ThroughoutThe Consequences of Ideasby R.C Sproul (2000), many
philosophers, their ideas, and the results thereafter are reviewed. While
reading and upon the conclusion of the text, I was left pondering what the
consequences of ideas are. Many times, people view the word
“consequence” and automatically associate a negative connotation;
however, that is not always the case. Although some ideas do have a
consequence, our society and culture would not be the same without
foundational thoughts, as posed by Sproul (2000).
At times, the consequences of a single idea is relative to who it is being
viewed and judged by. For instance, Darwinism. As presented in the text
(2000), Darwinism has faced skepticism and criticism since it became
widely known. However, there are supporters that view Darwin’s theories
in high regard. According to Sproul, "Perception is reality. Thus something
can be true for one person and false for another" (2000, p.22). Therefore,
a consequence of an idea is that it may not be accepted as true to
everyone, or even the majority. Similarly, the work of Freud is in question.
Although some still believe in the work of Freud and his ideas, others write
them off as dated or outlandish, thus meaning that at times, thoughts
may have a metaphorical expiration date. Even though this may occur, it
is possibly more dangerous to never explore a thought or idea because
although it can be rejected by many, it could also be accepted by more
and has the potential to elicit change.
The consequences of ideas are vast in nature. While some thoughts and
ideas are fleeting, lackadaisical, and never meant for large change or
importance, others are. Those ideas and thoughts have the potential to
impact society, culture, knowledge, and humans in general. Therefore,
even though being a thought leader is daunting task, not moving forth
with presenting ideas, sharing revelations, and publishing findings could
be doing more of a disservice to any given community, rather than
sharing and exploring what consequences could come from said ideas.
Resources
Sproul, R.C. (2000). The Consequences of Ideas: Understanding the
Concepts that Shaped our World (redesign). Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN:
9781433563775.
