In Our English Syllabus, Lewis discusses the differences between education and vocational training. He explains education as the acquisition of general skills which every man must possess in order to act civilized in public and to be "prepared for leisure." Vocational training on the other hand, "prepares for work," by teaching men specific skills he needs to be an electrician or a surgeon. Lewis says that "education is essentially for freemen and vocational training for slaves." The danger that Lewis points out, is "that equality may mean training for all and education for none...for if education is beaten by training, civilization dies."
Lewis also suggests that "the master is already human, and the pupil a mere candidate for humanity." This quote reminds me of the first day of organic chemistry this past September. Professor Tatko told our class that we were "merely shells of true human beings," because we didn't know any o-chem; but "soon, we would be filled and become real people, who know o-chem." Now, he was slightly biased, since his chosen profession was synthetic organic chemistry; however, I think that what he said goes right along with Lewis. In a sense, we are "shells of human beings" before we are educated. Our minds are void of knowledge, the knowledge that our elders possess and in turn, pass on to us.
Next Lewis says, "Now learning, considered in itself, has, on my view, no connexion at all with education. It is an activity for men--that is for beings who have already been humanized by this kneading and moulding process." This statement seems a little odd. I think that education is where learning begins and teachers are often the people who get us excited about a certain subject which we may or may not continue to learn about. I know that I found subjects of particular interest while in middle and high school-subjects that I still pursue today. Was I not "learning" back then? I don't really see a difference between the two.
He talks about learning being the activity for someone who "thirsts for knowledge," and thus attends the university. I don't know if I'm misinterpreting Lewis, but I don't think I agree with this. I don't think that learning only takes place at a university and just from an elder. Many things can be learned by observing creation, talking to people-older or younger, and individual thinking, all of which can happen outside the university AND without one's consent. I don't think one can "not propose to pursue learning all their lives."
