"All men by nature desire knowledge" -Aristotle
I hold this to be true. Aristotle could have instead said simply, "All men desire knowledge," which would have been merely a factual observation. Rather, Aristotle suggests that when humans live up to their potentials,
they will customarily seek knowledge. This suggests that a disinterest in education is curable, though conceivably more difficult than reviving a zombie.
In Malton, there can be no exception. If you refuse to seek enlightenment, I will remind you of your potential--your innate inquisitiveness, ingenuity, and insightfulness. If you wantonly display your ignorance or debase knowledge, I will take this as an affront to my and others' quests for wisdom--and respond accordingly.
I have heard some ask why the Knights inflict death on other survivors. First, it becomes necessary to state the obvious. Death in Malton is not irreversible. In this way, killing a survivor is little more than negative reinforcement. Moreover, as Homer suggests, "Once harm has been done, even a fool understands it."
The need for such a tutelary organization, I think, is tantamount. Posterity will judge Malton, not just for the efficacy of our survival, but also our manner of conduct, amidst civilization's subsidence. As we battle the outbreak, staring into Neitzsche's abyss (and at our antithesis), forced to redefine humanity, the Knights should be thanked for their efforts to civilize, socialize, and educate.
"The ideal condition would be, I admit, that men should be right by instinct; but since we are all likely to go astray, the reasonable thing is to learn from those who can teach." -Sophocles
