Section 2 Task A Feedback

Was hoping for some feedback on this essay if possible, It took around an hour, I do realise the second paragraph doesn't go too into detail with the other examples I mentioned, got a bit too caught up in my first example that I sort of rushed the ending once I noticed I got over half an hour. But any other advice would be greatly appreciated. I also included the stuff that came to me when I planned what to write.

Prompt: “What Reason weaves, by Passion is undone” – Alexander Pope

Planning:

·       Reason and logic are opposing forces to passion and drive. Can’t have both?

·       Sometimes what makes sense and logical is what one is passionate about.

·       Passion can entice one to seek knowledge in areas they are greatly interested in, and said knowledge can lead to a logical and reasonable decision to pursue one’s passions. E.G. Ramanujan the mathematician with no formal education, he followed his passion for math and sought knowledge and help regarding his mathematical abilities and how to prove his conjectures and theorems. This led to much of his work to be published and respected into the far future.

·       Passion ==> Encouragement to seek knowledge ==> More capability to learn and grow ==> logical to follow passion as it can lead to success and growth

Essay:

What reason weaves, is not exactly undone by passion, rather passion shapes reason and what is considered logical. Pursuing one’s passion professionally in particular, means one is more likely to be self-reliant and motivated to grow and seek knowledge in areas of their interests, and thus that expertise can be relied on for a living and to gain success financially in life, whilst also mentally and happily as what is being pursued is what one loves and has a drive for. Hence why reason is not undone by passion, rather passion alters and influences what is considered reason.

Endeavours in life fuelled by passion can lead to fruitful outcomes for knowledge and skill acquisition, and thus create desired, yet realistic options for people to make a living with. For example, Ramanujan, a great mathematician of the past, he came from a background of no formal mathematical knowledge, only his own intuition and local limited knowledge. He defied the more “realistic” options many encouraged him to take, and chose to pursue his passion for mathematics, he wrote to Hardy, another more reputable and famous mathematician of that time, and gave him his findings and work, leading him to get a place at the university Hardy worked at in England. From Ramanujan’s experiences we see how his passion for mathematics did alter and reshape reason and the logical choices people seemed to want to force on him, he was able to use his passion and motivation in mathematics and defy what seemed like reason to those around him, and he found himself in a new place where following his passion was the logical choice, and where he could live with his passion and reasonably make a living and take care of those close to him. This implicates that reason and logic is not stagnant, and everyday the choices we make and our passions and drive to change ourselves and the world around us, they all shape reason and constantly change what is to be considered the logical way to live one’s own life. Hence, we learn of how passion in your own desired profession, can potentially alter what choices are considered reasonable in life.

It can also be seen that passion can shape and alter reason in terms of social and political correctness. From how Ramanujan, a person of colour, was able to overcome racial prejudice as he entered his professional academic at England, we can see that perhaps his passion and drive in the subject of maths, shown by his many contributions in the world of mathematics, would have impacted on the views on capabilities of people of colour in the professional world. His passion in mathematics could very well have impacted on societal views of Indians and other coloured people in England. This means people’s passion shaping reason, it can have large societal impacts, and lead to reforms in racist and prejudiced viewpoints in people, as it may have for people that doubted Ramanujan’s skills and potential, and those that doubted other people belonging to minorities, relating to race, sex, disability, and more. People such as Rosa Parks, who followed her passion for racial equality and justice, and now her bravery and stand are remembered to this day. Furthermore, the decision in Roe vs. Wade in court is proof of how passion from the legal professionals involved and the people involved in the case all shaped and reformed societal viewpoints today and perhaps influenced so many more places in the world to allow women the option for an abortion. From this, it can be seen how passion can have the ability to shape reason, via influencing societal viewpoints and public opinion on a large scale, and perpetuating changes in world views over time.

In conclusion, reason is not exactly unwoven by passion, rather passion is what alters and defines what reason is. Passion affects what reasonable and logical decision-making is for individuals. Furthermore, that affect to individual people, that perpetuates overtime and influences people around them to also follow their passion, which at a large scale can then perhaps influence reason in society and public opinions and viewpoints.