Dear Friends of Wisdom,
First of all, I would like to welcome those who have joined Friends of
Wisdom during the last two or three months.
We have two emailing lists:
1. [log in to unmask]
2. [log in to unmask]
Everyone belongs to the first. Only those who want to take part in
discussion, or receive emails discussing specific issues, belong to the
second. The two lists are set up in such a way that if you reply to the
first (or to the second), your email is sent to the second list.
Lots of emails have been sent to the second emailing list since it was
created in June of this year, but the first emailing list has fallen silent.
This prompts me to suggest what should, and what should not, be sent to the
first list.
Our website, www.knowledgetowisdom.org , characterizes Friends of Wisdom
like this:- "This is an association of people sympathetic to the idea that
academic inquiry should help humanity acquire more wisdom by rational means.
Wisdom is taken to be the capacity to realize what is of value in life, for
oneself and others. ... Friends of Wisdom try to encourage universities and
schools actively to seek and promote wisdom by educational and intellectual
means."
Emails that convey information, ask questions, put forward proposals, raise
issues, or make criticisms that are directly related to the basic concerns
of the Friends of Wisdom should be sent to the first list. Discussion of
points raised should be carried on in the second list. If such discussion
seems especially relevant to the basic concerns of Friends of Wisdom, then
it would seem reasonable that an email, summing up the outcome of the
discussion, should be sent to the first list.
On the 17th May 2006 I sent an email to the (first) list suggesting that we
had two tasks before us: (A) to work out what kind of academic inquiry can
best seek and promote wisdom, and (B) to get across to academics and
non-academics alike that there is an urgent need to transform academia so
that it takes up its proper task of pursuing wisdom. I would like to
suggest that contributions to (A) should begin with what is set out on our
website on the Home page, and on the pages Basic Argument, What Went Wrong?
and What Needs to Change. We have, so far, not made much headway with (B).
Suggestions would be very welcome.
Best wishes,
Nick Maxwell
www.nick-maxwell.demon.co.uk
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