As students, we go through
the process of education to lift us up from the state of gazing and mere
observation, to one of Scientific analysis.
Systems of learning including projects and activities at school as well
as those organised by organisations and bodies like Science India Forum, play a
significant role in inculcating the scientific temper. 'Knowledge is Power', it is a great enabler,
much more than 'money-power', made possible only through the process of
cognition and the consequent firing of creative and productive energies in each
one of us.
We all know that the
discoveries and inventions of 'science
and technology' go through a process of
'creation', 'maturation' and 'ubiquity'.
Take for example the case of
'electricity'; it took years of
maturing after it was invented to make it available to domestic users without
them having to know anything about electricity. It is now so ubiquitous that we
hardly take notice of it (unless of course when there is an outage !). We take
it so much for granted, that our greed and misuse are now taking its toll.
That brings us to the last
state of intellectual expansion, the state of 'reflective thinking' and
'wisdom'. Larger goals, higher purposes
in life and of cooperative endeavours
mark this evolved state. This is
the ultimate state of perfection that you as students should always strive for.
The three step process to
perfection in life could be thus charted out as Cognizing, instilling of Values
and formation of good Habits:
[Creation] Cognition - acquiring knowledge and understanding
through sensing, feeling, perceiving, judging, and thinking - is the creative energy within that help us
to seed all productive endeavours. Not
only does this sow the seeds of action, but also helps to categorize, organize
and connect with the existing conceptual structures within.
[Maturation] All productive engagements need to be
instilled with value systems to make it mature into socially salubrious
activities. The maturing of productive
activities through value systems in the minds of children is not possible
unless and until they take ownership of the values that drive them to higher
goals and purposes in life.
[Ubiquity] Repeatedly and
consistently engaging in Values based actions, without any compromises
help build habits. Habits are inherent tendencies that are ubiquitous in our
very nature. A positive and cooperative
nature that is built on the foundation of creativity and value systems lead to
values based Self Actualisation.
So THINK creatively, ACT on Values and emerge with CHARACTER; for,
the 'end of education is character'
!!
