But Modernism is on its last legs, and we can trace many of the death blows. Throughout the 20th century, here are a few that emerged:
Science discovers that the reality described by Newton’s law of gravity and Cartesian dualism can’t account for the new discoveries made at the subatomic level, nor make sense of discoveries across galactic space. The more we discover, the more we are pointed toward a new quantum reality that isn’t as predictable, observable, or universal as we once thought. It’s annoyingly particular, random, and unique.
Religions split and split and split in the search of the most pure expression, and along the way, undermine and even kill the outsiders who are deemed impure.
Social scientists recognize the bias inherent to the dominant culture, and the reality that the victors write the history.
Linguists discover how the words we use are not only culturally defined, but actually shape how we think and how we view the world. Their influence creeps over into neuroscience and philosophy, which begins to see all the ways human beings create as well as discover meaning.
Most of all, two world wars, the Holocaust, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and terrorism around the globe force us to realize that we can’t seem to find that benevolent, blind, impartial justice, or the universal goodness which raises all humanity to more heavenly heights. We find instead an oppression of partiality and bias baked right into this supposed universal goodness “we” (the majority) have discovered and are pursuing.
So, now what?
I’ve been reading with curiosity and gratitude your posts about “Constructing Truth.” I’ve spent a lot of time with the idea of wisdom recently. Many see a pyramid: data as the base, knowledge is the connections we draw between pieces of data . Wisdom answers question of why is this important. The following quote points to the diminishing of knowledge as wisdom grows.
“In a sense, knowledge shrinks as wisdom grows, for details are swallowed up in principles. The details for knowledge…will be picked up ad hoc in each avocation of life, but the habit of the active utilization of well-understood principles is the final possession of wisdom.” – Alfred North Whitehead
Would you see this vision of what wisdom is, “well-understood principles” as a modern fallacy?
It seems curiosity, a posture of learning and openness to having ones perspective upended are keys to wisdom, as you speak of it, which require a continual search for data representing perspectives and experiences that are different from ones own.
Thanks Irene! Great thoughts, and your first part about the pyramid will very much echo things I will share in the days ahead.
Yes, I think in some ways Whitehead’s close betrays the modern fallacy, or at least could do so if one isn’t careful. In coming days I’ll also talk about the danger (going back to Plato) of becoming more and more detached from the the physical/material world, and how that is unhealthy.
I’m with you: wisdom requires interaction with data. It needs to stay connected to the physical world.