I prefer the term "learning" to the more restrictive "education," because I see learning as a life long process that evolves and changes as I evolve and change. Education is more a way to tame someone into an employable box. It is a molding of spirit, personality, ambition, and desire. Learning is a series of ah-ha moments that feed upon each other to create an even fuller awareness of life and everything it involves.
But it takes a healthy person to fully absorb what life has to offer, and that means healthy in the sense that the organism is open to learning. Because if a person is not open to learning, if they are more interested in adding to their laundry list of biases and perceptions that are unmoveable, there can be no intense learning. There can only be a cautious leap into the pool, a short walk through the vastness of time, and the painfully limiting acceptance that most of life takes place between the safe and sure colors of black and white.
The most obvious argument against this folly is to type the word "learning" into the Online Etymology Dictionary. There isn't just one meaning, one layer, one color. There is a multitude of realities that barely touch the surface of knowledge.
This is what came up when I typed "learning" in The Online Etymology Dictionary
"philology" c.1386, "love of learning," from O.Fr. philologie, from L. philologia "love of learning, love of letters," from Gk. philologia "love of discussion, learning, and literature," from philo- "loving" + logos "word, speech." Meaning "science of language" is first attested 1716; this confusing secondary sense has never been popular in the U.S., where linguistics (q.v.) is preferred.
"Renaissance" "great period of revival of classical-based art and learning in Europe that began 14c.," 1840, from Fr. renaissance des lettres, from O.Fr. renaissance, lit. "rebirth," usually in a spiritual sense, from renaître "be born again," from V.L. *renascere, from L. renasci "be born again," from re- "again" + nasci "be born" (see nascent). An earlier term for it was revival of learning (1785). In general usage, with a lower-case r-, "a revival" (esp. of learning, literature, art), it is attested from 1872. Renaissance man is first recorded 1906.
"literature" c.1375, from L. lit(t)eratura "learning, writing, grammar," originally "writing formed with letters," from lit(t)era "letter." Originally "book learning" (it replaced O.E. boccræft), the meaning "literary production or work" is first attested 1779 in Johnson's "Lives of the English Poets" (he didn't include this definition in his dictionary, however); that of "body of writings from a period or people" is first recorded 1812.
"grammar" 1176, gramarye, from O.Fr. grammaire "learning," especially Latin and philology, from L. grammatica, from Gk. grammatike tekhne "art of letters," with a sense of both philology and literature in the broadest sense, from gramma "letter," from stem of graphein "to draw or write." Restriction to "rules of language" is a post-classical development, but as this type of study was until 16c. limited to Latin, M.E. gramarye also came to mean "learning in general, knowledge peculiar to the learned classes" (c.1320), which included astrology and magic; hence the secondary meaning of "occult knowledge" (c.1470), which evolved in Scottish into glamour (q.v.). A grammar school (1387) was originally "a school in which the learned languages are grammatically taught" [Johnson, who also has grammaticaster "a mean verbal pedant"]. In U.S. (1860) the term was put to use in the graded system for "a school between primary and secondary, where English grammar is taught."
"wing" (n.) c.1175, wenge, from O.N. vængr "wing of a bird, aisle, etc." (cf. Dan., Swed. vinge "wing"), of unknown origin, perhaps from a P.Gmc. *we-ingjaz and ult. from PIE base *we- "blow" (cf. O.E. wawan "to blow;" see wind (n.)). Replaced O.E. feðra (pl.) "wings" (see feather). The meaning "either of two divisions of a political party, army, etc." is first recorded c.1400; theatrical sense is from 1790. Verbal phrase wing it (1885) is from theatrical slang sense of an actor learning his lines in the wings before going onstage, or else not learning them at all and being fed by a prompter in the wings. The verb to wing "shoot a bird in the wing" is from 1802. The slang sense of to earn (one's) wings is 1940s, from the wing-shaped badges awarded to air cadets on graduation. To be under (someone's) wing "protected by (someone)" is recorded from c.1230. Phrase on a wing and a prayer is title of a 1943 song about landing a damaged aircraft.
"leery" "untrusting, suspicious," 1718, originally slang, probably from dialectal lere "learning, knowledge" (see lore), or from leer (v.) in some now-obscure sense.
"literary" 1646, "pertaining to alphabet letters," from Fr. littéraire, from L. lit(t)erarius "belonging to letters or learning," from lit(t)era "letter." Meaning "pertaining to literature" is attested from 1749.
"apprentice" 1307, from O.Fr. aprentiz "someone learning," from aprendre (Mod.Fr. apprendre) "to learn, teach," contracted from L. apprehendere (see apprehend). Aphetic form prentice was long more usual in Eng. The verb is first attested 1631.
"unlettered" c.1340, "not possessed of book-learning," from un- (1) "not" + lettered (see letter (n.)). An Anglicized form of illiterate. Cf. M.Du. ongelettert.
"opsimathy 1656, from Gk. opsimathia "learning late in life," from opse "late" (related to opiso "backward" + opisthen "behind") + manthanein "to learn." lore O.E. lar "learning, what is taught, knowledge, doctrine," from P.Gmc. *laizo (O.H.G. lera, O.Fris. lare, Du. leer, Ger. Lehre), from *lais- (see learn).
"university" c.1300, "institution of higher learning," also "body of persons constituting a university," from Anglo-Fr. université, O.Fr. universitei (13c.), from M.L. universitatem (nom. universitas), in L.L. "corporation, society," from L., "the whole, aggregate," from universus "whole, entire" (see universe). In the academic sense, a shortening of universitas magistrorum et scholarium "community of masters and scholars;" superseded studium as the word for this.
"art" (n.) c.1225, "skill as a result of learning or practice," from O.Fr. art, from L. artem, (nom. ars) "art, skill, craft," from PIE *ar-ti- (cf. Skt. rtih "manner, mode;" Gk. arti "just," artios "complete;" Armenian arnam "make," Ger. art "manner, mode"), from base *ar- "fit together, join" (see arm (1)). In M.E. usually with sense of "skill in scholarship and learning" (c.1305), especially in the seven sciences, or liberal arts (divided into the trivium -- grammar, logic, rhetoric -- and the quadrivium --arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy). This sense remains in Bachelor of Arts, etc. Meaning "human workmanship" (as opposed to nature) is from 1386. Sense of "cunning and trickery" first attested c.1600. Meaning "skill in creative arts" is first recorded 1620; esp. of painting, sculpture, etc., from 1668. Broader sense of the word remains in artless (1589). As an adj. meaning "produced with conscious artistry (as opposed to popular or folk) it is attested from 1890, possibly from infl. of Ger. kunstlied "art song" (cf. art film, 1960; art rock, c.1970). Fine arts, "those which appeal to the mind and the imagination" first recorded 1767. Art brut "art done by prisoners, lunatics, etc.," is 1955, from Fr., lit. "raw art." Artsy "pretentiously artistic" is from 1902. Expression art for art's sake (1836) translates Fr. l'art pour l'art. First record of art critic is from 1865. Arts and crafts "decorative design and handcraft" first attested in the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, founded in London, 1888. "Supreme art is a traditional statement of certain heroic and religious truths, passed on from age to age, modified by individual genius, but never abandoned. The revolt of individualism came because the tradition had become degraded, or rather because a spurious copy had been accepted in its stead." [William Butler Yeats]
"plateau 1796, "elevated tract of relatively level land," from Fr. plateau, from O.Fr. platel (12c.) "flat piece of metal, wood, etc.," dim. of plat "flat surface or thing," noun use of adj. plat (see plat). Meaning "stage at which no progress is apparent" is attested from 1897, originally in psychology of learning. The verb is attested from 1952, from the noun.
"pedant" 1588, "schoolmaster," from M.Fr. pédant (1566), from It. pedante "teacher, schoolmaster," apparently an alteration of L.L. paedagogantem (nom. paedagogans), prp. of paedagogare (see pedagogue). Meaning "person who trumpets minor points of learning" first recorded 1596. Pedantic formed in Eng. c.1600, in Donne's "Sunne Rising," where he bids the morning sun let his love and him linger in bed, telling it, "Sawcy pedantique wretch, goe chide Late schooleboyes."
"doctrine" c.1380, from O.Fr. doctrine (12c.), from L. doctrina "teaching, body of teachings, learning," from doctor "teacher" (see doctor). The Monroe Doctrine in U.S. history was first used 1848, in reference to principles of policy contained in the message of President Monroe to Congress on Dec. 2, 1823. Doctrinaire "one who tries to apply some doctrine without regard for practicality" was borrowed from Fr. 1820; in France, originally of those who tried to reconcile liberty with royal authority after 1815; the broader sense in Eng. is attested from 1831.
"glamour" 1720, "magic, enchantment" (especially in phrase to cast the glamour), a variant of Scot. gramarye "magic, enchantment, spell," alt. of Eng. grammar (q.v.) with a medieval sense of "any sort of scholarship, especially occult learning." Popularized by the writings of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). Sense of "magical beauty, alluring charm" first recorded 1840. Glamorous is 1882 (slang shortening glam first attested 1936); glamorize is 1936.
"-ph-" consonantal digraph, now usually representing "f," originally the combination used by Romans to represent Gk. letter phi (cognate with Skt. -bh-, Gmc. -b-), which at first was an aspirated "p," later the same sound as Ger. -pf-, but by 2c. B.C.E. had become a simple sound made by blowing through the lips (bilabial spirant). Roman "f," like modern Eng. "f," was dentilabial; by c.400, however, the sounds had become identical and in some Romanic languages (It., Sp.), -ph- regularly was replaced by -f-. This tendency took hold in O.Fr. and M.E., but with the revival of classical learning the words subsequently were altered back to -ph- (except fancy and fantastic), and due to zealousness in this some non-Gk. words in -f- began to appear in -ph-, though these forms generally have not survived.
"clergy" c.1200, clergie "office or dignity of a clergyman," from two O.Fr. words: 1. clergie "clerics, learned men," from M.L. clericatus, from L. clericus (see clerk); 2. clergie "learning," from clerc, also from L. clericus. Clergyman is 1577; clergywoman is 1673. Cleric (1621) was borrowed directly from L. clericus after clerk took its modern meaning. Clerical (1592) was originally "of the clergy;" meaning "of clerks" first attested 1798.
"flapper" "forward young woman," 1921 slang, from flap (v.), but the exact connection is disputed. Perhaps from flapper "young wild-duck or partridge" (1747), with ref. to flapping wings while learning to fly; but other suggested sources are late 19c. northern Eng. dialectal use for "teen-age girl" (on notion of one with the hair not yet put up), or an earlier meaning "prostitute" (1889), which is perhaps from dial. flap "young woman of loose character" (1613). In Britain the word took on political tones in ref. to the debate over voting rights.
" 'Flapper' is the popular press catch-word for an adult woman worker, aged twenty-one to thirty, when it is a question of giving her the vote under the same conditions as men of the same age." ["Punch," Nov. 30, 1927]
"wit" (n.) "mental capacity," O.E. wit, more commonly gewit, from P.Gmc. *witjan (cf. O.S. wit, O.N. vit, Dan. vid, Swed. vett, O.Fris. wit, O.H.G. wizzi "knowledge, understanding, intelligence, mind," Ger. Witz "wit, witticism, joke," Goth. unwiti "ignorance"), from PIE *woid-/*weid-/*wid- "to see," metaphorically "to know" (see vision). Related to O.E. witan "to know" (source of wit (v.)). Meaning "ability to make clever remarks in an amusing way" is first recorded 1542; that of "person of wit or learning" is from c.1470. Witticism coined 1677, by Dryden. For nuances of usage, see humor. "A witty saying proves nothing." [Voltaire, Diner du Comte de Boulainvilliers]
"P" a rare letter in the initial position in Gmc., in part because by Grimm's Law PIE p- became Gmc. f-; even with early L. borrowings, -p- takes up only a little over 4 pages in J.R. Clark Hall's "Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary," compared to 31 pages for B and more than 36 for F. But it now is the third most common initial letter in the Eng. vocabulary, and with C and S, comprises nearly a third of the words in the dictionary, a testimonial to the flood of words that have entered the language since 1066 from L., Gk., and Fr. To mind one's Ps and Qs (1779), possibly is from confusion of these letters among children learning to write. Another theory traces it to old-time tavern-keepers tracking their patrons' bar tabs in pints and quarts. But cf. also to be P and Q (1612), "to be excellent," a slang phrase said to derive from prime quality.
"history" 1390, "relation of incidents" (true or false), from O.Fr. historie, from L. historia "narrative, account, tale, story," from Gk. historia "a learning or knowing by inquiry, history, record, narrative," from historein "inquire," from histor "wise man, judge," from PIE *wid-tor-, from base *weid- "to know," lit. "to see" (see vision). Related to Gk. idein "to see," and to eidenai "to know." In M.E., not differentiated from story; sense of "record of past events" probably first attested 1485. Sense of "systematic account (without reference to time) of a set of natural phenomena" (1567) is now obs. except in natural history. What is historic (1669) is noted or celebrated in history; what is historical (1561) deals with history. Historian "writer of history in the higher sense," distinguished from a mere annalist or chronicler, is from 1531. The O.E. word was þeod-wita.
"brow" words for "eyelid," "eyelash," and "eyebrow" changed about maddeningly in O.E. and M.E. (and in all the W.Gmc. languages). Linguists have untangled the knot into two strands: 1. O.E. bræw (Anglian *brew) "eyelid," from P.Gmc. *bræwi- "blinker, twinkler" (related to Goth. brahw "twinkle, blink," in phrase in brahwa augins "in the twinkling of an eye"); the sense must have shifted before the earliest recorded O.E. usage from "eyelash" to "eyelid." 2. O.E. bru "eyelash," from P.Gmc. *brus "eyebrow," from PIE base *bhrus (cf. Skt. bhrus "eyebrow," Gk. ophrys, O.C.S. bruvi, Lith. bruvis "brow," O.Ir. bru "edge"). The sense must have been transferred in O.E. at an early date from "eyebrow" to "eyelash." Lacking a distinctive word for it, the Anglo-Saxons called an eyebrow ofer-bru, and in early M.E. they were known as uvere breyhes or briges aboue þe eiges. By c.1200, everything had moved "up." Bru/brouw (from bræw) became "eyelid;" and brew/breow (from O.E. bru) became "eyebrow." It remained the word for "eyebrow" in Scot. and northern Eng., where it naturally evolved into colloquial bree. In southern Eng., however, M.E. bru/brouw took over the sense of "eyebrows," in the form brues, and yielded the usual modern form of the word. To make matters worse, if possible, some southern writers 15c.-17c. used bree for "eyelashes," in what OED calls "a curious reversion to what had been the original OE. sense of bru." By 1535, brow had been given an extended sense of "forehead," especially with ref. to movements and expressions that showed emotion or attitude. Browbeat "to bully" is first recorded 1581, originally "to bear down with stern or arrogant looks." When my son was learning to talk, he called them eyebrowns, but it has no connection to brown; the -n- in the O.N. (brun) and Ger. (braune) forms of the word are from a gen. pl. inflection.
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