When I think of the consequence of an idea, even prior to reading this
book the primary thing that pops into my head is opening yourself up for
criticism. When you present an idea that you are communicating to others
in any setting (socially, professionally, etc..) it is an open invitation for
“feedback” that can quickly turn into criticism. Also making this a primary
deterrent for people to share their ideas. If you have shared an idea and
gotten a lot of criticism of your idea, it can feel personal because we hold
our ideas so near and dear.
For many people the continued criticism of an idea that they have shared
with someone can cause them to create an intellectual boundary
regarding sharing their ideas. An intellectual boundary can be a very
healthy thing as we learn who we should share our ideas with and who we
maybe shouldn’t. On the flip side, they can also become unhealthy if the
boundary becomes so firm, we feel it is easier to not share our ideas with
anyone out of fear of the criticism that may follow.
I feel that this held true as a primary consequence of ideas while reading
about each philosopher. While the philosophers’ ideas were highlighted, it
was immediately followed by the criticism they encountered when they
were living as well as the criticisms that have come from studying their
work in present day. As much as we learn about the new and innovative
ideas that people brought forward, we also learn about the next person
who criticized their ideas and brought forward one of their own.
Criticism is certainly not always a bad thing, in terms of academics it is
vital for someone to challenge ideas as that is how many breakthroughs
are found. The continued challenging of ones ideas or criticisms presents
opportunities for further research and new research that has led to some
of the most important scientific discoveries. But criticism does not always
feel positive, it often feels like a consequence especially because when
presenting an idea for the first time the outcome is completely unknown
and can be rather daunting.
,
References
Sproul, R.C. (2000). The Consequences of Ideas: Understanding the
Concepts that Shaped our World (redesign). Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN:
9781433563775.
