Special Lecture : Sri Sadiqali T, Assistant Professor of Sociology "Knowledge acquisition and Vision: Mission ahead for Social Justice"

Knowledge acquisition and vision: Mission ahead for Social Justice

Report on Online Special lecture by Sri Sadiqali T, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Govt KNM Arts and Science College, Kanjiramkulam in association with Reading Fortnight Celebrations @ College

In lecture related to vayana pakshacharanam, an attempt was made to critically evaluate the illogically constructed social and scientific perceptions regarding the correlation between ‘knowledge acquisition and vision’.  In other words, the lecture was an attempt to expose the conscious or unconscious attempt by the society and science to equate vision with ‘knowledge’ and blindness with ‘ignorance’.

Is there a correlation between vision and knowledge acquisition?

      The first section of the lecture explained about the socially constructed correlation between vision and knowledge acquisition in Malayalam language usages. This is evident in the fact that those Malayalam words representing vision is often used to represent knowledge as well. Similarly, certain Malayalam words representing blindness is used to represent ignorance as well. The word ‘darshanam’ (body of knowledge) and ‘adhakaaram’ (ignorance) can be considered as examples for this trend.

Is there scientific support for such social perceptions?

     The second section of the speech tried to explore how the scientific analysis regarding the correlation between sense organs and knowledge supplement the illogical social perceptions regarding the correlation between vision and knowledge acquisition. The scientific findings regarding the predominance of eye in the process of knowledge acquisition compare to other sense organs are brought as an example to substantiate this particular argument.

Over emphasis on hearing and touch as a compensatory mechanism to the lack of vision: the way out

     If the eye/vision has a predominant role in knowledge acquisition, then how blind persons have managed to register their expertness in different realms irrespective of their blindness? This question was the focus of my discussion in the third section of the speech. This question was intended to challenge the above mentioned social and scientific perceptions regarding vision and knowledge. This question is also intended to challenge  the commonly believed notion that blinds and other disabled people are registering their expertness in different realms due to a ‘special ability given to  them by god’ As an answer to this question, the speech illustrates the importance of ‘hearing’ and ‘touch’ in the knowledge acquisition process among blind. This illustration basically intended to argue that the achievements made by blinds in different realms of the society are not due to the special ability from god, but due to the over emphasis on hearing and touch as a compensatory mechanism to the lack of vision.

Mission ahead for civil society, government and each one of us!!

     The lecture in its final section thus urge the civil society, government and the scientific community to realize the importance of hearing and touch in the knowledge acquisition process of blinds. This change in social and scientific perception will open more chances for blinds in terms of knowledge acquisition. It will provide more facilities for blinds to access different knowledge through hearing and touching. The public place, social and physical environment etc thus needs to make certain special arrangement to encourage the facilities for blinds to acquire knowledge by using hearing and touching. The civil society and government must extend their support for this.