The Learned Pig: Then it begins

20 October 2006

Then it begins

Salutations. This is my blog. As I've spent the better part of the evening setting it up, I don't have much energy to write; rest assured, however, that I will soon begin posting frequently on all things ethical, historical, philosophical, fictional, farcical, critical, nonsensical, and grammatical.

1 comment:

TNS said...: Velcome to the blogging world.; Wednesday, October 25, 2006 at 8:52:00 AM EDT

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Why the learned pig?

In early 19th-century America, a certain traveling show featured a remarkable pig that, on command, could spell out letters to form words. This "pig of knowledge", or "learned pig", baffled superstitious mobs, and excited frenzied accusations of witchcraft. In response, the pig's trainer published a pamphlet that sought to dispel the rumors by detailing his methods of instruction, and demonstrating that this apparent miracle could be accounted for through reason and observation alone.

Tacitus once wrote, "everything unknown passes for something splendid." Humans by nature desire to know, and when they encounter something seemingly inexplicable, they tend to fill in the holes with religion, superstition, or inane anti-intellectualism that dismisses the need for knowledge altogether. But these are cowardly subsitutes for reason and observation. The learned pig reminds us that if we wish to be wise, "observe; for observation is the source of wisdom."