On the danger of knowledge
The Greek philosopher Socrates (469–399 B.C.) was convicted of moral corruption and impiety by Athens, willingly drinking poisonous hemlock rather than abandoning his method of relentless questioning.
For me, this is representative of the long-standing discussion on the “danger” of knowledge — how learning how to think philosophically, and thus posing questions to established institutions and ways of thinking and living, can be considered a threat by those who gatekeep the status quo.
I am a researcher who is open-minded and seeks knowledge in a barrier-free manner; who constantly feels dissatisfied by the current level of knowledge and attempts to go beyond disciplinary walls. Feel free to tell me I am wrong and let’s build a better world together.
The image of the Death of Socrates (Jacques-Louis David, 1787) is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. See the collection entry.