The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1891-03-12
INTELLECTUAL. ARROGANCE.


learning of TRUTHS intellectual
arrogance, the assumption that
one possesses all that is to be
known on subject, accompanied
naturally by intolerance of con-
tradition. Men must have strong
convictions reaching the dignity
and force Of beliefs if they are to
( be positive or to have sufficient
strength to influence others, and
this positive strength is a virtue
when temperately and wisely
used. But on the other hand.
in matters of opinion which can
not be reduced to an exact
science, there should be some re-
ceptiveness to new thoughts, and
above all a disposition when ones
beliefs are challenged to at least
! listen to the evidence on the
other side. Without such dispo-
s'tion to leceptiveness of new
ideas and opinions, ones intel
lect becomes like a stagnant pool
that does not even reflect the
light that falls upon it. One may
construct by the aid of the imag-
nation from the writings of a
great master an ingenious but
delusive idea of their purport and
meaning, and such a conception,
honestly and thoughtfully made,
should not be lightly yielded.
When attacked by others it
should be defended, but fairly
and not with the more purpose
of gaining a victory in debate.
If for example the conception
should be wrong and a better
one suggested that after exami-
nation should be accepted not
only because it is better or SCUM
der, but because the arrogance
that refuses to listen to reason is
sure to lead to intellectual stag
nation and decay. The prejudi-
ces born of literary contentious
are not SO strong assome Others,
yet in literary criticism pride of
opinion very often blinds one to
the truth. Men condemn an
author because they have mis-
understood him, and they can
scarcely tolerate those who lind
in his pages something to adj
mire. They will not, as a rule,
take the trouble to look again;
they will not patiently listen to
the arguments that might lead
them to reverse their opinion;
they will not fairly weigh the
evidence that tells against them.
Having worked out for them
selves theory that seems to
solve some difficulty, they feel
aggrieved when some one else
points out a weak link in the
chain or discovers some essential
fact which the theory falls to ex-
plain. But the intellectual ar
that thus interferes with
ones open -mindedness and re-
spectivity respecting literary,;crit-
icism is much more pronounced
when it comes to deal with OBJ
jects more closely related to the
social life.
In politics men usually have a
bias given to their thoughts be-
fore they have established what |
may be called a belief founded |
upon reason. They become at
tached to party by its name
long before they have had time
to study principles or form a
theory of government by which
to guide their political action.
When at last, with somewhat
clearer visien, they begin to think
about political principles they
find that they are
Identified with a party in con-
1ict Herewith, but they are sell
1om SO receptive to the truth as
they see it as follow where their
principles lead. On thecontrary,
hey try to reconcile differences,
% explain Inconsistencies and to
hold Oh to old associations long
after doubt has begun to assert
Itself in their minds. Pride of
opinion, intellectual arrogance,
/ sense of the virtues of positive
less, all conspire to make them
hut out the truth, to cvade
acknowledgement of error and to
acrifice intellectual growth.