40.1 Learning
Question:
What and how
should one learn?
Answer:
Numbers and letters are the two eyes of a man. (Couplet
– 392)
One should learn thoroughly what is worth learning and
then act in accordance with it. (Couplet – 391)
எண்ணென்ப ஏனை எழுத்தென்ப இவ்விரண்டும்
கண்ணென்ப வாழும் உயிர்க்கு. (குறள் – 392)
கற்க கசடறக் கற்பவை கற்றபின்
நிற்க அதற்குத் தக. (குறள் – 391)
Explanation:
What one would have learnt during
Valluvar’s days is entirely different from what one should learn these days. Valluvar
has made a general statement that learning numbers and letters is essential,
recognizing that what one should learn will change with time. Valluvar’s
reference to numbers can be interpreted as his reference to science. It is
customary to associate mathematics with the word numbers. Mathematics is the basis of all sciences, and
science is the foundation of technology. So, by mentioning numbers, Valluvar
has included all scientific disciplines. Also, reference to letters can be
interpreted to imply humanities, including the study
of history, philosophy and religion, modern and ancient languages and
literatures, fine and performing arts, media and cultural studies, and other
fields.
Whatever a student is supposed to
learn, he should learn it thoroughly. He should not have any doubts in what he
learns. He should thoroughly understand what he learns. Simply memorizing is
not learning. For example, if a student fails to understand basic algebra, he
will have difficulty in understanding higher algebra, trigonometry, calculus,
differential equations, etc. So also, if a student fails to learn grammar, he
will not be able to write meaningful sentences. Many students fail in
higher-level classes because they have not understood what they have learnt in
the lower-level classes. Learning more and more without understanding is like
building a superstructure on top of a weak foundation. In addition to learning
thoroughly, the student should also apply what he has learnt and act in
accordance with it.
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