How Knowledge Has Its Limits

Ever since I was a child in school, it was preached to me that acquiring more knowledge was what was vital in life. Anyone born after the Age of Enlightenment (1600s to 1700s) can identify with the same sentiment. I eventually went to college and graduated without a clear plan, because I thought that was the next logical step after high school for intelligent people.

Years later I realized that knowledge wasn’t the only factor to living a meaningful life.

THE LIMITATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE - FAUST

What really helped me to understand the limitation of knowledge was a book called “Faust” by Johann Goethe. “Faust” was a two-part book written from the late 1700s to the early 1800s. The book is considered to be the greatest German book ever written, and one of the top greatest books of all time in World literature.

Doctor Faust was the main character of the book, and he mastered science, theology, law, and medicine. Despite mastering all of these academic fields of study and being a university professor, Faust was deeply depressed and lacked a meaning in life. He was in despair that he lacked the simple pleasures in life: a romantic relationship with a woman, a night on the town drinking a beer with other people, and never owning property or having wealth. Faust thought he could find the meaning in his life by reading more books, having a prestigious career, and having all of the known knowledge in the universe.

It wasn’t more knowledge and a career that he required to live a fuller life. Throughout the book Faust goes through numerous adventures, has romantic relationships and makes a “deal with the devil” to experience life to its fullest. Faust realizes that having human relationships, life experiences and getting out into nature was also needed to have a meaningful life.

EYE OPENING

The idea from the book that only focusing on gaining more knowledge in life can lead to a lack of meaning and unhappiness was very eye-opening to me. Ever since I was a child, I embodied the ideal that having more knowledge was the key to success in life. Just like Dr. Faust, I kept reading books and insisting on acquiring more knowledge will produce happiness in my life. As though books and a prestigious career could solve all of my life’s problems.

Now that I think more critically for myself, I can determine what I value and has meaning to me. For example, I have realized that having a wife who I love and a child who I enjoy spending time with furnish me a meaning to life.

The experience of living in the world around us can have just as much purpose in life as acquiring more knowledge and education.

THE VALUE OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

“Faust” also highlights the value of practical experience. While gaining knowledge through books and a formal education is helpful, equally helpful is gathering real practical experience. This could be actually running your own business, rather than just reading about owning a business. When I was in the US Army, actually being in combat was a much different experience than simply training for war.

Since the Age of Enlightenment and our increase of knowledge from it, we have had a massive explosion in scientific, technological, and economic advances. This has also helped to increase our education and further develop our careers. However, it’s helpful to remember that education and careers may not give us a meaning to life. There are so many other things in this world that we can find meaning in.

REFERENCES

Goethe, Johann (1832). Faust. Dover Thrift Editions.