises from which to reason.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

I'm more interested in what Aristotle meant by "an educated mind." I know people without much formal education who are quite capable of considering the implications of an idea, systematically and in great deal and with great insight, while I know some with advanced education incapable, outside of their technical domain (and sometimes, not so much there), of doing so.

I bet these people you are talking about have a bit more education than your average Ancient Greek.

 

[Skwim]

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” -- Aristotle, Metaphysics.

Is this not also a mark of being civilized? Comments?

While nice, I fail to see the implied necessity. I don't believe that being open minded requires education; although a good education may steer one toward it. I see it more likely linked to intelligence. And, of course, I think we've all seen educated people who have no more of an open mind than a rock. Moreover, while I would hope that civilized people are open minded, I think the Nazification of Germany shows how a civilized people can be caught up in rhetoric that precluded the consideration of any other remedy for Germany's depression.


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[Jeremiahcp]

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” -- Aristotle, Metaphysics.

Is this not also a mark of being civilized? Comments?

Perhaps what he is saying is if you can entertain a thought without accepting it, then you have the mark of an educated mind. He could be talking about ability to think in a fashion that educates, rather than actual level of education.