What do you think of this quote?

Question

Without education we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Answer 1

G.K. always did have a gift for the barbed aphorism.

He's right. Well-educated, intelligent people tend to dominate discussions in many areas. The problem is that they have expertise in a certain area that is credited in areas that they are ordinary idiots.

Imagine an MD, perhaps a surgeon. Vast knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, diseases, surgical techniques. Does that mean he knows anything about . . .
* Politics?
* Economics?
* Darwinist evolution?
* Human sexuality?
* Theology?
* Biblical interpretation?

Probably not. In these fields, he is an ordinary idiot, with no more standing than anyone else with a liberal education. Which is why we should not take him seriously when he is out of his field.

The important thing for Christians is to establish an expert area from which to enjoy equal status in the debates of this world. Too, we need a commanding vocabulary from wide reading with comprehension.

But most of all, we need to walk with Jesus, the highest IQ in history. If God uses us as his servants, he will develop our intelligence and give us the words to defend his Gospel.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

I see the point. It may be a good one.

But often, people with an education can not see the false thinking of an educated person. Also, with an education, people are less inclined to doubt their own thinking (something I try to always be on the look-out for).