In our fast-paced world, education is often seen as a one-time journey. We go to school for several years, learn as much as we can, and then move on to the next stage of life. However, this approach is quite different from historical educational systems, especially those rooted in religious traditions, which emphasized the importance of repetition in learning. This article explores the differences between modern education and religious pedagogy, highlighting the benefits of incorporating repetition into our learning processes.
Modern education operates on the idea that knowledge can be absorbed like water into a bucket. Once filled, it’s assumed that this knowledge will stay with us forever. This is evident in how we often read books once and expect the information to stick without further reinforcement.
Before modern educational systems, religions played a key role in teaching ethics, purpose, and the meaning of life. A significant aspect of religious education was its focus on repetition. For instance, Muslims are encouraged to practice the core beliefs of Islam five times a day. Christian Benedictine monks revisit scripture lessons seven times daily, while Orthodox Jews engage in ritual repetition of ideas from the Torah throughout the year. Zen priests practice meditation multiple times a day. These practices reflect the belief that the mind is like a sieve, where information quickly evaporates unless consistently reinforced.
Religious traditions understood that repetition is crucial for retaining knowledge and wisdom. By repeatedly engaging with sacred texts and practices, individuals internalize important lessons and values. This approach ensures that teachings remain vivid and accessible, guiding behavior and decision-making.
While secular teachings hold immense wisdom, these insights are often shared only once, perhaps in a dense poem or a slow-moving novel. The expectation is that individuals will retain this wisdom throughout their lives, despite the lack of reinforcement. This oversight contributes to ongoing challenges and “craziness” in human behavior, as valuable lessons are forgotten over time.
To address this gap, we can learn from religious traditions and incorporate repetition into our secular learning. By creating personal catechisms, midnight prayers, or cycles of rehearsed knowledge, we can keep important ideas vivid in our minds. This practice ensures that we remain connected to essential truths, such as the inevitability of death, the importance of self-understanding, and the need for empathy and love.
In conclusion, while many have moved away from religious practices, the underlying principles of repetition in learning remain valuable. By embracing repetition, we can enhance our emotional intelligence and ensure that the most important lessons stay active in our minds. At the School of Life, we believe in the continuous development of emotional intelligence and offer a range of products to support this growth. By integrating repetition into our daily lives, we can create a more mindful and informed society.
Engage in a daily or weekly journaling exercise where you reflect on key concepts from your courses. Write about how these ideas connect to your personal experiences or future goals. This practice will help reinforce your understanding and retention of the material.
Organize regular study sessions with your peers to discuss and review course content. By teaching and explaining concepts to each other, you will deepen your understanding and remember the material more effectively.
Create visual maps of the main ideas and their connections from your courses. This activity will help you see the bigger picture and reinforce how different concepts interrelate, aiding in long-term retention.
Identify key skills or concepts that require mastery and design repetitive practice exercises. This could include solving problem sets, engaging in simulations, or rehearsing presentations to build confidence and competence.
Volunteer to teach a topic or concept to your classmates. By preparing and delivering a lesson, you will reinforce your own understanding and identify any gaps in your knowledge that need further attention.
Repetition – The act of repeating something that has already been said or written, often used as a method for learning and memorization. – Repetition is a fundamental technique in education, allowing students to reinforce their understanding of complex philosophical concepts.
Learning – The process of acquiring knowledge or skills through study, experience, or teaching. – In philosophy, learning is not just about absorbing information but also about developing critical thinking and self-reflection.
Education – The systematic instruction, schooling, or training given to individuals, especially in a formal setting. – Education in philosophy encourages students to question assumptions and explore diverse perspectives.
Knowledge – Information, understanding, or skill that one gets from experience or education. – Philosophers often debate the nature of knowledge and how it can be justified or validated.
Wisdom – The ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, and insight. – Wisdom in philosophy is often seen as the ultimate goal of education, transcending mere knowledge acquisition.
Ethics – The branch of philosophy that deals with questions of morality and the principles of right and wrong behavior. – Ethics courses challenge students to consider the moral implications of their actions and decisions.
Values – The principles or standards of behavior that are considered important in life. – Understanding one’s values is crucial in philosophical discussions about what constitutes a good life.
Behavior – The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others. – Philosophical studies often explore how ethical theories can influence human behavior.
Empathy – The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. – Empathy is a key component in ethical philosophy, as it fosters compassion and moral reasoning.
Self-understanding – The awareness and comprehension of one’s own personality, motives, and desires. – Self-understanding is a central theme in existential philosophy, encouraging individuals to explore their own existence and purpose.
