Thompson biography and historical significance

Thompson Suggests That We Should Be Careful to Separate Intent From Consequences When Analyzing Past Events

Is this distinction important? Why?

Most of the world we know today is the result of centuries of modifications. These modifications occurred as consequences of the actions implemented by our predecessors. Some of the actions were extremely positive, whilst others had questionable outcomes, if not extremely terrible at times. But the outcome of the actions may have been miscalculated and a positively expected result could have turned into a negative one. However, regardless of the initial desire for the action, fact remains that it still generated impacts. The effects the actions generated upon the communities, peoples or the world are called consequences. The ideas at the basis of an action are called intentions. This distinction is important to be made as, however the concepts may be used in similar contexts, they refer to different features, such as points in time or affected parties.

The intent is the first to occur and establishes the desire upon which a step is made. This intent could be based on the desire to register personal gains, to increase the value of the community or to ensure the protection of the natural environment. Once the intent has manifested, the individual or group will take the necessary actions to implement it. When the implementation is finalized, the individual or group will achieve the desired project. This could mean an increase in salary, the opening of a new school in the neighbourhood or cleaner water sources. Ultimately, the consequences would be felt - both on the short and long run. They could materialize in increased living standards, increased access to education or a cleaner planet.

2. Does it have relevance for issues the (adult education) field faces today?

The relevance of the historical approach to past events is crucial for the field of adult education. To best comprehend the reasons for this statement, one should simply look at the intents and consequences of past events within the sector of adult education. In this order of ideas, regardless of the form of approach, most academic studies have revealed men's intent to create a credible educational environment. At the basis of such an environment would stand the representatives of the male gender, which were given easier access to educational resources and their path to professional formation would be made easier. Therefore, the combination of a wide series of forces generating gender inequality, mixed with the intent to create a credible educational system resulted in the women's invisibility within the field.