He makes a lot of money through his surgeries and is ipso facto, a ‘powerful person’. A surgeon who deals with spinal cord issues, by virtue of his specialized knowledge, is a ‘saviour’ to those who have related problems. Little wonder then that knowledge breeds both power and wealth. Thomas Aquinas would say “wonder is the desire of knowledge.” So long as people wonder, the desire to know never quenches. What people sometimes fail to understand is that, when knowledge is painstakingly and prayerfully pursued, it makes one very powerful, influential, and wealthy. The question is, what is money without knowledge? And what is power without knowledge? The fact remains that money or power acquired without the requisite knowledge on how to utilize them can be lethal and destructive. There is now an inordinate and scandalous quest for power and money. How did we get here and what sort of a mentality is this? The immediate consequence of such assertion is seen in the kind of lifestyle now predominantly embraced by some young people and even those who should be their role models and mentors in the society. Nowadays, when one hears young people claiming that education is a scam, and that going to school has not helped anyone, this calls for a serious concern. It can bring about the establishment of a system of justice, fairness, and equity. It can engender a culture of simplicity, honesty, faithfulness, loyalty, truthfulness, gentleness, holiness of life, hard work, and prayerfulness. It can enable human beings appreciate the highest good and values of life. It can foil the culture of religious extremism and intolerance, hatred, bigotry, terrorism, and ruthless aggression that destroys the spirit of fraternity among fellow humans. Knowledge, when properly acquired, harnessed, and expressed, can promote mutual coexistence, respect, tolerance, reconciliation, healing, and understanding. This includes spiritual, physical, moral, and intellectual development. When it is well planned and articulated, the knowledge disseminated should be intended for a holistic and integral formation of the person. Education, in this sense, as reiterated in the Catholic Church Policy on Education in Nigeria, (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria,, 2015), ‘should be directed towards the formation of the human person in view of his end and in the duties of which, he will, as an adult, have a share’. That being the case, education as an instrument, becomes a viable means of acquiring useful and impactful knowledge for self-development and formation. This gives credence to the above claim that knowledge shared is power multiplied. Education, therefore, becomes one of the significant agencies through which knowledge is shared and transmitted from one person to another. Knowledge helps one to be adequately aware of what is happening both within and without. To be knowledgeable is to be fully conscious of oneself, God, and environment. Therefore, people must seek knowledge to be well educated, formed, and informed. Humans by nature are knowing beings, very inquisitive, who desire to know and ask questions, to seek clarifications and be better informed. It differs from Understanding in that it is not just ability, it is a knowing. It differs from wisdom in that it is an action, not just a desire to live up to the ways of God. It allows a person to understand the meaning and purpose God has for him and to live up to this meaning. The Gift of Knowledge enables a person to know God, oneself, and grow perfect in the science of the saints. 1831, recognize knowledge as one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. I would not want to go into any epistemological analysis of the concept of knowledge, but however, let me say that the moment people cease to seek knowledge, the moment they start deteriorating and retrogressing.īoth the Christian Scriptures (Isaiah 11:2-4) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC. It includes every human effort aimed at grasping and explaining reality both in the supernatural and natural realms of existence. In other words, knowledge is the desire to be conscious of oneself, nature, and God. The online Catholic Encyclopedia defines Knowledge as “essentially the consciousness of an object, that is, of anything, fact, or principle belonging to the physical, mental, or metaphysical order, that may in any manner be reached by cognitive faculties”.
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