It’s All Good!

It’s All Good!It’s All Good!

The The Democratization of Democratization of

IntellectIntellect

Russell McNeilRussell McNeil

Malaspina Great Books

Atmosphere of Venus

Hurricane Katrina

Karl Popper

One Ought to Do Good and avoid evil

We ought to seek the good and avoid the We ought to seek the good and avoid the

badbad

The The GoodGood Life Life

1. Do the Right Thing – moral action1. Do the Right Thing – moral action 2. Seek the Truth – intellectual action2. Seek the Truth – intellectual action

oror

We ought to seek truth because we We ought to seek truth because we ought to do good, and truth is the ought to do good, and truth is the template or standard we reference in template or standard we reference in moral action.moral action.

Titian, Adam and Eve, c. 1550

Entrance to Hell Drawing by Botticelli c. 1500

St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Heraclitus of Ephesos c. 535 BCE – Originator of concept of Logos

Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274)

Spear Bearer Polyclitus c. 420 BCE

Greek Virtues

Intellectual or Contemplative Virtues(goal – seeking the good) – associated with thinking well

PhilosophicPracticalArtisticScientificIntuitive

Moral Virtues(goal – doing good) – associated with choosing actions well

PrudenceJusticeFortitudeTemperance

I think, I amI think, I am – Descartes – Descartes

I think not, I am notI think not, I am not – Implied by – Implied by StoicismStoicism

Christ as Logos

Christ’s CommandmentsChrist’s CommandmentsStrive for Truth and do Good?Strive for Truth and do Good?

Teacher, which is the great commandment in Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (all your soul, and with all your mind (editor: editor: seek the Truthseek the Truth)).' This is the first and great .' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself ((editor: do goodeditor: do good)).' On these two .' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matt. 22:34-40Prophets." Matt. 22:34-40

Primacy of ConsciencePrimacy of Conscience

Democratization of the IntellectDemocratization of the Intellect

1.1. Conscience is a universal Conscience is a universal activityactivity

2.2. Conscience is informed by Conscience is informed by TruthTruth

3.3. Truth is informed by Truth is informed by conscienceconscience

What I ObservedWhat I Observed

• The The ideaidea of abstract of abstract universaluniversal lawlaw

• A A wonder wonder and and desiredesire to know to know whywhy

• There must be There must be governmentgovernment in the cosmos in the cosmos

John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890)

The Idea of the University

Max Born (1882-1970)

Lise Meitner (1878-1968)

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

Cicero (104 BCE – 43 BCE)

Cicero to his son Marcus – a student at the Academy

The principle function of human reason, is the search for Truth. This search is part of the Universal Nature of Man. Truth is the good. And the search for truth - which lies at the root of all wisdom -- defines our duty. Action in conformity with the virtues of wisdom, justice, courage and moderation - or decorum as I call it - is action in conformity with this duty … Actions in conflict with these virtues are abhorrent (Editor: anti-intellectual activities). Pain and pleasure are irrelevant considerations in all actions done in accordance with this duty. Moral goodness consists in being in harmony with the Universal principles of nature - in doing the right thing - and doing the right thing in accordance with the principles of human society. This means that our duty to the gods, to our country, to our parents and to the rest of society - in that order - are prior to any duty to self. Self-interest can never be used as a yardstick for action …

Zero tolerance for anti-intellectual Zero tolerance for anti-intellectual attitudesattitudes

Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Myron 485 BCEMyron 485 BCE

Polyclitus 450 Polyclitus 450 BCEBCE

Praxiteles 364 Praxiteles 364 BCEBCE

Venus 323 Venus 323 BCEBCE

Aphrodite 200 Aphrodite 200 BCEBCE

Laocoon Laocoon

c. 1 BCEc. 1 BCE

Flemalle 1376 Flemalle 1376

Weyden Weyden 13991399

Angelico Angelico 14001400

Christus Christus 14161416

Bellini 1430Bellini 1430

Memling Memling 14301430

Mantegna 1431Mantegna 1431

Ghirlandaio Ghirlandaio 14501450

da Vinci 1452da Vinci 1452

Gerard David Gerard David 14601460

Michelangelo Michelangelo 14751475

Raphael Raphael 14831483

Titian 1487Titian 1487

Correggio Correggio 14891489

Holbein the Holbein the younger 1497younger 1497

Vasari Vasari 15111511

Caron 1521Caron 1521

Fontana Fontana 15521552

Carracci 1573Carracci 1573

Hals Hals 15881588

Gentilesche Gentilesche 15971597

Bernini Bernini 15981598

van Dyck van Dyck 15991599

Leyster Leyster 16091609

Vermeer Vermeer 16321632

Giordano Giordano 16321632

Beale Beale 16321632

Coypel Coypel 16611661

Desportes 1661Desportes 1661

Jacques Louis David 1748Jacques Louis David 1748

Intellectual ToolsIntellectual Tools

• Dante – how to lead an examined lifeDante – how to lead an examined life

• Plato – nature of beauty, justice, and lovePlato – nature of beauty, justice, and love

• Aristotle – how to think, search, persuadeAristotle – how to think, search, persuade

• Christ – how to suffer and how to loveChrist – how to suffer and how to love

• DostoevskyDostoevsky – danger of nihilism – danger of nihilism

• KafkaKafka – danger of alienation – danger of alienation

• Lucian and Swift – detection of Lucian and Swift – detection of pretentiousnesspretentiousness

• Socrates – how to question and how to die Socrates – how to question and how to die

The Sacrifice of Isaac, Caravaggio, 1590-1610, Uffizi Gallery

Rubens 1577Rubens 1577