I found the interview very interesting, not least because it challenged and triggered my own prejudice or opinion and maybe limitation in both exposure to, and depth of knowledge of philosophy and science.
However, I also struggled in my own school days and since in being invited or forced to identify myself with ‘the arts’ or ‘science’ when I was passionate about both. I saw them not as separated or opposite but ‘views’ of the same entity. So I relate to much in Professor Dean Rickles’s early experience and his overview across a wide range of views or as we choose to call them disciplines.
My concern is that there can be a seductive danger in jumping from one ‘view’ to another. As a graduate of art college and then a psychologist I have learned and experienced the way the human mind or perhaps brain (a whole other debate) has an almost irresistible need to see subjective patterns and connections in what maybe random or chaos. or
We seem to create our own world using the particular range of perception of our 5+ senses.
The issue of death and our relationship with our own certain and inevitable oblivion is key to almost all.
It’s my experience both personally wing a disabled person from 5 years old and now in my 70s and living with cancer that death and loss are lurking always as a driver and manipulator of of our human experience and motivation.
My own close brushes with the possibility of death have been a few but what they mean, how I use and or ignore the intimate closeness of oblivion has been very different at different times of my life.
To be maybe a little trite I think that all roads do lead to Rome (or death ) but it’s a vast complex destination that we are constantly roaming around and visiting throughout our lives. The stoic and Buddhist idea of contemplating death and actually loss does seem to be both logical and sensible as it is there for us all, all the time and so to not pay attention to it or live as if it isn’t going to happen gives it a subconscious destructive power over us - or nearly all of us.
I do look forward to reading the book and challenge both my ability to grasp the interdisciplinary complexity with less suspicion.
Thank you for a fascinating and thought provoking interview.
I found the interview very interesting, not least because it challenged and triggered my own prejudice or opinion and maybe limitation in both exposure to, and depth of knowledge of philosophy and science.
However, I also struggled in my own school days and since in being invited or forced to identify myself with ‘the arts’ or ‘science’ when I was passionate about both. I saw them not as separated or opposite but ‘views’ of the same entity. So I relate to much in Professor Dean Rickles’s early experience and his overview across a wide range of views or as we choose to call them disciplines.
My concern is that there can be a seductive danger in jumping from one ‘view’ to another. As a graduate of art college and then a psychologist I have learned and experienced the way the human mind or perhaps brain (a whole other debate) has an almost irresistible need to see subjective patterns and connections in what maybe random or chaos. or
We seem to create our own world using the particular range of perception of our 5+ senses.
The issue of death and our relationship with our own certain and inevitable oblivion is key to almost all.
It’s my experience both personally wing a disabled person from 5 years old and now in my 70s and living with cancer that death and loss are lurking always as a driver and manipulator of of our human experience and motivation.
My own close brushes with the possibility of death have been a few but what they mean, how I use and or ignore the intimate closeness of oblivion has been very different at different times of my life.
To be maybe a little trite I think that all roads do lead to Rome (or death ) but it’s a vast complex destination that we are constantly roaming around and visiting throughout our lives. The stoic and Buddhist idea of contemplating death and actually loss does seem to be both logical and sensible as it is there for us all, all the time and so to not pay attention to it or live as if it isn’t going to happen gives it a subconscious destructive power over us - or nearly all of us.
I do look forward to reading the book and challenge both my ability to grasp the interdisciplinary complexity with less suspicion.
Thank you for a fascinating and thought provoking interview.