Human Nature Debate - Human Beings Do Not Desire Knowledge

Con: Human Beings Do Not Desire Knowledge

OPENING STATEMENT:

The process of obtaining and searching for knowledge is NOT intrinsic with human nature. Intrinsic is defined as essential to the basic nature of something or in other words, learning without external motivation, reward, or goals. Knowledge is a forced sociological implication masked as self desire through a paradigm of secular humanism. Humans do not have an intrinsic or natural desire to know. Instead, we are forced by environmental aspects that create an apparent free will of knowledge.

ARGUMENT ONE:

Ignorance is bliss and this is because knowledge is pain. Humans would rather be happy than open their eyes and their mind to the knowledge of what is going on in the world around them. With knowledge comes more QUESTIONS often at times with no ANSWERS because we don’t have the necessary tools to come up with the answers. Thus causing feelings of anxiety, sadness, or frustration. As the mind becomes more complicated, it takes more to bring happiness to it. Therefore, people do not have the desire to know.

POINTS:

‡VOLTAIRE, good Brahmin story: Voltaire asks the Brahmin what’s wrong, and the Brahmin says he has been studying for over 40 years and is miserable, confused, and upset, because he doesn’t know the meaning to life and then Voltaire speaks with the Brahmin’s neighbor, an old lady who had not, even for a brief moment, even THOUGHT about the meaning of life or anything like that which is why she suffers LESS than the Brahmin who asks so many questions. “Are you not ashamed to be thus miserable when, not fifty yards from you, there is an old automaton who thinks of nothing and lives, contended?” “You are right,” the Brahmin replied.

∑ Without real knowledge of a situation assumptions and generalizations can be fabricated to any ends you wish, and as the ends most desirable all lead to happiness, an ignorant person may invent a happier world to live in than that of the world they actually do live in.

∑ The phrase: ”what they don’t know, can’t hurt them”

It’s as simple as that. Take relationships for example, being cheated on or having someone you were with and had deep feelings for, break up with you. When finding out someone cheated on you, you did not WANT/DESIRE to know that because it brings you sadness. Or after a break-up, you don’t want to know how the one who broke your heart is doing, you don't want to know that he/she has moved on and found someone else while you’re still dwelling over it. And why? Because knowing hurts. Ignorance is in fact bliss, what you don't know, cannot and will not hurt you

∑ People shut their eyes from the sadness