Reflecting on the following quote and how it relates to the responsibilities of a Jesuit education:
“We should not be so taken up in the search for truth, as to neglect the needful duties of active life; for it is only action that gives a true value and commendation to virtue.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
The world is far more than it seems on paper. Reality and humanity is far deeper in nature than can be appreciated in theory. To study how the world works and our place within it is to only appreciate half of the picture; half of the truth. Our knowledge in many ways are only reflections of what really exists in the world. Our purpose does not stop solely at knowledge and understanding. It is what we do with that understanding that matters; that makes a difference.
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is not to assert that the search for and appreciation of truth is in any way less important than taking action in the world. To take honest and positive steps in the world and in society, it would be best to have an understanding of how the world works and how we work in it, so as not to take any missteps and fail in our duties. But those duties are still the heart of our existence; our purpose. It is defined by what we do, not only what we know. A central ideal of the Jesuit education is magis, which essentially means “more” or more appropriately “greater.” This does not speak to what a person knows, as of course you can always know more, but it is difficult to say that your knowledge is “greater” than before. When St. Ignatius emphasized magis it was in asking what more we were doing for others, calling us to be greater as people. And to be is to act. Cicero and Ignatius could agree that we have a duty to be, a duty to act, a duty to be greater.
Dean Parmach’s often-used model of Jesuit education has always stood out as the most salient and apt: the Head, Heart, and Hands. I think it fits perfectly within Cicero’s call to action above: the Head searches for the truth, taking an intellectual and inquisitive approach to observing and understanding the ways of the world. What is learned then shapes the virtues in our Heart. Finally, the Hands dutifully act in real life based on those virtues. It is easy to see here the direct linear direction from one node of the model to the next – Head shapes Heart directs Hands. For as long as this model was described to me, that has been the understood relationship. But what Cicero’s point makes me consider is the bidirectionality of this relationship, and in some ways the multidirectional interactions each part has with one another. Our actions through our Hands can just as easily shape our Heart’s virtues. And in turn, those new values we hold can alter how we see the world and understand it in our Head. And similarly, the knowledge in our Head is so closely relevant and used by/in our Hand’s actions and the feedback we get back from them directly shapes our curiosities and our search for truth.
Overall, Cicero’s main point is one of motivation, inspiration, and a call to action; to not only take in the world around us but to do something about it.
— Ben Medeiros FCRH ‘22
In our readings this past month we have encountered not a few examples of learning which have detached themselves so far from the needs of practical application that they can scarcely be seen to have any relationship to it. Theoretical and scientific research are, as it is claimed, conducted for their own sake and not to be tied to anything useful. Applied discipline, that is, the kind of learning especially directed at solving real-world questions, are actually scorned as being fit for lesser honors, or at least thought to detract from the quest for greater understanding – that which they call truth. The irony is not lost on those for whom truth is the highest professed end as they divorce themselves from the realities around them. For reality is a kind of truth, but it is of a low kind that no self-respecting academic should deign to put it above their search for ultimate truth, which apparently is a reality that does not resemble reality at all.
What these people fail to understand is that this is a problem as old as learning itself. The search for truth, besides the truth itself, has always been a search with a view to action. If knowledge of the highest truth can be equated with knowledge of the highest causes (as the Greeks would have insisted), then the highest causes should respond to the highest reality, since knowing the highest causes of things is just a better knowledge of the things of reality. It is wrong to think that a point is reached somewhere at the greatest heights wherein a higher reality concerning matter detaches itself from the matters of real matter. This is the real problem plaguing many academics today, the problem of modern scientism. Without going into too much detail, at the heart of this problem is the mistaken idea that higher principles are detachable from the very substances of which they are a part. That is to say, the number, size, and affection of a thing is thought to exist independently of a particular thing. This divorces the principle of action from the substance that carries out action; action ceases to be the end of learning.
In practice this means that theoretical research will be more concerned with the principles, whatever they may be, of the things, without a view to the very things of which the principles are a part. This is a crude example but: what would be the point of knowing everything about human anatomy and health, particularly the causes and effects of disease, were the research to that end the end in itself, and not to the end of acting against disease plaguing human beings? This is the sort of problem we are encountering right now. The increasing specialization of academic disciplines has resulted in a comical situation in which the search for causes of disease has more or less usurped the cause of preventing or curing disease in people.
When seeking the causes, or truth, it is important that we not forget what it is for, for that would be ‘to neglect the needful duties of active life’. Action is what does justice to the work of intellect, which is learning. Moreover it gives it ‘true value’.
— Edward Kim FCRH ‘22
The above quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero is powerful and pertinent, especially for us as students preparing to engage in an ongoing knowledge quest centered around and potentially impacting real people’s lived experiences. As I understand him, Cicero is saying that it is crucial not to get lost in cold, hard facts, data, and statistics because real life does not always reflect “the truth” as we are able to conceptualize it in writing. Overall, he is reflecting on how things are rarely ever as simple or straightforward as they might seem on paper, putting forward the idea of the truth as an unchanging, objective, agreed-upon narrative as inaccurate. Moreover, he is saying that viewing “the truth” as such can actually serve to distract us from making meaningful progress against whatever injustice we are working to combat – thus, we must not get so bogged down in an impossible “search for truth” to the point that it renders us passive and inactive. In that same vein, Cicero’s other main point is that actions speak louder than words. In other words, he is asserting that knowledge is only powerful when it is used towards some action; when he writes, “...it is only action that gives a true value and commendation to virtue,” he is saying that what matters is not the knowledge you obtain, but how you act in response to receiving that knowledge – and such responses are what determines whether or not you can call yourself a virtuous person. All in all, if Cicero were to address this quote to us directly, he’d likely say that doing research is all well and good, but what matters the most is what we decide to do with the knowledge we acquire over the next several months.
I think this quote is particularly relevant in regard to the responsibilities of a Jesuit education. Of all the different guiding principles that form the Jesuit philosophy, the one that has always stood out to me most is the idea of being a person FOR others. In theory, Fordham strives to give us an education that makes us care about those less fortunate than we are, with the institution’s primary goal being to form individuals who will take all that they’ve learned in their four years of college and use it to try to make life better for those experiencing suffering and injustice in the world around them. This idea is, of course, easy to preach but sometimes hard to practice – and this is where Cicero's ideas about actions speaking louder than words come in. As we discussed with Dean Parmach, “action” is one of the five pillars of the Ignatian pedagogical paradigm. Our education stresses commitment to improving the condition of the world around us, but doing so is a massive undertaking that cannot be accomplished without actions rooted in justice, peace, and love. We can’t simply stop at learning – once we’ve been given the tools, it’s our responsibility – as followers of the Jesuit philosophy – to actually use them to build a better society.
— Nicole Vitiello FCLC ‘22
One of the primary focal points of any effective social change campaign is a commitment to the “Two Feet of Social Justice,” for their relationship ultimately determines the success of the movement. Direct action -- such boots-on-the-ground work as volunteering at soup kitchens, preparing resources to be disseminated to houseless members of the community, or tutoring underprivileged youth -- is focused on meeting the individuals’ basic needs and is most commonly associated with community engagement. Yet, all too often, longevity is compromised due to participants neglecting the more intangible aspects of change, of social justice. Establishing research groups that are vocal in their advocacy, reflecting on behaviors and actions to determine whose concerns were met and whose were not, and ensuring that the root causes of unsavory structures pertinent to the movement are being addressed are some of the ways to serve this “foot” of social change. We must keep this in mind as we strive for understanding seldom acknowledged by those with the power to utilize it on a broader scale. That social facts are unequally distributed is an injustice in and of itself. As Marcus Tullius Cicero notes, the search for truth cannot be the be-all, end-all of any active journey. However, indulging that notion and entertaining the significance of a grand search for objectivity, such a pursuit cannot be so linear as to neglect the context of one’s own history, one’s own preconceptions. The extended soul-searching required to divest from one’s own prejudice cannot be overlooked. One must ask oneself the kinds of questions that lead to self-deconstruction. What practices do I have to indulge in prior to engaging in the research? What have I already been exposed to that is littered with omission? What lived experiences do I lack firsthand knowledge of? This evaluative process is crucial, as one’s values will inform their research. As members of and, ideally, active participants in a Jesuit institution, one might assume that their values are favorable, not only for themselves but for all people. But challenging one’s assumptions enables the dissection of dissenting views sponsored by individuals, particularly those with whom one shares narrow disparities. Parties must operate using the narratives of the communities with which they stand in solidarity. If “truth” is being held to a golden standard, there is no reality in which it is upheld without the input of all peoples. In pursuit of an enduring form of social justice, what we recognize as “virtue” or “righteousness” lends itself to the definition of moral obligation. How can that obligation make itself known? And to whom might it reveal itself? Our thorough discussions reaffirm the conclusion that it is not to be reserved for an “educated” few, nor those experienced with community engagement and social action, nor supposedly objective and unbiased individuals (for, by now it is evident that such people do not exist). Those whose truths underscore their mission, those who bring their authentic selves to the work and opt for vulnerability, those who reject the assumed universality of experience -- these people open themselves up to cohesion, compassion, and the thorough reconciliation of cause and effect on a societal scale.
— Jackson Lewis FCLC ‘23
I think this quote to be very representative of how many people operate in regards to social justice. Oftentimes, I feel that we get very caught up in social justice issues and their severity that we feel overwhelmed and distraught. Obviously, that’s how we should feel when faced with horrendous injustices. I feel though that we get wrapped up in wanting to absolve a singular issue in its entirety that we forget we cannot single-handedly solve the big issues our world faces. To some, it seems as either all or nothing, either we fix the issue in its entirety or we don’t care about it. That’s not how it should be. I feel that our efforts should be more rooted in day-to-day life centered on education and community engagement in our communities. It’s not up to use to fix the issues of the world, we simply cannot do it. What is up to us is taking action in our everyday world and actually going out and doing something. I’m reminded by what Dean Parmach said that it’s more meaningful to wake up early and join your community, in person, in solidarity to be there for what they need rather than just say you stand by them. Injustices will happen, that’s how our world works. It shouldn’t be that way, but we do more good trying to focus on us and how we can directly impact our communities rather than how we cannot solve the greatest issues of the world.
— Mari Teli FCRH ‘22
Take a deep breath. A daily reminder I often find I need when I feel caught up in a hectic day. When the responsibilities of being a good community member feels overburdening, and when I’m struggling to make sense of a world that may sometimes seem all bad. A moment of meditation or reflection can be critical to restoring peace to a tumultuous mind in a tumultuous time. St. Ignatius, in his Spiritual Exercises, calls us to use meditation to discern our purpose in connection to God. In this sense, Jesuit education promotes the use of the heart. We can establish our values through understanding what moves us. Taking the time to understand what lies in the heart will help find meaning in daily life. This focus can develop a stronger sense of empathy and compassion for our neighbors. This aspect of Jesuit education establishes a more personal relationship with the world around us as we seek meaning and invest in the mission to be persons for others.
Seeking truth and the magis excellence of knowledge is another hallmark of Jesuit education. This aspect centers on the head. We are called to think critically as we learn in order to pursue certainty. In cooperation with the heart, the head is necessary to comprehend our values in the context of the real world. We are taught to apply what we learn and use it to inform our perspective on society around us. Reflection is pertinent in this mission to grow in knowledge. Retrospectively assessing what we know can enable us to challenge our biases. Reflection may also reveal gaps in our understanding and work towards identifying areas of ignorance or arrogance. Some areas of knowledge are not always objective and may require earnest analysis and evaluation of the subjective. Ignatian education offers a holistic approach to this pursuit of knowledge. It exposes the mind to a broad array of fields from which we can learn and apply in an interdisciplinary fashion. When we speak from our soapbox, the Jesuit education ensures we are standing on something stable.
Finally, without hands, our work with the head and the heart may be futile. Our hands let us take action on what we know and put the fire in our hearts into practice. This is what takes our purpose outside of ourselves. We must engage with the world around us in a meaningful way to enact worthwhile change. It is not enough to live only within the head and the heart. Letting these advise our hands lets us accomplish valuable and virtuous lives. Committing to working for others is pertinent for Jesuit education as we look to serve the community we are in with intention and purpose. Reflection is crucial here to ensure our work is done with real consideration of the community. To properly care for our whole person, we must foster the connection between our head, heart, and hands.
— Ally Klapak FCRH ‘22