Battling Ignorance by Ethan

Battling Ignorance by Ethan - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

The most important thing I have learned from a teacher was from Professor Robert Davis at Virginia Tech. He constantly stressed the importance of one’s ability to question, analyze, and come to one’s own conclusion. He did not simply lecture this to the class, but proved why it was important. This type of thinking not only made me a better student, but a better employee, citizen, and human being.
I remember walking into class, just as I did any other class period, and preparing myself to take notes of the day’s lecture. Professor Davis walked in the room, opened his briefcase, and pulled out a newspaper. He then proceeded to inform the class of a very interesting news article he recently read in the New York Times, as he held up one of the newspapers, concerning genetic testing being performed in China. The Chinese were currently working towards genetically altering orangutans with human DNA in hopes of creating a primate with more intelligence than any other primate, but more strength than the average human. If this was successful, China planned to replace all of the human coal miners in the country with this new species. Professor Davis then continued to tell the class how this was an ingenious idea because this would completely remove humans from all mine related risks, while simultaneously utilizing a species which would be more fitted for the job. This species would be able to move much more coal than its human counterpart, due to their immense strength . However, the species would only be intelligent enough to carry out the job assigned to it, but not to demand pay, benefits, safe working conditions, or question management decisions. Professor Davis then paused, looked out over the room, and asked, “Who here believes this?” Everyone in the room shuffled their eyes from side to side, looking around the classroom to see if anyone would claim to have believed this news article. It was obvious everyone in the classroom was completely enthralled by this story, and was only just now being shaken by the reality of perhaps they had been deceived.
Professor Davis ended the suspense in the classroom by then stating, “Everything I just told you was a complete lie.” He continued looking around the classroom, and then asked, “Why did most, if not all, of you believe this absurd story? Was it because I referenced a trustworthy newspaper? Because I listed a few statistics? Because I discussed a subject matter which is most likely far above your understanding? Or simply because I am your professor, and I am supposed to know it all?” Professor Davis had used this experiment to prove to everyone in the classroom how easy it was for the masses to believe anything coming from someone or something simply because they are considered a trustworthy source. It was at this time he told us to question everything we are not already certain about, research everything you can, and most importantly draw your own conclusions.
As students, employees, citizens, and human beings we should all learn to take this approach. If we do not know something with absolute certainty, then question it. After developing a question, research the topic. Find the sources you need, and find multiple sources to corroborate against each other. After finding all of the information necessary, draw a conclusion based off of your own judgement and reasoning. Never simply draw a conclusion because a “trustworthy” source told you this is what you should believe.