The author makes a broad and valid argument about about the ways in which we determine the actual thought of some thing being true and thus giving a specific human value. Since, the nature of determining truth can be an arguable point that can be questioned very easily, the author does a great job by making the audience to question their own truth as he suggest that “is not that everyone must agree, but rather that everyone should define his or her terms carefully” (Lewis, 12-13). Though the author makes logical point which is convincing, I think that in some way he does undermines the process in which people actually value things.
As he states that “Surely what matter the most are the values themselves, not the way we arrive at them” (Lewis, 13). Here he is basically saying that people do not value the process they actually the result. Although, results are always the desirable objects of human journey towards something but I think is the process is the actual reason we value something.
Since the author provided many instances associated with Christianity, I would do the same. As in Christianity the result is faith and in the process to attain faith, learning the theological belief of the Christianity faith is the most important. In this example, both faith and the theological belief associated to it are equally important as the other.
Considering what the author is saying would be like actually having a scenario where people value only their collage degree and not the education. As in this case the degree would be the item of value and the process would be the days and nights one spend studying and working for that degree of value. Thus in my view, the process of attaining something valuable also makes you realize the importance that is associated with that thing.
However, this is only my thought about value and its equal importance of process. What do you think about the process of attaining something valuable to you? Is the process as equally important to you or would you just prefer the value without knowing the importance of it?
The scenerio where people value only their collage degree and not the education is a great example for understanding the value verus the process of attain that value. I really thought that you were able to convey your message through this example. By understanding that it in fact takes a ton of work such as studying for subjects, pulling all nighters in the library ect to obtain a college degree, one can put a higher value on that college degree. When it comes to value I think it is fair to say that if you understand the process and what it takes to reach the end result, then that end result becomes that much more valuable.
Thanks Adam, For understanding my point. However, I think that society as a whole have become so center around the rewards of something to the extend that we have actually forget that it is the experience that matters the most and not the reward itself. As in my example of collage degree and education, I think people give more importance to the degree then the education it self or in terms of a particular class, people tend to give the grade more importance than the actual learning process. We have totally forgotten that collage is about learning and not passing or failing. However, we tend to give more importance to passing or failing. Moreover, this has also led us to limit our selves as students because we learn only enough to pass a course. I think focusing on rewards as students especially has not only limited our ability to pursue learning but as also make learning all about exams, where one only learns enough to get through a 2 hours test.