There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
Noam ChomskyRead
The person who wins the Nobel Prize is not the person who read the most journal articles and took the most notes on them. It's the person who knew what to look for. And cultivating that capacity to seek what's significant, always willing to question whether you're on the right track - that's what education is going to be about, whether it's using computers and the Internet, or pencil and paper, or books.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Education is about understanding what is significant rather than just accumulating information.
In this quote, Noam Chomsky emphasizes that true education involves the ability to identify and seek out significant knowledge rather than merely absorbing vast amounts of information. He argues that the essence of education lies in cultivating critical thinking, curiosity, and the willingness to question one's own understanding, regardless of the tools used to learn.
Themes
EducationKnowledgeSignificanceCritical ThinkingLearning
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech, one could use this quote to inspire students to think critically in their future careers.
More from Noam Chomsky
All quotes →The 'free-floating intellectual' may occupy himself with problems because of their inherent interest and importance, perhaps to little effect.
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If you're teaching today what you were teaching five years ago, either the field is dead or you are.
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There are very few people who are going to look into the mirror and say, 'That person I see is a savage monster;' instead, they make up some construction that justifies what they do.
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The Republican Party has become overwhelmingly so extreme that it's hardly a traditional political party anymore.
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There is still much debate about whether torture has been effective in eliciting information - the assumption being, apparently, that if it is effective, then it may be justified.
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