The Three '-oceptions' of a Complete Education

Neuroscientists distinguish between three main -oceptions: interoception, which is our awareness of internal bodily sensations, like hunger or a full bladder; exteroception, which deals with detecting external stimuli, such as sights, sounds, and temperatures; and proprioception, which informs us about our body's position and movement, helping us to not bump into objects or misjudge our steps.

These senses are essential to survival. Without interoception, you’d stuff yourself with a burrito right before a marathon. Without exteroception, you might wear mittens in July and shorts in January. And without proprioception, the world would be one big optical illusion.

Analogy to the Intellectual Domain

Now, we can apply classification to the realm of intellect. For success in various aspects of life—whether it’s managing personal relationships, advancing in our careers, or enjoying our free time—we need a mix of knowledge of the self, knowledge of the world, and skills to interact with it.

Knowledge of the Self, analogous to interoception, involves internal awareness—knowledge of one's thoughts, emotions, values, strengths, and weaknesses. It is the introspective aspect of education, emphasizing self-reflection, self-awareness, and personal growth.

Knowledge of the World corresponds to exteroception, where the focus is on understanding the natural and social environments. It includes the study of sciences, social studies, languages, history, and other academic disciplines that describe and explain the world around us.

Skills to Interact with the World, proprioception's intellectual twin,  are both soft skills and hard skills—such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving, that enable an individual to interact effectively with the world.

Problem, Solution & Call to Action

In my opinion, Western education often focuses heavily on external knowledge, with less emphasis on self-understanding and the practical application of this knowledge. Graduates might be able to recite historical dates or solve complex equations but may have little insight into their own personalities or how to navigate social challenges.

As we face an era where artificial intelligence threatens to redefine the workforce, our uniquely human attributes become even more critical. Understanding oneself is key to utilizing these attributes. If you’re in a position to influence educational content, it’s time to incorporate more self-exploration into the curriculum. Let’s not just prepare students with facts and figures; let’s also encourage them to understand who they are and how they can effectively engage with the world around them.

This post and image were created with the help of ChatGPT Plus.