Hi everyone
I read the message from Steve as raising an issue akin to "local versus
global" or "part versus whole", not in a dualistic way but rather as a
dialectic where all is related. "Where are we?" is a question that can
be answered as a reference on a global map or a description of the local
bioregion; the two, however, should be related. How does the experience
at Mt. Kenya relate with interpersonal relationship aims designed for
improving work practice? They seemingly relate quite well if the total
picture/system you are viewing is the practice of OE/AE/AP (etc.). They
maybe don't relate as well if the dialectic is true to the system as a
whole, of which OE/AE/AP is only just a part. As Steve identified, there
are a number of further relations between what we are doing and the
larger world which need to be questioned. This, I think, shows a
fundamental "need". As members of the field of OE/AE/AP (etc.) we should
remember, in the context of our work, that we are not the whole, but a
small part. Our philosophy is not yet grounded in the larger arguments
of our day and the preceding history. I have read OE/AE/AP articles that
refer to Dewey, Plato, Thoreau - (this does show the influence of the
Americans, although it may just be problems with my literature search
skills). Has anyone in our field criticised the work of Dewey, Plato,
Thoreau or discussed other people's criticisms of their thoughts. What
about other philosophers, other points of view? I am definitely no
expert here, but how does our field sit with the work of people such as
Marx, Weber, Bourdieu, Heidegger, Foucault, etc.? We need some people to
start getting into situating us within philosophical time and space, as
well as the more physical meanings normally attributed to these terms.
This may not meet the immediate needs of the "industry" but the long
term health benefits of knowing a bit more about your place in the
larger scheme of things, your identity in the "bigger pond", issomething
worth striving for, especially if it does help us to more clearly
perceive what it is we are actually doing (amongst all the other things
going on in the world). Anyway - some thoughts and proposed actions
which I don't yet put my hand up for - but I'd love to read any work
that others may have written/found in this area!
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