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Only by questioning accepted wisdom can we advance our understanding.


prakharsingh 2 / 3  
Aug 7, 2010   #1
hello again! i have been working on my analytical section for gre. i hope you would be kind enough to evaluate them.

Question authority



Only by questioning accepted wisdom can we advance our understanding of the world

One of the greatest gifts of mankind is the desire to search and discover, to answer the unanswered questions which have been lingering for centuries, to reveal the truth, to question authority which some might even consider as outrageous, or atleast uncomfortable attacks upon the accepted wisdom of the time. According to the 'Guide to human thought', Authority is a power exercised by few and obeyed by all because it is considered legitimate. This authority has been employed as an influence exercised by leadership over the community and it is true that this authority of the supreme has often been questioned by the people.

In Europe, the church enjoyed its authority unquestioned arousing superstition and orthodoxy for centuries, feeding off the society like parasites. But the curiosity led to the challenging of this power and finally the downfall of the autocracy, followed by the advent of the industrial revolution. This concludes that questioning plays an important role for the proper functioning of the government and for the development of the society. If we move blindfolded after the accepted wisdom it will cause stagnation in the society and may even cripple the entire system of governance.

Ayan rand's 'Fountainhead' is based on objectivism. the main protagonist chose not to go with the traditional designs of architecture and came up with some very radical and challenging designs. He challenges the traditional designs questioning the creators of some of the most beautiful buildings like Parthenon in ancient Greece. Only some of the designs are corroborated but that does not force him to change his ideals for the world.

Taking another example, Copernicus challenged the ptolemic theory which said that the earth eas at the center of the universe. Eventually he was ostracized from the society for his theory saying that the sun is at the centre. man is averse to change and this discovery was considered outrageous, albeit this does not stop people from questioning the zeitgeist.

This freedom is our right. Life is reduced to a meaningless drift towards an end if we do not enjoy this freedom, losing the power to think and act. The minds of the people are stuffed with the views of the party in power; karl marx aptly said "the prevailing ideas are the ideas of the ruling power." When a particular philosophy is hammered into the brains, it becomes convenient for the people at large, to utilise their own power to think. This does not let the society remain static and the social values and habits undergo a change. Thus, i would conclude that questioning is important for bringing reforms that slowly trickle down the veins of the society.
EF_Kevin 8 / 13,321 129  
Aug 8, 2010   #2
...to question authority with some might even consider as outrageous, or atleast uncomfortable disconcerting attacks upon the accepted wisdom of the time. --- I think this sentence needed to be simplified.

This concludes reflects the fact that that questioning plays

This is an excellent sentence!! ----> This freedom is our right. Life is reduced to a meaningless drift towards an end if we do not fail to enjoy this freedom, losing the power to think and act. (I just made a small change...)

Capitalize the name: Karl Marx

...conclude that questioning is important for bringing reforms that slowly trickle down the veins of the society.--- excellent... you write very well. What is the significance of referring to trickling along the veins of society? What does the vein represent in the metaphor?
OP prakharsingh 2 / 3  
Aug 8, 2010   #3
here the veins refer to the classes of the society which at some point of time or other come under the influences of this authority.

and one more request.. how much would you give me on my essay kevin?
EF_Kevin 8 / 13,321 129  
Aug 10, 2010   #4
here the veins refer to the classes of the society which at some point of time or other come under the influences of this authority.

That is great, but you should revise a little so that the reader can appreciate the significance of the metaphor. If you give another sentence using the word veins, the reader will understand better.

I can't score the essay because I would be arbitrarily choosing my scoring criteria. I give you 100% because you are great! Yet, depending on scoring criteria people will have differing ideas about how you would score.


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