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Issue 1

"We learn through direct experience; to accept a theory without experiencing it is to learn nothing at
all."

Essay

The greatest teacher is experience. It is only through first hand experience that any new knowledge can
get fixed in the mind. It is rightly said that experience is the best teacher. Anything learnt virtually is only
half learnt. Nevertheless, having an experience of the thing puts you at a better position when it comes
to learning the concept.

It is the nature's way of teaching things to animals as well as humans. A bird would never be able to
learn how to fly unless it flaps its wings. Similarly, when a baby comes to this world, he is absolutely new
to the world. As he grows up, he begins to observe and incorporate things that he sees in his life. Once
he picks up a thing by observing it, he begins to imitate it and thus learn from it. Unless he touches
something hot, he would never know what it is to get burnt. Unless he gets cut from a sharp object, or
trips from a higher place, he would never understand the meaning of these things and thus will never
learn that he should stay away from such things.

Accepting a theory without experiencing it is to remain passive in life. Without experience, one can
never know the nature and the extent of any theory. As the famous saying goes, 'only the wearer knows
where the shoe pinches', it can be understood that it is only when one indulges that one comes to know
about the difficulties of a task. Whether the task is easy or difficult is a question that can be answered
only when it is undertaken. For example, while preparing for an exam, if a student goes by just what is
told to him by his tutor, there is no surety of his having learnt his lessons properly. On the other hand, if
the student has practiced and solved the lesson on his own, he will have a first-hand experience of the
problems. He would solve on his own and find out his capabilities, his weaknesses, and thus get a chance
of improving himself. This is learning in the real sense.

However, it is also true that everything cannot be experienced. To learn about the moon and its nature,
it is not essential to go on the moon. The only way a common man can learn about such far reached
things or imaginary theories is when someone tells them something about them. That means you may
not have an experience of going on the moon, but it can be understood and perceived by the human
mind. Thus, experience cannot be called the sole teacher. Learning happens in an environment where
the student is ready to learn what is available to him. Thus, the most important factor in learning is the
interest of a student in the subject.

The first step towards learning is made only with the help of a guide. Thus the importance of learning by
getting inspired cannot be ignored. It would be an extreme statement to say that without experiencing
there is no learning. Learning is a continuous process. It goes on in the subconscious mind, without one's
knowledge of it. Since the mind is always working and absorbing things, it has the capacity of picking up
ideas and developing them as well. Thus, before you actually experience something the mind has already
worked over the issue and prepared a base for it.
Thus,, learning cannot be restricted to a particular manner. Learning requires a participation of the mind
and body. Thus, not only is it important to experience the theories, but it is also important that the
learner has a mindset for learning and grasping the things he sees.

Issue 2

"Laws should not be rigid or fixed. Instead, they should be flexible enough to take account of various
circumstances, times, and places."

Essay

Laws are a system of rules that are formulated to bring order in a society. Thus, laws help in bringing a
system, country or society under one rule which everyone must obey and accept. Laws are therefore
enforced upon people without making any distinction between them so that there is discipline and
peace in a society.

Since the whole society that comes under one rule is subject to the same laws of the society, it is the
responsibility of the governing authority to make sure that the laws pertain to the general public and are
not against them. For this purpose while formulating laws the government must look into the needs of
the society. Moreover, since the needs of a society as a whole are not fixed and are subject to time, place
and circumstances, laws should also not be fixed. It would be wrong to say that laws once formulated
will never change. Such governance where laws are not flexible and are rigid takes the form of
dictatorship. Therefore, for the purpose of forming a healthy democratic society, it is important that the
requirements of people should be taken into consideration, and correspondingly changes introduced in
laws.

The needs of people change with changing times. What was required in the past is different from the
requirements of the present. Moreover, with the passage of time the success of laws can be judged.
Thus, according to the present needs, a change should be made in laws. For example, in the past, there
were restrictions put the merchants to practice free trade keeping in mind the upliftment of small scale
industry and public sector. However, with the passage of time, it was observed that such a restriction has
only alienated the country and thus has put hurdles in the way of progress. The private sector forms a
large part of the society and their needs must also be taken into consideration. With the removal of such
rigid laws and the practice of free trade coming into existence, the economy has become stronger than
ever. Thus, laws formed according to the needs of the changing times not only bring in development but
also peace and harmony in a society.

Similarly, there can be changes in circumstances that require a change in laws. For example, in case of
violence or attack, it becomes essential to put restriction over the common man keeping in mind the
interests of the society. Thus, a curfew or a state of emergency can be declared to bring the
circumstances back to normalcy. However, such laws are not required when the circumstances do not
allow and there is peace everywhere. A change in place can also see a change in laws. According to laws
and rights, a citizen of a country may be free to move, settle or buy property in any part of the country,
but there can be restrictions put on such liberty according to the place as well. Some places need to be
protected by the government for various purposes, like security, upliftment of poor and minority etc.
Thus, the laws must also be subject to change in place.

However, the change in laws should not be made at the click of a finger. In such a system the importance
of laws is diminished. There has to be a predefined and proper procedure of amendment of laws which
takes into consideration every aspect of the society that would get affected with the change. Thus, laws
must be flexible but not weak so that they can be bent and twisted to every desired way. Only strong
laws that take into consideration the interests of the society as a whole are the ones which form a
healthy and peaceful society.

Issue 3

"People are too quick to take action; instead they should stop to think of the possible consequences of
what they might do."

Essay

There are many ways of looking at a thing. Similarly, there are many consequences of a particular thing.
You can reach the desired goal according to the path you choose. It is thus a matter of choosing the
correct path at the correct time. If the right time is over, then there is no way to turn back and mend
your ways. That is why you must be very cautious of your actions and think before you leap.

The benefits of thinking and proceeding with any job are many. Not only does it involve calculations and
planning, but it also turns out to be the wisest thing possible. When you spare some time to ponder over
the issue and the plan of action, it involves looking deep into the issue keeping in mind all its aspects.
Thus, the possibility of any hurdles and shortfalls is previously thought over. In case there are some
hurdles that are met later during the course of action, one can deal with it in a better way. This is
because thinking of all the possibilities prepares you for all situations.

Jumping to conclusions is just an act of impulse. When you are subject to impulse, you have a strong and
sudden wish to do something without thinking about its results. It is likely that what you do in such a
case leads to the result that is expected. However, there are great chances that it leads to the opposite
or even a disastrous end. To avoid any such chances, the best thing to do is to think of all the possible
consequences and then act according to requirement.

I had heard of an incident when a group of school boys had gone out in the country side for a small
picnic. The idea was to have fun and enjoy the day playing around in the open. That is why on seeing a
beautiful stream some of them decided to jump in for a swim. Without thinking about any safety
measures, they jumped into the stream. To their surprise the stream was flooded and the current was
too much for them to fight against. Sooner than they realized they were being washed away by the
powerful stream. It was only with the thoughtful and timely action of the other boys that a rescue team
could be called and the boys could be rescued. It can be seen that the boys did not think that their
activities of deriving fun would take such a dangerous turn. The lesson from such an incident is for
everyone to learn. Had the boys thought over the possibility of such a thing, they would not have
probably thought of going for a swim. Alternatively, probably to satisfy their wish of swimming, they
could have chosen a better time when the stream would not be so flooded, or a better place like a pool.

It is the general tendency of a person to listen to the heart. Thus, their actions are guided by the heart
and not by brain. However, this is not applicable to one and all. It cannot be generalized to each and
every person. There are many people who think before doing any work. The action of working on an
impulse is largely due to the habits of an individual. If a person is trained by his parents, teacher or guide
to give a thought before acting upon something, he can be conditioned to think logically before doing
any work.

It is not in our hands to change what is already done. However, we can surely change the way things
shape up by carefully thinking over the matter. Actions are not reversible. Thus, the deed once done can
never be corrected. The only thing that is left later with the person is regret, that the consequence could
have been avoided with proper thought and planning. Thus, instead of regretting and fretting, one must
make the best of the opportunity and think logically about the consequences and accordingly act upon
the matter.

Issue 4

"It is possible to pass laws that control or place limits on people's behavior, but legislation cannot reform
human nature. Laws cannot change what is in people's hearts and minds."

Essay

Discipline is the ability to control your behaviour or the way you live and work. It is essentially inner or
personal discipline, which is a method of training and conditioning your mind, heart and body for
controlling your behaviour. One has to be disciplined not only in personal matters but also in a society.
Man is a social animal and that is why he has to obey the rules and orders of a society. Thus, laws are
very essential to control people's behaviour and put limits on them so that everyone can live together in
harmony. Anyone disobeying these rules is liable for punishment so that the perverse act is not
repeated. However, if the punishment is enough for the offender to make him obey the laws or not
cannot be said for sure.

Laws can restrict human behaviour. Laws are meant to control and train. The purpose of laws is to
maintain general peace. Thus, laws are formulated keeping in mind the best interests of the society. This
puts a lot of responsibility on the individual to obey these laws. Whether laws are followed or not is a
very personal choice. Although the procedure of punishing the offenders is made in order to correct
them and stop them from committing the offence again, it is not a guarantee that this system would
correct the offender forever. Once the punishment is over, the offender will again commit the offence.
The question here is about responsibility. Only a person who understands his responsibility would refrain
from committing crimes. On the other hand, someone who is not responsible and does not have the
morals and principles that make him a social person would commit the crime repeatedly. This will
happen unless the nature of the offender changes.

It would be incorrect on the part of the authorities to think that laws are enough to bring in peace. Laws
are only a demarcation of a person's behaviour. Nevertheless, there is no way to demark a person's
mind. Before the crime is actually committed, it is already committed in the mind of the offender.
Thinking of doing an unlawful thing is as good as doing it. We can stop the actions once or twice. It is
possible that the offender is punished by law sometimes. However, this does not eradicate crime form
the society. This is because it exists in the minds of the offenders. Thus, to bring an end crime and
offence, the mind has to be reformed and conditioned.

Punishment cannot bring reform, neither can laws of the society. For the society to be free of crime, the
criminals need to be given moral training rather than physical punishment. With moral training, the
person is taught to lead a clean and healthy moral life. He would realize the importance of principles and
how to lead his life according to these principles. Not only does this bring back order into his life, but he
would also understand how one must live with others in a society. Thus, the person would start
respecting social rules and regulations which would make him a responsible citizen.

Thus, it is clear that laws are only good enough to put a limit or restriction. However, this does not check
the offence from being committed because the mind and heart of a person cannot be bound by laws and
regulations. For a society free of crime, we must have a society of people with good morals, minds and
hearts.

Issue 5

"The study of an academic discipline alters the way we perceive the world. After studying the discipline,
we see the same world as before, but with different eyes.

Essay

Acquiring knowledge has often been termed as enlightening oneself. One does see the world with
different eyes once the study of an academic discipline has been completed. A child perceives the world
with an entirely different perspective as compared to that of his parents as his knowledge has not yet
been molded by the finer details that only the study of an academic discipline can provide.

For someone who is not aware of the agents responsible for the spread of diseases, the necessity of
maintaining a hygienic lifestyle may not be all that important. On the other hand, an individual who has
carried out studies in the field of health sciences would be conscious of the surroundings around him. In
addition to perceiving the world from an entirely different viewpoint, he would also make an effort to
change the viewpoint of those around him. The world would be the same, just as it was when he was not
aware of the repercussions of an unhygienic lifestyle. However, acquiring knowledge as a result of
studying health sciences has made the difference in how he now sees the world around him.

It would be incorrect to assume that seeing the world from a different perspective is an inborn trait. All
children generally perceive their surroundings in the same manner. During the course of their
development they are subjected to studies in various forms. The rainbow is the same as that which one
saw as a kid and then as an adult. However, as educated adults we are able to identify the rainbow as a
scientific phenomenon whereas a child who has not yet studied the concepts of prisms, refraction and
reflection of light will think of it as a magical wonder. Unfortunately, a child who has not been consistent
in his studies will probably still see it as a miracle even after attaining adulthood. This difference in
perceiving the same world from different viewpoints is the outcome of the study of various academic
disciplines.

The environment around us is the same for all humans. We all see it from different perspectives due to
our inherent traits that are a result of the studies that we have carried out. This is the reason why you
find that the judges for popular talent shows and contests are people who have excelled in these fields
themselves, as then only will they be able to do justice to the procedure of selecting the best. A
renowned painter will probably never feature in the list of judges for selecting the best science project as
he may not be able to see the project from any perspective other than the artistic presentation involved.

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