Consilience - Or, everything I know about something came from everything, and vice versa........

Consilience - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

I read Edwin O. Wilson's book on this subject some years ago, and though it was not an easy read, it was an eye opening one for me. I'd often felt that disparate avenues of knowledge and expertise could benefit and inform one another (ie.: auto-mechanics could possibly learn much from Philosophy and vice-versa ; poets could learn from astro-physicists; plumbers could teach Art historians) but, I never realized that this was actually a burgeoning philosophy of learning and gathering knowledge. I thought this phenomenon was just a weird, random way of looking at things that I'd stumbled upon. And, I'd only really moved past the novelty of the idea to an actually methodology when I'd reached mid-Life and found this approach to feed me and edify me far more than it let me down.  I came to believe,  the elements of the Universe (not just the physical ones, mind you) largely are what they are... it is now only their combinations that are the nearly infinite and abundant..... and which stand to teach us much and move us forward.

There is a natural tendency in the expansion of knowledge over time for that knowledge to branch and specialize. This is not a bad thing, of itself, but can tend to lead to a situation where current specialization over-values itself to the denigration and dismissal of general knowledge. This is the nut of the problem. It leads folks to come up with absurd abstractions to try to open their eyes to the immensely variegated phenomenon of temporal and spacial existence: abstractions like "Let's think outside the box." As though there were a box in the first place. There is no box. The box is an artificial construct built by the natural inclination of Specialization to value itself over Generalization, because Specialization eventually finds the focus of the "Micro" of itself to be over-whelming and ultimately exclusive of the "Macro" of all other potential avenues of exploration and inquiry. The "box" is a self imposed, and ultimately false construct; that is if its validity is purported to be concrete and naturally manifest in and of itself. It may have its usefulness, this cordoning and grouping, such as facilitating the making of incisive inquiry that is not sullied by a background noise of irrelevancies... but, ultimately, it is important to remember that that "box" is no more real or naturally evident than a set of subset brackets.

This is ultimately why I don't try to learn too much about my pursuit, Theatre, by watching Theatre. Not that I completely eschew that activity... I love Theatre, not just as a practitioner, but as an appreciator, as an audience member. But, I go with the Danish Prince's pontification on what the purpose of Theatre is: "To hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to Nature". This is important. If I am to truly to pursue a reflection of value, then what I am charged to reflect is the myriad of aspects of temporal and spacial existence. If I do not... if I only watch Theatre to help me do Theatre.... then I am holding the mirror up to the mirror. And if you've ever been to a barber shop or hair salon and sat between two large mirrors, you know the situation created: an ultimately false infinitude of infinite digression. Fascinating to contemplate, but ultimately an exercise in limiting, not expanding observation.

"To see the World in a grain of sand" is what the Buddhists say... and that is my hope. And, on those rare occasions of an awareness of concilience; the unity in the diversity; the macro in the micro... and vice versa... in those moments, I find immortality in the temporal and boundlessness within spacial dimensions.

Consilience: Here's to it.

and he bent to it again.............

Clark Nicholson:



'via Blog this'
So, when I'm not nuts... like I have been for the past year or so, I like to try to adhere daily to something I call "The Four Things". I feel like if I do these four things every day... or if I at least try to get these four things done every day, then I'll make positive gains in the quality of my life and I'll more easily be able to do the things that are important to me and that give me pleasure. So, I try each day to:

1. Read: it can be for work, but ideally, it should be something that I enjoy. Like a novel, a selection of poetry, some good comics, a play that I've always wanted to read. It can't just be obligatory reading.

2. Write: it can be in a private journal. In blog form. In a well thought out exchange on social media... it doesn't matter what form it takes as long as it is of a length and depth that requires some mental and stylistic investment. It can't just be the answer to work emails. Although, a long and heartfelt email to a friend or family member will meet the bill, as well.

3. Exercise: It can be at the gym, hiking on a mountain, doing stretches on a picnic table in a park, it doesn't matter... but just saying "I've had a busy day." doesn't  count.

4. Play guitar: Not just noodling, but I need to do some scale work, and I need to practice actual songs. It's my hope to play in front of folks by the end of the year, and I'd like to have at least 20 or so songs well practiced by my birthday on Nov. 4th.

And, I'd like to add

5. Welsh: I'm trying to learn this language and I need to spend at least a half an hour a day in vocab drills.

And, once a week I want to work with Gamut's Improv Troupe, "TMI" as well as participating in some Duo work once a week.

Aaaaaand.... I've got little excuse not to do this. I'm through with mainstage work at the theater for a bit. Just finished a very satisfying run of Ronald Harwood's "The Dresser", which I really enjoyed, but was quite exhausting. I know that in the past I've tried to do The Four Things (Now 5) and rarely accomplished all of it. But, I'm going to really concentrate on this for the next 9 months or so... I don't have to worry about the Park Show, as I have delegated that to Karen Ruch and I know that that will be in good hands... so, outside of a few things here and there, and a real need to get back down to SC to check on Mom and Dad.. well, I should be able to focus.

I need to. I do not want to roll into my Fifties in the midst of a down-hill slide. So.... here's to new directions. If I don't get it absolutely right each day, I can't let it de-rail me.

Here we go... chugging out of the station........