Learning Journal: Reflecting on Self and the Meaning of the World

This learning journal assignment delves into the philosophical quote: "We can know nothing about what is outside us if we overlook ourselves... the universe is the mirror in which we can contemplate only what we have learned to know in ourselves." The author begins by suggesting the world's meaninglessness, proposing perception, research, and worldviews as methods to derive meaning. The journal explores perception, emphasizing its role in forming meanings, while acknowledging its potential for inaccuracies. Research is presented as a method to collect and analyze data, leading to evidence-based understandings. Various worldviews are discussed, highlighting their influence on shaping life's meaning. The journal emphasizes the importance of self-understanding as a prerequisite to understanding the world, discussing different ways learning occurs, and the questions that need to be investigated to understand oneself. Finally, the journal concludes by emphasizing the universe's role as a mirror, reflecting the knowledge we possess.

Learning Journal
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Learning Journal
The quote as mentioned below:
‘’We can know nothing about what is outside us if we overlook ourselves... the universe
is the mirror in which we can contemplate only what we have learned to know in ourselves.”
The author begins the quote by saying that the world around us is meaningless and we do
not know anything about it. There could several ways one can draw meaning about the world
that surround us. Perception, research and using different worldviews can interpret the world that
we live in.
Perception
Every person perceives the universe in different ways. The way different stimuli are
received and processed forms the perception. Perception can create either a true or false image of
the stimulus that human beings receive. However, one must understand the perception are not
always the legitimate method to draw a conclusion (Carmel & Lamy, 2015). It just a way of
forming the meaning out of things around us without any evidence. The sensory information
around us is processed by the brain based on how we receive and interprets It. the sensory
information is processed in the brain and is affected by the way we think and feel about those
sensory inputs (Smeets & Brenner, 2001). Thus, perception plays an integral role in quickly
forming the meaning of stimuli that surround us. However, information received through
perception cannot always be reliable (White, et al., 2013)

Research
Research is a process of collecting data and then processing the data to generate
meaningful evidence based on the topic of interest. The data collected through research is
analyzed in many ways. It can either be statistically analyzed or meaningful conclusion could be
drawn from it. Data could be collected either through informal observation, interviews or by
using a more structured approach such as using questionnaires or conducting structured
interviews. Research helps in drawing information that is supported by pieces of evidence. It
helps in understanding different phenomena of the world and how do they happen (Svensson,
2012)
Worldwide view
There are several worldwide views that present different claims about the world, its
purpose, the system, beliefs or the purpose of life. There are mainly four types or worldwide
view. These are traditional, modern, and post-modern and interrogative, each view has a
different stance about life. The views help human beings to shape the meaning of their lives and
the world they live in (Goldberg, 2009).
However, the quote mentions that human beings can never understand the world if they
tend to overlook themselves. Understanding oneself creates an understanding of the world. One
can never draw the meaning of the world if he does not possess the knowledge of himself and the
world he lives in. Learning can occur in several ways. Practice, interrogation, training programs,
educational institutions, experimenting, and reading, can deliver the necessary information and
knowledge to human beings. To understand oneself, several questions need to be investigated.
Such as the purpose of life, why the world was created, what is the nature for and how we can

live a better life. The inquisitive behaviors leads to search of such questions the search can help
human beings draw meaning information about life
The Universe is a Mirror
This universe is a mirror. The way we think and the kind of knowledge we possess helps
in creating the meaning of the universe. The universe demonstrates only that reality for which we
are knowledgeable about (Böckler, et al., 2017).
References
Böckler, A. et al., 2017. Know Thy Selves: Learning to Understand Oneself Increases the Ability to
Understand Others. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 1(2), p. 197–209.
Carmel, T. & Lamy, D., 2015. Towards a Resolution of the Attentional-Capture. Journal of Experimental
Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, pp. 1-11.
Goldberg, R. M., 2009. How Our Worldviews Shape Our Practice. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 26(4), pp.
409-431.
Smeets, J. B. J. & Brenner, E., 2001. Perception and Action Are Inseparable. Ecological Psychology, 13(2),
pp. 163-166.
Svensson, G., 2012. Research process, report structure and journal outlets in scholarly studies: Parallel
vs sequential and proactive vs reactive. European Business Review, 24(1), pp. 47-57.
White, A. L., Carrasco, M. & Lunau, R., 2013. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and
Performance. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human, pp. 1-14.