SPECULATION: From wannabe to be: Developing up to the blog title

I don’t remember when I changed the title of this blog from “Laura’s Writings” to “Musings of a Peripatetic Wannabe-Sage,” but I know it’s high time to work on developing up to the title.

Definitions. So, what do I mean by Peripatetic Wannabe Sage? I’ll start with simple definitions. When I first used the phrase, “peripatetic” referred to the fact that, as a transit commuter, I walk a lot. But the term has taken on additional meaning over the years. During doctoral studies [Ipassed & Iwalked], interdisciplinary integration became increasingly important, especially in the context of the integration of faith and learning [dissertation: Becoming Exemplar Integrators of Faith and Learning: A Phenomenological Description]. The dictionary defines “peripatetic” as “walking or traveling about; itinerant." I walk about among ideas. As a thinker, I am on a journey. If I have a home base, it is ecclesiology, but my reading and thinking are all over the map. While “wannabe” carries the idea of trying to be something one is not—and there may be some of that here—I mostly use the term to mean I’ve not arrived. I’m not sure it’s ever wise to proclaim that one is a sage. It works better as a bestowed term. The dictionary defines “sage” as “a profoundly wise person; a person famed for wisdom." I’m definitely NOT making that claim. I also mean something a bit less than that lofty definition. I mean someone who intentionally connects knowledge to living well.

Theory. As I think about designing my development process, two theories come to mind. I came across the idea of being antifragile  earlier this year. In a nutshell, it refers to a system that improves when confronted with challenge and struggle. I’ve not honed in on what that means for this process, but at minimum, it means becoming a peripatetic sage needs a process that is improved by challenge. Dancing on the monkey bars has the idea of a stable, grounded structure on which persons-in-community can freely create and innovate.

Purpose. The process of becoming a peripatetic sage has the ultimate purpose of proclaiming God’s glory. There are also purposes along the way. Inviting truth and creativity carries out some of the ideas behind dancing on the monkey bars. Truth is required as the stable, grounded structure. Only when we have truth can we play and explore, discerning new connections and making new manifestations. Supporting intellectual engagement in community is the reason I’m doing this in public rather than in a paper journal that only I will see. This process will most certainly need engagement with others, for a sage-in-process never develops apart from community.

Context. Here at the beginning of the design venture, three bits of the structure are suggested.

This process will take place in at least three overlapping contexts. Telic context relates to ultimates and determines whyness. This is God’s domain, though he has given us special (Scripture) and general (Creation) revelation to let us in on his priorities. Design context relates to self and shapes whatness. God made each of us as individuals, having capacities, passions, and cultures that shape what we focus on as thinkers. Audience context relates to recipients and guides to howness. The methods used to communicate must align with how people hear.

Means and ends can be good or bad. Good means and ends are determined by the overlap of God’s rule, our passions and capacities, and the needs of others. This may mean that as much as I want the blog to work, another venue may be more fitting. We’ll see.

The ethos I’m going for is synergistic responsibility. The phrase just occurred to me and needs more pondering (What do I mean? How do others use the phrase?). Basically, wise thinking is a partnership made up of God, others, and self. All have responsibilities in the endeavor, and all the responsibilities work together to make something multiplicative rather than additive. I’m dipping in this pool over the next few days and should have some idea of what I’m talking about next week.

So, that’s it: I want to be a peripatetic sage. I’ve only a sketch of an idea of how to begin. We’ll see what happens.

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(C) Laura Springer

Musings of a peripatetic wannabe-sage by Laura Springer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License..