|
|
|
Creativity/Morality...,
Morality...,
Experts...,
Vagabond
Thank you for calling my attention to your two VAGABOND articles. I don't quite see why you did, but that is immaterial. I am a afraid there is not much resonance at my end. The whole approach is rather alien to my way of thinking. To the extent that your text is based on currently accepted facts, I am not competent to give an opinion. To the extent that you describe personal views, I have to say that I mostly disagree with them.
A few examples to give you the (probably repellent) flavour of my reactions.
> because the mysterious propioception remains and cannot disappear .....
From a cursory look at dictionaries, proprioception (which you consistently deprive of its 'r') does not seem to be regarded as all that mysterious.
> In the passion of painting . . . one has a warm feeling in the ............
Le Brun described the experience that doing something you like doing makes you feel good. Where is the mystery? (Except perhaps for some details at the physiological or biochemical level?)
> Propioception, being synthetical not analytical, is, as we ...........
This sounds to me strange and unlikely, but I am not competent to argue. "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with facts"?? Not at all, within my limits of interest and understanding and time, I am always open to instruction.
> Morality is one of humanity's main philosophical preoccupations ...........
Animals living in groups have developed rules of behaviour affecting quality of life, and these rules are "naturally" followed or enforced one way or another. In the human case, we use the word 'morality' for this body of rules, which, by the way, differ between and within groups (tribes, cultures, times ...). Historians and anthropologists have the evidence, I think.
Religions, in addition to their original role of providing comfort and provisional explanations for the environmental dangers, also used to be of assistance in enforcing the rules.
> Christianity is the most 'empathetic' religion of all as it ............
As exemplified by the refreshing tolerance extended between various denominations and creeds, or towards Jews and other infidels, or in the wars of religion, or by the Inquisition--be it in previous centuries or in our day...???
Nothing personal.
Greetings! Rudi Borth
rborth@orc.ca>
rborth@orc.ca
Rudi -- Usually I contact people through their homepages of similar interests, but, as you perhaps don't have one, I may have found you in a discussion group. Thank you for pointing out my misspelling of proprioception; it's corrected now. If proprioception is so well understood I'd happily be in the number of those enlightened. We know that art made Le Brun feel good, but it is important to question WHY the act of painting made him feel good. Everybody takes for granted the pleasure caused by good food, drink, company, love, but the origin of creative pleasure is less clear and that's what interests me. When causes have no rational explanation, the effects deserve investigation. Le Brun, an artist with an obviously investigative mind, had a right to ask himself 'why' creative, non- practical activity exists and he found the answer in the link between brain, senses and body (pleasure). This pleasure, being reserved for humans, makes creativity an evolutionary psychosomatic trend whose 'goal' must be 'rejuvenation.'
Morality is more than a body of rules. On the individual level it's an empathetic instinct you're either born with or not. All the religions were tolerant in their beginnings, and all became corrupt with time, even the ultra pacifist Buddhism has lost its velvet.
Greetings too. WM
Dearest Vagabond,
Your piece on morality fits well with my notion of living, though I do not,
personally, find that morality needs to be subtended by a religion. Being
empathetic requires that one be moral in a loving sense otherwise life
would be intolerable.
I'll read some more of the vagabond's pages and comment as moved to do so.
A fellow traveler - Linda.
Thanks Linda -- I didn't write that morality is subtended by religion. For me it's rather a process in the reverse direction. WM
I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. On my site, I address the connections between the "New World Order" and the "New Order" in the course of another essay entitled, "The Gulf War: Origins and Motivations."
I recently moved my web site to a new location (see below), and I would be interested in your thoughts on any of the essays I've posted there. I will make a note of your site and check it out, too.
Benjamin
benmoss@primenet.com
http://www.primenet.com/~benmoss/
"-turning from the tremendous lie of sleep
I watch the roses of the day grow deep"
ee cummings
Benjamin -- "Noblesse oblige," I'll be pleased to visit your web site soon. WM
You have an interesting cybermag in VAGABOND. If you are interested in submitting to ELECTRIC SOUP, we'd be delighted to review your work for our Community of Writers feature. We're accepting submissions now for Volume 11 which will be placed in January, 1999. Send a bio as I'm sure it would be interesting . . . background on Vagabond, too, if you decide to submit!
Our magazine has been supported by Hunterdon Foundation Grants as well as presently by AT&T Grants. It has received a 1995-96 NJ Best Educational Practices Award and been discussed on the Jim Lehrer News Hour as well as Caucus NJ.
Florence McGinn, ELECTRIC SOUP
defaultuser@domain.com
Florence -- I feel honoured by your proposal and I'll try to elaborate something for 'Electric Soup.' I understand that I can take some time -- a good thing for me as I'm trying to get rid of a backlog of duties. WM
Hi William,
Enjoyed looking at your website - wise words and an important spiritual
and moral resource base. I would like to see more of your artwork. Have
bookmarked your site and look forward to reading more of your wise and
balanced articles in the future.
Best regards
Please tell me where I might purchase Vagabond Monthly in the New York
City area.
Many thanks !
I've received requests like this in the past. Some opinions from the readership and especially from those with experience of printing hard copy magazines would be appreciated. WM
Just a note to say that I learnt of your web page from Reality and Meaning journal.
Well done.
Stephen Mooney
Jess
jess artem
granolahead@webtv.net (Philip Moran)
mooney@hitech.net.au
Back to the index of the Vagabond
© Copyright 1998 
William Markiewicz
Brought to you with the help of PD