edification == education?

[Victor Steinbok]

Edification 2.b. in the OED runs out in 1875--which is, in fact, the
latest citation in that entire article. The 2.b. definition is a bit murky:

> 2. b. Mental or moral improvement, intellectual profit; instruction.
> (Now often /ironical/.)

But it certainly is less murky in this passage:

http://goo.gl/Vdm77
> The spokesman for the Committee, Robert Dillon, says that this contest
> wasn't in any way meant to be disrespectful of the firefighters who
> are pretty much putting their lives on the line every time they go up
> in one of those rickety planes or face a wildfire on the line. It's
> meant instead for the edification of eastern lawmakers who aren't as
> experienced in wildfire. "It's not an official way to educate them,"
> Dillon said. "It's a fun, backroom way to do it."

     VS-)

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