pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on fri 20 apr 12
I have been brooding on what a decent 'Recommended Reading List' might =3D
be, for anyone interested in understanding ( whatever it is, which is =3D
imagined to be meant by the word ) 'education' ( and all what it has =3D
with it, or to it, variously ).
I will post one Book a day till I run out of Books to recommend ( which =3D
should not take too long...)
Of course, anyone else wishing to recommend a Book, is invited to add =3D
their recommendation to the accrueing List...and, thus, we will end up =3D
in no time, with what might be a pretty good List.
1st up -=3D20
"General Systems Theory", by Ludwig von Bertalanffy=3D20
Some portions of which may be found here -
http://www.panarchy.org/vonbertalanffy/systems.1968.html
jd.steveni@COMCAST.NET on sat 21 apr 12
Hi pdp1
What a brilliant idea building a Potter's Four Foot bookshelf. Remember the=
Harvard Classics -- the original four foot shelf? I was given most of the=
m when I was 14 by a down-sizing elderly blue-stocking of an aunt.
Ha! believe it or not, I made a set of majolica bowls a while back based o=
n B's theme of General Systems Theory! Cat with speech bubble musing in cor=
ner, as cats do: one large server and 4 smaller side bowls. Nemesis also fi=
gures. Got the spelling wrong on B's name, and had the devil's own job to f=
ix it. I'll take pix and attach them if you like. They amused me. Still do=
. Didn't ever sell. Wonder why?
I developed a Chat Chat series after that. French slant kicking up against =
some actors and directors I was working with at the time. Maybe I'll revisi=
t that idea too with some Sartre. You're the only person I've ever run int=
o whose mentioned General Systems Theory. Only in my readings. Now, they'l=
l all be coming out of the studio dusting their linguistics off! Well done,=
you.
(Still suffering from HD crash last Sunday and so not certain how to access=
old file pix in external HD of series.)
Finally in the spirit of contribution to your genius idea, I think if I had=
the time and a like-minded group to tease out thoughts around the fire wit=
h tea and cakes -- I'd revisit philosophical hermeneutics. Especially Heide=
gger. Nothing to prevent me from having a solo go at it is there? You've m=
ade my day brighter. Thanks.
Dinah
Mount Vernon, WA.
www.dinahsnipessteveni.com
www.dinahsnipessteveni.wordpress.com
www.etsy.com/shop/DinahSnipesSteveni
dinahsnipessteveni.tumblr.com
Randall Moody on sat 21 apr 12
We have the Harvard Classics "Five Feet of Book" on one of the shelves. I
would also recommend St. John's College reading list. My son is about
finish his junior year there. I can't say enough about how great that
program is.
http://www.stjohnscollege.edu/academic/readlist.shtml
--
Randall in Atlanta
http://wrandallmoody.com
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sat 21 apr 12
Hi Randall, all...
Indeed...
That they soon enough place, or re-place, 'Homer' on-the-shelf, to then be
'living' and 'breathing'
something called 'business'.
Rather than, say, placing 'business' on the shelf, while 'living' and
'breathing' something more like...well, 'Homer'...
Or have I missed something?
Phil
L v
----- Original Message -----
From: "Randall Moody"
> We have the Harvard Classics "Five Feet of Book" on one of the shelves. I
> would also recommend St. John's College reading list. My son is about
> finish his junior year there. I can't say enough about how great that
> program is.
>
> http://www.stjohnscollege.edu/academic/readlist.shtml
>
>
>
>
> --
> Randall in Atlanta
> http://wrandallmoody.com
Robert Harris on sat 21 apr 12
Heidegger ... really? Well I suppose someone's got to do it. I found
him to be rather full of himself. Not to mention his murky personal
problems.
A little dated now (especially in language), but still rather an
enjoyable read is Betrand Russell's "A History of Western Philosophy."
Robert
On Fri, Apr 20, 2012 at 10:17 PM, wrote:
> Hi pdp1
>
> What a brilliant idea building a Potter's Four Foot bookshelf. Remember t=
=3D
he Harvard Classics -- =3DA0the original four foot shelf? I was given most =
of=3D
them when I was 14 by a down-sizing elderly blue-stocking of an aunt.
>
> Ha! believe it or not, I made a =3DA0set of majolica bowls a while back b=
as=3D
ed on B's theme of General Systems Theory! Cat with speech bubble musing in=
=3D
corner, as cats do: one large server and 4 smaller side bowls. Nemesis als=
=3D
o figures. Got the spelling wrong on B's name, and had the devil's own job =
=3D
to fix it. =3DA0I'll take pix and attach them if you like. They amused me. =
St=3D
ill do. Didn't ever sell. Wonder why?
>
> I developed a Chat Chat series after that. French slant kicking up agains=
=3D
t some actors and directors I was working with at the time. Maybe I'll revi=
=3D
sit that idea too with some Sartre. =3DA0You're the only person I've ever r=
un=3D
into whose mentioned General Systems Theory. Only in my readings. =3DA0Now=
, =3D
they'll all be coming out of the studio dusting their linguistics off! Well=
=3D
done, you.
>
> (Still suffering from HD crash last Sunday and so not certain how to acce=
=3D
ss old file pix in external HD of series.)
>
> Finally in the spirit of contribution to your genius idea, I think if I h=
=3D
ad the time and a like-minded group to tease out thoughts around the fire w=
=3D
ith tea and cakes -- I'd revisit philosophical hermeneutics. Especially Hei=
=3D
degger. =3DA0Nothing to prevent me from having a solo go at it is there? Yo=
u'=3D
ve made my day brighter. Thanks.
>
> Dinah
> Mount Vernon, WA.
> www.dinahsnipessteveni.com
> www.dinahsnipessteveni.wordpress.com
> www.etsy.com/shop/DinahSnipesSteveni
> dinahsnipessteveni.tumblr.com
--=3D20
----------------------------------------------------------
Lee on sat 21 apr 12
On Sat, Apr 21, 2012 at 8:47 AM, Robert Harris wr=
=3D
ote:
> Heidegger ... really? Well I suppose someone's got to do it. I found
> him to be rather full of himself. Not to mention his murky personal
> problems.
Eihei Dogen's Shobogenzo includes the essay BeingTime (Uji.)
> A little dated now (especially in language), but still rather an
> enjoyable read is Betrand Russell's "A History of Western Philosophy."
Dogen wrote almost 800 years ago, but is not "dated."
--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
Robert Harris on sat 21 apr 12
>
>> A little dated now (especially in language), but still rather an
>> enjoyable read is Betrand Russell's "A History of Western Philosophy."
>
> Dogen wrote almost 800 years ago, but is not "dated."
Since I don't read Japanese, I will be reading a modern translation,
which immediately changes the language.
And Russell's work is a) a historical overview, and b) dated only in
terms of his style of writing, and his interpretation of other's
thoughts. Reading any philosopher older than about 1450, in English,
requires translation. Translation in and of itself modifies the work
(updates it).
Even early modern English (say Francis Bacon), requires some
interpretation of the meaning of the words at that time.
I have no idea if Japanese has similarly changed.
--
----------------------------------------------------------
Robert Harris on sun 22 apr 12
For those of you interested, there was a good article by Will Self on
the BBC recently. "In Defence of Obscure Words"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17777556
Interesting Gmail tagged my spelling of defence as incorrect. Yet
another British spelling I was unaware I was using.
As for videos I can only remember a few being used at school in the 80's.
Only two I did not read the entire book.
1. Far from the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy.
2. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens.
In both cases we read large chunks of the book, but since I was only
11 or 12 at the time, I do not think this is unreasonable.
One thing in which videos (or better live performance) are better than
reading is of course the plays of Shakespeare. Once you have seen a
good production of any of his plays, you realise how much you lose in
merely reading them.
One video the whole class was mesmerised by was Branagh's Henry the Fift.
The St. Crispins Day speech (Once more unto the breech, dear friends,
once more) takes on a whole new facet when uttered with power and
presence.
Robert
On Sun, Apr 22, 2012 at 6:48 PM, Anita Rickenberg wrot=
e:
> As someone who grew up in a rural area with very limited exposure to dive=
rse
> cultures or ideas, school gave me the lesson of knowing what I didn't kno=
w.
> The concept of the well-rounded self-taught individual is interesting, bu=
t
> I'm skeptical that it occurs with much frequency in the real world. Given=
a
> choice, most choose to stay in their comfort zone regardless of how limit=
ing
> it may be.
> Anita
--
----------------------------------------------------------
Robert Harris on sun 22 apr 12
And ... ooops. Again.
Once more unto the breach (sp.! no trous here!), was at the siege of
Harfleur, and ends famously with "Cry God for Harry, England and Saint
George", while the St. Crispin's Day speech was just before the actual
battle of Agincourt and is the source of "We few, we happy few, we
band of brothers;"
and goes on ...
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
Sorry for my original misquotation. Still, both of them are
tremendously riveting speeches. Shakespeare after all is meant to be
seen and heard, not read.
Robert
> The St. Crispins Day speech (Once more unto the breech, dear friends,
> once more) takes on a whole new facet when uttered with power and
> presence.
>
James Freeman on sun 22 apr 12
On Sun, Apr 22, 2012 at 2:22 AM, wrote:
That they soon enough place, or re-place, 'Homer' on-the-shelf, to then be
'living' and 'breathing'
something called 'business'.
Rather than, say, placing 'business' on the shelf, while 'living' and
'breathing' something more like...well, 'Homer'...
When my sons were attending our small, rural high school, they took a
course called College Literature. They were not assigned a single book as
part of this class. They instead watched movies based on books. And, this
was a class geared toward the "smart kids"!
I do recall watching some movies during my own high school literature
classes (Grapes of Wrath and Inherit the Wind come to mind), but only after
reading the books, and even then the main topic of discussion was how and
why the two differed.
It frustrates me to no end when I think of all the books I should have
read, but didn't, yet I know people who actually say with pride that they
haven't read a book since graduation from school.
Does anyone remember the Twilight Zone episode, starring Burgess Meredith,
entitled "Time Enough at Last"?
Be well.
...James
James Freeman
"Talk sense to a fool, and he calls you foolish."
-Euripides
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sun 22 apr 12
Hi James, all,
Yes! I remember that old 'Twillight Zone' in which the Burgess Merideth
character suffered a nagging wife, and, also that he liked to read...and wa=
s
always being inturrupted when trying to read...then, one day, while at his
job at a Bank, he closed himself into the Vault to enjoy his Lunch and to
read a while, and...rumble, 'tink!' the Crystal of his Watch cracked, and
the lights go out, and, clearly, something odd was happenning...and...
I think it is a sorry thing that 'school' exists at all of course, let alon=
e
how it gets hold of Books and instantly abuses them, even as it abuses the
poor captives in the guise of shoving Books at them, or shoving them, at
Books.
Probably one good way to go, would be for 'schools' to show the pupils
'Movies' of 'school settings', 'Black & White' movies full of those running
wiggley 'scratches' and with the insufferably dreary background music,
movies of wan, non-oxigenating, conflicted, defeated, cloying, coerced in t=
o
the untenable position which will characterize their 'life' from then on fo=
r
having internalized it, small human forms, sitting in rows, learning to be
disingenuous in order to appease 'authority' which is merely the guise of
violence, squirming softly in ugly little uncomfortable chair-desks...Show
the Movies of this for a couple hours, then let the Audience go, and never
bother them again.
A 'Win Win'!
Phil
L v
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Freeman"
> On Sun, Apr 22, 2012 at 2:22 AM, wrote:
>
> That they soon enough place, or re-place, 'Homer' on-the-shelf, to then b=
e
> 'living' and 'breathing'
> something called 'business'.
> Rather than, say, placing 'business' on the shelf, while 'living' and
> 'breathing' something more like...well, 'Homer'...
>
>
>
>
>
> When my sons were attending our small, rural high school, they took a
> course called College Literature. They were not assigned a single book a=
s
> part of this class. They instead watched movies based on books. And,
> this
> was a class geared toward the "smart kids"!
>
> I do recall watching some movies during my own high school literature
> classes (Grapes of Wrath and Inherit the Wind come to mind), but only
> after
> reading the books, and even then the main topic of discussion was how and
> why the two differed.
>
> It frustrates me to no end when I think of all the books I should have
> read, but didn't, yet I know people who actually say with pride that they
> haven't read a book since graduation from school.
>
> Does anyone remember the Twilight Zone episode, starring Burgess Meredith=
,
> entitled "Time Enough at Last"?
>
> Be well.
>
> ...James
>
> James Freeman
>
> "Talk sense to a fool, and he calls you foolish."
> -Euripides
>
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
Kathy Forer on sun 22 apr 12
On Apr 22, 2012, at 8:07 AM, James Freeman wrote:
> It frustrates me to no end when I think of all the books I should have
> read, but didn't, yet I know people who actually say with pride that =3D
they
> haven't read a book since graduation from school.
I had the interesting experience of not enjoying reading until after =3D
high school and college. Far too much force-feeding. Theoretically good =3D
comprehension, I just wasn't always interested, except for the rare book =
=3D
or poem.
Reading became substantive and relevant when it was no longer assigned. =3D
I was able to find my own pace and rhythm. I think those who don't read =3D
after school just don't discover pleasure in reading.=3D20
Many people say the internet has ruined literacy. Yet more and more =3D
people are reading and consuming media than ever before. They may be =3D
finding their own ways of doing it, that aren't always conventional or =3D
proper, but people are reading and writing, looking listening creating. =3D
We need to ensure this extraordinary web of deBabel is kept free and =3D
open to all.
Kathy Forer
claypit creek=3D
Anita Rickenberg on sun 22 apr 12
As someone who grew up in a rural area with very limited exposure to =3D
diverse
cultures or ideas, school gave me the lesson of knowing what I didn't =3D
know.
The concept of the well-rounded self-taught individual is interesting, =3D
but
I'm skeptical that it occurs with much frequency in the real world. =3D
Given a
choice, most choose to stay in their comfort zone regardless of how =3D
limiting
it may be. =3D20
Anita
Kathy Forer on tue 24 apr 12
On Apr 22, 2012, at 10:49 PM, Robert Harris wrote:
> One thing in which videos (or better live performance) are better than
> reading is of course the plays of Shakespeare. Once you have seen a
> good production of any of his plays, you realise how much you lose in
> merely reading them.
My tenth grade English essay was "An Anti-Shakespeare Essay." We had =3D
been reading literature of the absurd the previous semester, Kafka, =3D
Barthelme, Camus, Beckett, and the protest fit in quite right. It wasn't =
=3D
anti-Shakespeare, so much as anti-reading Shakespeare, how the =3D
conventional assignments reading the words of the Bard can ruin the =3D
plays for many students.=3D20
The other thing that goes along with reading is writing. Reading is =3D
critical to the writing process. And a joy to see so many more people =3D
writing, literately or not.=3D20
Do you ever have days when the words just come out all in a jumble?=3D20
Kathy Forer
claypit creek=3D
Steve Mills on tue 24 apr 12
The BBC is just about to take part in a celebration of the Bard as part of =
t=3D
he 2012 hoo-hah, so there will be a lot of it about!!
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my iPod
On 23 Apr 2012, at 04:16, Robert Harris wrote:
> And ... ooops. Again.
>=3D20
> Once more unto the breach (sp.! no trous here!), was at the siege of
> Harfleur, and ends famously with "Cry God for Harry, England and Saint
> George", while the St. Crispin's Day speech was just before the actual
> battle of Agincourt and is the source of "We few, we happy few, we
> band of brothers;"
>=3D20
> and goes on ...
>=3D20
> For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
> Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
> This day shall gentle his condition:
> And gentlemen in England now a-bed
> Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
> And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
> That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
>=3D20
> Sorry for my original misquotation. Still, both of them are
> tremendously riveting speeches. Shakespeare after all is meant to be
> seen and heard, not read.
>=3D20
> Robert
>=3D20
>> The St. Crispins Day speech (Once more unto the breech, dear friends,
>> once more) takes on a whole new facet when uttered with power and
>> presence.
>>=3D20
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