Self-Education In Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most profound and influential leaders of his time. Excelling in fields anywhere from philosophy to agriculture, Franklin was truly one who had “something important to add to the store of the world’s knowledge; and he did it with zest, charm, and a gift for the clear view” (Cousins 16). Franklin had a great passion for reading, in fact, he considered it as one of his only amusements, and evidently,

the advantage of self-education in Franklin’s case was clear. There were no boundary lines or terminal rituals, as in formal schooling, to mislead a person into thinking that he had completed his education. It never occurred to him that there was any point at which he could say that his learning was adequate for his

This autobiography provided great view on many topics through Franklin’s eyes, such as entrepreneurship, religion, politics, and much more. (Cousins 16).

Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography was published in 1793, with the intended audience being the people of the United States, or anyone for that matter, who were interested in his thoughts, routines, or beliefs. Franklin wanted to give a unique, and almost unheard of, perception of life and its principles. Chapter three, “A Colonial Life”, of Franklin’s autobiography provides excellent insight on his opinions of religion in the colonies, and his daily routine as well. Franklin was raised as presbyterian, and as a young man, he developed opinions about the church and how it operated. Later in his life, Franklin would be defined simply as a deist. A deist is a person who believes in a supreme entity that created the world and everything in it, and rarely have connections to the church itself. Franklin believed and followed many religious-based principles, but never tied himself to one denomination. His thoughts are reflected through his words in his autobiography. He states, “I never was without some religious