Hi Nick,

(I've been out of circulation for almost a fortnight, and I was just
re-reading your chapters 4 and 5. More comment on those later.)

I think this suggestion here is very important; something I did
suggest myself earlier, that we need a "democratic constitution". I
very much support this.

I've seen ad-hoc interest groups go to the dogs before because
personal representation of the greater whole founders on unnecessarily
diverting personal conflicts, or unhealthy cultish grouping around
favoured individuals. I know with a lot of "free-spirits" on board,
the idea of institutionalisation may appear to be an anathema to our
kind of wisdom, but it is important we protect and represent the
collective good here.

Interestingly I drafted a constitution (unsuccessfully so far) for a
parallel group "Friends of Quality" recently, so I have some ideas on
how to minimise the intrusiveness of such institutionalisation on our
dynamic freedoms. Let me know if and how I can help with ideas /
mechanics of this.

Regards
Ian

On 11/8/06, Nicholas Maxwell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Dear Friends of Wisdom,
>
>                                     I have a number of
> matters to report.
>
> 1. A week or so ago I had the temerity to suggest to an academic philosophy
> of science emailing list I belong to (894 members) that philosophy of
> science had "lost the plot" because it made no attempt to change science,
> and academia more generally, so that they come to devote reason to helping
> promote human welfare.  This provoked a frenzy of replies - and rather
> surprisingly, a number expressed sympathy with what I said.
>
> 2.  I have been asked by Professor Ronald Barnett (London Institute of
> Education) to co-edit with him an issue of the new journal "London Review of
> Education" devoted to wisdom.  This wisdom issue will be published in July
> 2007 (and may result in a book).  A number of authors are contributing; most
> are members of Friends of Wisdom.
>
> 3. I have been in discussion with Mark Levene of Crisis-Forum and Chris
> Langley of Scientists for Global Responsibility about organizing a series of
> 6 public lectures, to be held in the Autumn of 2007.  The provisional
> overall title of the series is 'The Academy and Global Crisis, Why are our
> Universities Failing Us?'.
>
> 4. Some of us have been discussing the possibility of having a Friends of
> Wisdom Conference in the Summer of 2008.
> 5. Items 2 to 4 make it imperative, in my view, that we create a Friends of
> Wisdom society, with a constitution, a well-defined membership, and an
> elected Committee, including a Chair person and a Secretary.  We need
> elected people to act, as I have been doing without being elected, on behalf
> of Friends of Wisdom.  It would help, too, with communicating with the
> media.  I have had preliminary discussions with Mat Iredale (who helps me
> run our emailing list) about a constitution.  I propose we proceed as
> follows.  Mat and I draw up a candidate constitution, which we then email to
> all Friends of Wisdom for discussion.  If necessary, we could vote on
> modifications, and on whether it should be accepted.  The idea would be that
> the Friends of Wisdom Society would overlap with, but would not be the same
> thing as, the Friends of Wisdom emailing list.
>
>                             All good wishes,
>
>                                           Nick
> www.nick-maxwell.demon.co.uk
>
>
>