Understanding the deeper ways things happen.
Discernment is the ability to observe what is taking place on the surface and thereby understand what is going on underneath. A person who lacks discernment sees a sad-faced friend and concludes she needs a few good jokes. A discerning person seeks to find out the cause of the friends sadness before presuming to treat it. Discernment is identifying important clues and understanding how those clues fit together, its considering the root problem rather than jumping to hasty conclusions. Bailing water from a sinking ship wont save the vessel unless the leak is repaired. Water in the ship is an effect. A hole in the ship is the cause. Real solutions correct causes.
In 1712, Thomas Newcomen invented the first practical steam engine, but this early machine had serious limitations. In 1763, James Watt decided to improve the Newcomen engine. To do so, he needed to discern the root cause of the engines inefficiency. First, Watt identified the obvious problem: the Newcomen consumed too much fuel and produced too little power. He then inquired: Where is the fuel energy going? What is the immediate cause of this problem? Watt examined the Newcomen engine. The single-piston steam engine operated by injecting steam into a cylinder, driving the piston up. Cold water was then sprayed on the cylinder, cooling the cylinder. This cooling process caused the steam to condense, creating a vacuum that drew the piston back down. Watt soon recognized that only a portion of heat produced by the fuel was actually reaching the single-piston in the steam engine.
The root cause of the Newcomens inefficiency was the loss of heat to rewarm the cylinder that had been cold on each down stroke. Once Watt identified the cause, he experimented with ways to solve the problem. In 1769, Watt patented an engine that performed steam injection and condensation in two separate chambers. As a result, the cylinder could remain hot, and the condensation chamber could remain cool. Watts engine proved to be 75 percent more fuel-efficient than the previous Newcomen.
Whether dealing with machines, people, or any other difficulty in life, an effective solution must identify and address the root cause. Discernment is tracing recognized problems to their root cause.
At home you can prepare your children to be discerning problem solvers by teaching them to recognize cause-and-effect relationships. Explain how things work around the house and include them in home-repair projects.
Brought to you by the Four Corners Character Council. Character First! definitions and information used by permission. Copyright Character Training Institute www.characterfirst.com.
