Meta Learning 2

Rule 9. (IX.)

Once a day, especially in the early years of life and study, call yourselves to an account what new ideas, what new proposition or truth you hare gained, what further confirmation of known truths, and what advances you have made in any part of knowledge; and let no day, if possible, pass away without some intellectual gain: such a course, well pursued, must certainly advance us in useful knowledge.

It is a wise proverb among the learned, borrowed from the lips and practice of a celebrated painter:

“Nulla dies sine linea”,  ‘Let no day pass without one line at least:’

And it was a sacred rule among the Pythagoreans, That they should every evening thrice run over the actions and affairs of the day, and examine what their conduct had been, what they had done, or what they had neglected: and they assured their pupils, that by this method they would make a noble progress on the path of virtue.
Questions:

• In what particulars should we daily call ourselves to an account ?
• What was the rule considered sacred amongst the Pythagoreans ?

Rule 10. (X.)

Maintain a constant watch at all times against a dogmatical spirit; fix not your assent to any proposition in a firm and unalterable manner, till you have some firm and unalterable ground for it, and till you have arrived at some clear and sure evidence; till you have turned the proposition on all sides, and searched the matter through and through, so that you cannot be mistaken.

And even where you may think you have full grounds of assurance, be not too early, nor too frequent, in expressing this assurance in too peremptory and positive a manner, remembering that human nature is always liable to mistake in this corrupt and feeble state. A dogmatical spirit has man; inconveniences attending it as:

1. It stops the ear against all further reasoning upon that subject, and shuts up the mind from all farther improvements of knowledge. If you have resolutely fixed your opinion, though it be upon too slight and insufficient grounds, yet you will stand determined to renounce the strongest reason brought for the contrary opinion, and grow obstinate against the force of the clearest argument. Positive is a man of this character; and has often pronounced his assurance of the Cartesian vortexes: last year some further light broke in upon his understanding, with uncontrollable force, by reading something of mathematical philosophy; yet having asserted his former opinions in a most confident manner, be is tempted now to wink a little against the truth, or to prevaricate in his discourse upon that subject, lest by admitting conviction, he should expose himself to the necessity of confessing his former folly and mistake: and he has not humility enough for that.
2. A dogmatical spirit naturally leads us to arrogance of mind, and gives a man some airs in conversation which are too haughty and assuming. Audens is a man of learning, and very good company  ; but his infallible assurance renders his carriage sometimes insupportable.
3. A dogmatical spirit inclines a man to be censorious of his neighbors  Every one of his own opinions appears to him written as it were with sunbeams; and he grows angry that his neighbor does not see it in the same light. He is tempted to disdain his correspondents, as men of a low and dark understanding, because they will not believe what he does. Furio goes further in this wild track; and charges those who refuse his notions with willful obstinacy, and vile hypocrisy; he tells them boldly, that they resist the truth, and sin against their consciences.

These are the men that, when they deal in controversy, delight in reproaches. They abound in tossing about absurdity and stupidity among their brethren. They cast the imputation of heresy and nonsense plentifully upon their antagonists; and in matters of sacred importance, they deal out their anathemas in abundance upon Christians better than themselves; they denounce damnation upon their neighbors, without either justice or mercy; and when they pronounce sentences of divine wrath against supposed heretics, they add their own human fire and indignation. A dogmatist in religion is not a great way off from a bigot, and is in high danger of growing up to be a bloody persecutor.
Questions:

• By what means may we fix our opinions and form a correct judgment ?
• What are the inconveniences of a dogmatical spirit ?

Rule 11. (XI.)

Though caution and slow assent will guard you against frequent mistakes and retractions, yet you should get humility and courage enough to retract any mistake, and confess an error.

Frequent changes are tokens of levity in our first determinations; yet you should never be too proud to change your opinion, nor frighted at the name of a changeling. Learn to scorn those vulgar bugbears which confirm foolish man in his old mistakes, for fear of being charged with inconstancy. I confess it is better not to judge, than to judge falsely, and it is wiser to withhold our assent till we see complete evidence; but if we have too suddenly given our assent, as the wisest man does sometimes, if we have professed what we find afterwards to be false, we should never be ashamed nor afraid to renounce a mistake. That is a noble essay which is found among the occasional papers, to encourage the world to practise retractions ; and I would recommend it to the perusal of every scholar and every Christian. Questions:

• What is an evidence of humility united with courage ?
• Into what mistake may a wise man suddenly fall ?

Rule 12. (XII.)

He that would raise his judgment above the vulgar rank of mankind, and learn to pass a just sentence on persons and things, must take heed of a fanciful temper of mind, and a humorous conduct in his affairs. Fancy and humor, early and constantly indulged, may expect an old and overrun with follies.

The notion of a humorist is one that is greatly pleased, or greatly displeased with little things, who sets his heart much upon matters of very small importance; who has his will determined every day by trifles, his actions seldom directed by the reason and nature of things, and his passions frequently raised by things of little moment. Where this practice is allowed, it will insensibly warp the judgment to pronounce little things great, and tempt you to lay 3 great weight upon them- In short, this temper will incline you to pass an unjust value on almost every thing that occurs ; and every step you take in this path is just so far out of the way to wisdom.
Questions:

• How may fancy and humor distress us ?
• What is the description of a humorist ?

Rule 13.  (XIII.)

For the same reason have a care of trifling with things important and momentous, or of sporting with things awful and sacred do not indulge a spirit of ridicule, as some witty men do on all occasions and subjects.

This will as unhappily bias the judgment on the other side, and incline you to pass a low esteem en the most valuable objects. Whatsoever evil habit we indulge in practice, it will insensibly obtain a power over our understanding, and betray us into many errors. Jocander is ready with his jest to answer every thing that he hears; he reads books in the same jovial humour, and has gotten the art of turning every thought and sentence into merriment. How many awkward and irregular judgments does this man pass upon solemn subjects, even when he designs to be grave and in earnest ? His mirth and laughing humour is formed into habit and temper, and leads his understanding shamefully astray. You will see him wandering in pursuit of a gay flying feather, and he is drawn by a kind of “ignis fatuus” into bogs, and mire, almost every day of his life. Questions:

• What is the spirit and conduct calculated to lead us into error ?
• What are the consequences of jesting and foolish merriment ?

Rule 14.  (XIV.)

Ever maintain a virtuous and pious frame of spirit; for an indulgence of vicious inclinations debases the understanding and perverts the judgment.

Whoredom and wine, and new wine, take a-way the heart and soul, and reason of a man. Sensuality ruins the better faculties of the mind; an indulgence to appetite and passion enfeebles the powers of reason, it makes the judgment weak and susceptible of every falsehood, and especially of such mistakes as have a tendency towards the gratification of the animal ; and it warps the soul aside strangely from that steadfast honesty and integrity that necessarily belongs to the pursuit of truth. It is the virtuous man who is in a fair way to wisdom. ” God gives to those that are good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy.” Piety towards God, as well as sobriety and virtue, are necessary qualifications to make a truly wise and judicious man. He that abandons religion must act in such a contradiction to his own conscience and best  judgment, that he abuses and spoils the faculty itself. It is thus in the nature of things, and it is thus by the righteous judgment of God; even the pretended sages j among the heathens, who did not like to retain God in their knowledge, they were given up to a reprobate mind, an undistinguished or injudicious mind, so that they judged.
Questions:

• What is that indulgence which perverts the mind in pursuit of truth ?
• What will follow an abandonment of religion ? Who are the characters ?

Rule 15. (XV.)

Watch against the pride of your own reason, and a vain conceit of your own intellectual powers, with the neglect of divine aid and blessing.

Presume not upon great attainments in knowledge by you? own self-sufficiency ; those who trust to their own understandings entirely, are pronounced fools in the word of God; and it is the wisest of men gives them this character; ” he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.”
And the same divine writer advises us ” to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and not to lean to our own understandings, nor to be wise in cur own eyes.” Those who, with a neglect of religion, and dependence on God, apply themselves to search out every article in the things of God by the mere dint of their own reason, have been suffered to run into wild excesses of foolery, and strange extravagance of opinions.
Every one who pursues this vain course and will not ask for the conduct of God in the study of religion, has just reason to fear he shall be left of God, and given up a prey to a thousand prejudices; that he shall be consigned over to the follies of his own heart, and pursue his own temporal and eternal rum. And we should, by humility and dependence, engage the God of truth on our side.
Questions:

• Against what should we carefully watch ?
• What is the advice of Solomon ?
• What is the course which should lead us to fear the displeasure of God ?

Rule 16  (XVI.)

Offer up therefore your daily requests to God, the Father of lights, that he would bless all your attempts and labors in reading, study, and conversation.

Think with yourself, how easily and how insensibly, by one turn of thought, he can lead you into a large scene of useful ideas; he can teach you to lay hold on a clue which may guide your thoughts with, safety and ease through all the difficulties of an intricate subject. Think how easily the Author of your beings can direct your motions by his providence, so that the glance of an eye, or a word striking the ear, or a sudden turn of the fancy, shall conduct you to a train of happy sentiments. By his secret and supreme method of government, he can draw you to read such a treatise, or converse with such a person, who may give you more light into some deep subject in an hour, than you could obtain by a month of your own solitary labor.  Think with yourself, with how much ease the God of spirits can cast into your minds, some useful suggestion, and give a turn to your own thoughts, or the thoughts of those with whom you converse, whence you may derive unspeakable light and satisfaction! in a matter that has long puzzled and entangled you; he can show you a “faith which the vulture’s eye hath not seen’ 1 and lead you by some unknown gate or portal, out of a wilderness and labyrinth of difficulties> wherein you have been long wandering. Implore constantly his divine grace to point your inclination to proper studies, and to fix your heart there. He can. keep off temptations on the right hand, and on the left, both by the course of his providence, and by the secret and insensible intimations of his Spirit. He can guard your understandings from every evil influence and secure you from the danger of evil books and men, which might otherwise have a fatal effect and lead you into pernicious mistakes.