Contemplation

Dear Colleagues,

This (below) I'd say  would refer to The Liberal Art
(General Education) and not so much to the liberal arts
--the majors and  minors and capstone events. 

There's a difference (Liberal Att / liberal arts)

It would  be a difference that makes a DIFFERENCE
if we were to turn it up, polarize and put the 2 in play--
in sustainable appropriately "hostile" opposition with
neither wining or  losing know what I mean? So we
could realize their complementarity sound of 2 hands
clapping....Gary's 2 Economies, say. Or something like
the tension of C.P. Snow's 2 cultures. 

General Education on the one hand.
Vocational on the other.

Unfortunately we find systems of education today

which have departed so far from the plain truth, that

they now teach us to be proud of what we know and

ashamed of ignorance. This is doubly corrupt. It is

corrupt not only because pride is in itself a mortal sin,

but also because to teach pride in knowledge is to put

up an effective barrier against any advance upon what

is  already known, since it makes one ashamed to look

beyond the bonds imposed by one’s ignorance.

To arrive at the simplest truth, as Newton knew and

practiced, requires years of contemplation. Not activity

Not reasoning. Not calculating. Not busy behavior of

any kind. Not reading. Not talking.  Not making an effort.

Not thinking. Simply bearing in mind what it is one needs

to know. And yet those with the courage to tread this path

to real discovery are not only offered practically no guidance

on how to do so, they are actively discouraged and have to

set about it in secret, pretending meanwhile to be diligently

engaged in the frantic diversions and to conform with the

deadening personal opinions which are being continually

thrust upon them.

From G. Spencer Brown’s Laws of Form.

Brown is a mathematician.  The word

derives from the Indo European mendh : “to learn.”


Ok - I admit I'm not at all sure what he is saying about
"contemplation"--it seems alien to the common sense
notion--
Not reasoning?
Not calculating?
Not busy behavior of any kind?
Not reading? Not talking? 
Not making an effort?
Not thinking?
Simply bearing in mind what it is one needs to know.
A courageous path?
Toward frontiers yet unknown?
How it is we discourage it? Pretending  to be diligently
engaged in frantic  diversions and conforming  with the
deadening  personal opinions continually thrust upon us?

Does any one have  clues what he's talking about here?
Non sense? No sense at all?  And yet ...   Help.

With appreciation, Sam