Learning, Knowledge, From Whence doth it emanate…

I have learned, over the years, that knowledge exists, both the known and the unknown. Such is a constant. I have also learned that both good and “evil” knowledge (for a lack of better terms) exists. And, yes, just because no one may know some small piece of knowledge, does not mean that little packet of unknown, that tiny piece of the mysterious universe, does not exist somewhere. That little, anonymous, unfamiliar is, in point of fact, the driving force of learning. And, I suspect, learning must continue, or we, as a species, will simply cease to exist.

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Some years ago I had a dream. As I slept, my mind was opened. (That is the best way I can put it). In that dream I was walking down a road when, all of a sudden, I saw all these little packets of knowledge floating in the air around me. I soon realized that, by bumping into one, that little packet of knowledge was imparted to the mind. I also noted that some of those “packets” were beyond my reach. And yet, others were right where they needed to be, to be bumped into, and known. Only my direction of movement determined which packets became apart of me. Anyone could, there by, learn new things, but, as I also learned, if we were not ready for it, it was a waste of revelation, and seemingly meaningless to the receiver.

It was all there, but my personal interests (my desired direction) determined what packets of knowledge with which I was able to interact. And, …sometimes, our course direction is determined for us, by what happens to us; but, …sometimes we choose for our selves, involving a conscious decision on our part.

My interest was peaked, permanently. These ideas have stayed with me throughout the remainder of my life.

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I formally entered the field of Science when I decided (or, rather, when it was decided for me) to return to school, following two failures in my life. I was a farmer, professional carpenter and a beekeeper. Carpentry was supplying the money I needed to build-up my bee business. However, my bees were agriculturally sprayed and killed off, at one point, forcing me to sell off my bee business for what I could. At the same time, strangely, the company I was working for, as a carpenter, went out of business. I lost both jobs literally at the same time! …Was that a message?

I was married and had a very young son, meaning I was very much pressured to do something. So, I entered college, at the age of 29. I completed my schooling (from two schools) at about 36 years of age, with a degree in Botany, and with a particular skill set in Electron Microscopy.

My first job, where I learned the in’s and out’s of actually doing science with microscopy, was a soft money job (U. of Colorado), involving neuro-anatomy (not very related to botany). But, I was learning how to do research and the art of reporting my results in scientific format, and in conferences.

My second job involved doing materials science, (Dow Chemical), also not exactly botany. But, I was learning to think like a scientist, and what was involved with the doing of science. Too, I was learning new skill sets, such as problem solving.

My final move was to food science, (Cargill) where my problem solving skills were really put to the test. My job, more or less by default, became problem solving.

The company I worked for had many “Business Units” each having their own set of (seemingly) insurmountable problems involved with manufacture, to which my skillsets were applied. Later, I was having so much success at solving those problems; I started being asked to solve customer problems, as well as our supplier’s problems. And, as a result, I had the opportunity to build my own lab.

In doing the work, I sometimes needed help, for skill sets I did not have, but there were plenty of chemists who had those skill sets. And they, by default, became part of my team.

It was not long before I learned that my reputation for successfully solving problems was outdistancing the people I knew, and my own company; I had developed a worldwide reputation. And, I was both saving my company million’s of dollars, and making my company millions of dollars. In the actual work, I was running a constant backlog of 8-14 requests.

My Lab Director (at the time) didn’t know how to handle a self-contained expert in the field, a self-starter that needed no advice on how to do his job. But, I was making him look good, as my Lab Director. So, he (mostly) left me to my work.

Now, how could a farmer/carpenter/bee keeper/botanist/neuro-anatomist/ material scientist/food scientist, become a successful expert in food forensics? It is all about the opportunities, and what I would call a “directed force” in my life, based (partly) as an outside direction in my life, and in personal choices made. Also, in the little packets of knowledge, or thought that came my way, which were incorporated (can I call that revelation, or inspiration?), along with the direction taken, which was partly my choice, and partly “aimed” in my direction by a (seeming) outside force.

However, all of the time “learning” seemed to be the overriding objective, with the primary goal of assisting others. Now, one might ask: What were the packets of information I dreamed of, spoken of at in the beginning of this story? Can I legitimately call that …revelation? If so, it is most assuredly available to everyone, as my dream indicated. From whence does that come? How is knowledge acquired? I do not know, exactly. But “helps” include study, contemplation, and pre-existing knowledge. Are we so self-contained that all such knowledge gaining is happenstance? Or, …perhaps, knowledge IS directed. Perchance, one of the purposes of living is, in fact, to learn. And, little opportunities come our way, …purposefully; too much so to be mere happenstance. Too, I might ask, is knowledge useful to us after we die? Such effort is involved in the learning process, …how can it become wasted in death? Too, as I look at the earth and, indeed, the universe, so much of knowledge just seems to be sitting there, readily available, …almost teasing us, daring us to learn.

I very much agree with the idea that, everything we learn, here in mortality, will be so much the advantage for us following death. Too, …does personal learning stop when we die? …I think not!