Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Intellectuals and Societies
Societies are in need of intellectuals. Intellectuals guide societies to new ideas and methods. They are the guardians of freedom and human rights. Intellectuals help societies formulate refreshing agendas for the betterment of mankind. Without intellectuals, societies will not be able to identify the problems and challenges that can paralyse freedom and human rights.
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5 comments:
Saying that something is "right" or "wrong" is a normative statement. To that end, an intellectual who decrees there is such a thing as right and wrong is at risk of substituting one ideology (the one he is fighting against) with an equally malicious ideology (the one he is fighting for).
The task of the intellectual is to identify and produce solutions for the problems. Principles in life, inspired by revelation and developed through reason, generate solutions for those problems. Thus, the question is not about ideology but the kind of ideology one has.
I'm not an intellectual myself. However, I do enjoy reading about intellectual issues. Do read this book, "Representations of the Intellectual: The 1993 Reith Lectures" by Edward Said. I think its a good read.
The function of an intellectual other than posing problems and providing solutions for society, is to assist in the liberation of mankind through the paradigm of authentic theology. Man has the soul and the physique. Both need to be adequately develop. Thus the intellectual is functioning both horizontally and vertically. To man and to God.
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