This philosophy of living weaves two complementary approaches: the way of simplicity and paths of thoroughness. The way of simplicity you have illustrated in your comments on the first two posts.
A path of thoroughness is an excellent map for a careful inquiry or course of action. We can walk these paths in the degree of thoroughness that suits our purpose, exploring details, considering difficulties, spending time in study and discussion and silence. Paths of thoroughness complement the way of simplicity.
True simplicity has depth that we acquire by walking paths of thoroughness.
The long path to mature love takes patience and pondering, and it is designed to complement the short path—the immediate availability of love found in communion. The long path depends at all times on the short path, which is enriched by each forward step on the long path.
When we are living at our best, we rely on the simplicity of intuition most of the time. Only occasionally to we take time to do our best thinking in thoroughness; but study and reflection sharpen intuition. Our best thinking prepares our best decisions, which establish a foundation for trustworthy, spontaneous, intuitive responses.
This philosophy works with three main paths of thoroughness, three great sequences. The first two have just three elements: (1) the values of truth, beauty, goodness; and (2) the dimensions, material, intellectual, and spiritual. The last is a seven-fold path: (3) science, philosophy, spiritual experience; the beauties of nature and the arts; morality and character. This seven-fold path of thoroughness we will pursue during the coming months.
The sequences must not be taken in a dogmatic way; variations on them can be very instructive.
Can you recall something of your quality of thinking, how you feel, and how you act when you are living at your best? What tastes do those times give you of truth, beauty, and goodness? Do these sequences help you interpret the way of simplicity as you understand it? You know how grateful we all would be if you would respond.
Get active. Develop and put into practice an excellent philosophy of living. Join the conversation. Pass the word.
The image comes from
Jeff has said that “True simplicity has depth that we acquire by walking paths of thoroughness.”
This statement rings a chord of profound truth within me. Revelation of values of truth, beauty and goodness are revealed in simplicity, but these same values take on increased meaning as we experience thus increasing the richness and depth of them. I am often amazed at the increase in new meanings out of old ones. It is as if the values are being drained of all their experiential meanings which of course is the process of thoroughness. The beauty of all of this is of course the values are eternal, infinite and absolute so that no bottom exists. The well of values and meanings can not be exhausted.
You are right; inexhaustible is the word. Sometimes we say “truth, beauty, and goodness” in a flat, factual way, as if we are naming three varieties of rabbit. Values require a different quality of expression. I used to tell people, “I’m working on a philosophy of living in truth, beauty, and goodness,” and their eyes would glaze over. Then I started saying it differently, pausing for a few seconds after each phrase to let the thought sink in. “I’m working on a philosophy of living, and the main idea is that you want a life based on truth . . . .” Light would come into their eyes. “Responsive to beauty . . . .” A smile would come. “And governed by goodness . . . .” The power of it struck home. Most people expressed interest in what I was doing.
Jeff has said that “True simplicity has depth that we acquire by walking paths of thoroughness.”
This statement rings a chord of profound truth within me. Revelation of values of truth, beauty and goodness are revealed in simplicity, but these same values take on increased meaning as we experience thus increasing the richness and depth of them. I am often amazed at the increase in new meanings out of old ones. It is as if the values are being drained of all their experiential meanings which of course is the process of thoroughness. The beauty of all of this is of course the values are eternal, infinite and absolute so that no bottom exists. The well of values and meanings can not be exhausted.
You are right; inexhaustible is the word. Sometimes we say “truth, beauty, and goodness” in a flat, factual way, as if we are naming three varieties of rabbit. Values require a different quality of expression. I used to tell people, “I’m working on a philosophy of living in truth, beauty, and goodness,” and their eyes would glaze over. Then I started saying it differently, pausing for a few seconds after each phrase to let the thought sink in. “I’m working on a philosophy of living, and the main idea is that you want a life based on truth . . . .” Light would come into their eyes. “Responsive to beauty . . . .” A smile would come. “And governed by goodness . . . .” The power of it struck home. Most people expressed interest in what I was doing.
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for opening up the discussion in this format. I have paid many visits to your other websites over the past decade or so, and I am glad you have offered your wisdom as facilitator here.
Can we discuss why the matrix doesn’t cover the intersection of “Material” with “Good”?
I would think that at the very least it could cover the kinds of material blessings or ‘provisions’ which are ours simply by being born on the planet.
The whole question of utility and fitness as ‘goods’ might also fall into this slot, and it is one that ought not to be neglected, since some schools insist that these two comprise the whole of ethics.
The blank box also brings to mind the question of possible divine providences. Our Heavenly Father, we are told, takes care even of the sparrows – and I notice that if we do what the Son has said and actually “look at the birds,” to see for ourselves, we will find that they spend the entire day working their tails off to gather this divinely appointed provender. So we need not think of divine providence as a gift independent of hard work, due diligence, and natural consequences.
All the other squares in the matrix have more interest to me, but I think we can spiritual philosophers without ignoring the concept of “material good”
John, thanks much for raising the topic that I did not go into in my post except to confess that stuffing items into the Goodness column did not go smoothly. You are totally right: morality certainly does involve contact with material reality; maybe I should associate it with both the material and intellectual dimensions. Since morality involves the exercise of moral reason, it can be associated with the intellectual dimension. Another reason to associate morality with the intellectual dimension is that ethics (closely associated with morality) may be understood as a reflection on morality and as an application of morality (mainly pertaining to one-to-one relationships) to social systems of three or more persons. What do you think is best? Should I simply list morality in the material dimension? In class, I write this up in different ways from week to week. Sometimes I say that the truth and beauty columns ascend from material awareness to spiritual experience, whereas true goodness descends from the spiritual through the intellectual to the material dimension. I do think the matrix has some value, but the puzzle we’re discussing shows its limitations (always worth noting). At the very least, what I can do next time–starting now!–is to add some of this commentary.
Jeff, I agree with your rationale but would recommend against putting the same language into both intellectual and material intersections for Goodness-values.
I get more mileage by differentiating between a “morality of utility” (material pursuit of goodness) and an “ethics of duty” (intellectual pursuit of goodness). I say “pursuit of” because I think it is implicit in the matrix – the three spiritual values always suggest themselves as goals of destiny, not current possessions in full, but current aims of attainment.
In fact, this matrix takes on additional power for me as an outline of the path of thoroughness when I tweak the labels a bit to reflect this implicit search.
If the three supreme values represent that side of The Path of Thoroughness which indicates right desire or >>thoroughness of object or aim<>thoroughness of means or method<< without which our search is incomplete:
“in and with Spirit”
“in and with Mind”
“in and with Matter”
The unspoken agency underlining the whole vertical frame is of course Personality (personal-reality)
Finally, I don’t recommend using the same language, “spiritual experience,” to cover all three aspects of the spiritual search for supreme value. I understand the dangers of rigidity in too much structure, but we reach a point where important distinctions vanish if we don’t strive for some differentiation.
How about:
(Seek Truth in and with Spirit) via “personal and group religious experience”
(Seek Beauty in and with Spirit) via “triumph over contrast between finite and infinite”
(Seek Goodness in and with Spirit) via “service, altruism, love”
I don’t mean to dictate – you asked if the matrix helps, and I must say "yes" and thank you for a stimulating exercise.
Ooops, I inserted double-carrots in my text to emphasize two phrases which were handled very roughly by the comment formatter.
what I meant to have published there is the following
If the three supreme values represent the side of the path of thoroughness which requires a thoroughness of object or aim in life, the horizontal frame ought to invite us to:
“Seek Truth”
“Seek Beauty”
“Seek Goodness”
The vertical frame, meanwhile ought to suggest the thoroughness of means or method:
“in and with Spirit”
“in and with Mind”
“in and with Matter”
Jeff, do you know if I can use standard html in my comments? Well let me experiment by trying to italicize my two phrases:
[i]thoroughness of object or aim[/i]
[i]thoroughness of means or method[/i]
I’ll leave the result to speak for itself.
One of the most important things about this philosophy of living is that individuals are free to differ, change, interact, and grow in the process. I will continue to think about your comments, though I will stay with this seven-fold path, which I regard to be an excellent path of thoroughness. I, too, sometimes differentiate spiritual experience: our supreme experience of truth/reality; the joy and liberty that comes through the beauty of that experience, and our participation (receptive and active) in divine goodness. The matrix with all its limitations is nothing more than a device; in class, on the white board, there are no lines separating segments across the top and (sometimes) no lines separating material and intellectual in the Goodness column. Sometimes I put the major themes in a circle. Whatever the limitations of the matrix, the underlying realities matter greatly.
One of my most fascinating experiences with the matrix was teaching Albert Camus’ Myth of Sisyphus (for a colleague who was ill; it is not a book that I would select); I found that this atheistic philosopher had his own version of all seven of these themes. Another thing that I find useful in teaching is to illustrate how the matrix may be used to represent very different approaches in philosophy, such as positivism, which regards religion as belonging to humankind’s age of ignorance and superstition (at the bottom); philosophy as a step forward liberating from fear; and science at the top as the only reliable path to truth. Thus, I make it clear that my way of presenting things with the spiritual at the top represents my own conviction.
These three values, considered flexibly (!) through these dimensions, elaborated in these seven topics give students framework for integration, a framework sorely needed in this age of fragmentation. The greatest downside to symbolizing all of this in a set of nine boxes is that the matrix takes a step toward a dogmatic intellectual system, which freezes concepts. When we formulate truth by ourselves, it dies on the vine.
I appreciate your sustained interaction.
The matrix will be saved for live occasions or maybe a YouTube video someday where I can unfold it with appropriate sequence, visual appropriateness, commentary, and flexibility.
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for opening up the discussion in this format. I have paid many visits to your other websites over the past decade or so, and I am glad you have offered your wisdom as facilitator here.
Can we discuss why the matrix doesn’t cover the intersection of “Material” with “Good”?
I would think that at the very least it could cover the kinds of material blessings or ‘provisions’ which are ours simply by being born on the planet.
The whole question of utility and fitness as ‘goods’ might also fall into this slot, and it is one that ought not to be neglected, since some schools insist that these two comprise the whole of ethics.
The blank box also brings to mind the question of possible divine providences. Our Heavenly Father, we are told, takes care even of the sparrows – and I notice that if we do what the Son has said and actually “look at the birds,” to see for ourselves, we will find that they spend the entire day working their tails off to gather this divinely appointed provender. So we need not think of divine providence as a gift independent of hard work, due diligence, and natural consequences.
All the other squares in the matrix have more interest to me, but I think we can spiritual philosophers without ignoring the concept of “material good”
John, thanks much for raising the topic that I did not go into in my post except to confess that stuffing items into the Goodness column did not go smoothly. You are totally right: morality certainly does involve contact with material reality; maybe I should associate it with both the material and intellectual dimensions. Since morality involves the exercise of moral reason, it can be associated with the intellectual dimension. Another reason to associate morality with the intellectual dimension is that ethics (closely associated with morality) may be understood as a reflection on morality and as an application of morality (mainly pertaining to one-to-one relationships) to social systems of three or more persons. What do you think is best? Should I simply list morality in the material dimension? In class, I write this up in different ways from week to week. Sometimes I say that the truth and beauty columns ascend from material awareness to spiritual experience, whereas true goodness descends from the spiritual through the intellectual to the material dimension. I do think the matrix has some value, but the puzzle we’re discussing shows its limitations (always worth noting). At the very least, what I can do next time–starting now!–is to add some of this commentary.
Jeff, I agree with your rationale but would recommend against putting the same language into both intellectual and material intersections for Goodness-values.
I get more mileage by differentiating between a “morality of utility” (material pursuit of goodness) and an “ethics of duty” (intellectual pursuit of goodness). I say “pursuit of” because I think it is implicit in the matrix – the three spiritual values always suggest themselves as goals of destiny, not current possessions in full, but current aims of attainment.
In fact, this matrix takes on additional power for me as an outline of the path of thoroughness when I tweak the labels a bit to reflect this implicit search.
If the three supreme values represent that side of The Path of Thoroughness which indicates right desire or >>thoroughness of object or aim<>thoroughness of means or method<< without which our search is incomplete:
“in and with Spirit”
“in and with Mind”
“in and with Matter”
The unspoken agency underlining the whole vertical frame is of course Personality (personal-reality)
Finally, I don’t recommend using the same language, “spiritual experience,” to cover all three aspects of the spiritual search for supreme value. I understand the dangers of rigidity in too much structure, but we reach a point where important distinctions vanish if we don’t strive for some differentiation.
How about:
(Seek Truth in and with Spirit) via “personal and group religious experience”
(Seek Beauty in and with Spirit) via “triumph over contrast between finite and infinite”
(Seek Goodness in and with Spirit) via “service, altruism, love”
I don’t mean to dictate – you asked if the matrix helps, and I must say "yes" and thank you for a stimulating exercise.
Ooops, I inserted double-carrots in my text to emphasize two phrases which were handled very roughly by the comment formatter.
what I meant to have published there is the following
If the three supreme values represent the side of the path of thoroughness which requires a thoroughness of object or aim in life, the horizontal frame ought to invite us to:
“Seek Truth”
“Seek Beauty”
“Seek Goodness”
The vertical frame, meanwhile ought to suggest the thoroughness of means or method:
“in and with Spirit”
“in and with Mind”
“in and with Matter”
Jeff, do you know if I can use standard html in my comments? Well let me experiment by trying to italicize my two phrases:
[i]thoroughness of object or aim[/i]
[i]thoroughness of means or method[/i]
I’ll leave the result to speak for itself.
One of the most important things about this philosophy of living is that individuals are free to differ, change, interact, and grow in the process. I will continue to think about your comments, though I will stay with this seven-fold path, which I regard to be an excellent path of thoroughness. I, too, sometimes differentiate spiritual experience: our supreme experience of truth/reality; the joy and liberty that comes through the beauty of that experience, and our participation (receptive and active) in divine goodness. The matrix with all its limitations is nothing more than a device; in class, on the white board, there are no lines separating segments across the top and (sometimes) no lines separating material and intellectual in the Goodness column. Sometimes I put the major themes in a circle. Whatever the limitations of the matrix, the underlying realities matter greatly.
One of my most fascinating experiences with the matrix was teaching Albert Camus’ Myth of Sisyphus (for a colleague who was ill; it is not a book that I would select); I found that this atheistic philosopher had his own version of all seven of these themes. Another thing that I find useful in teaching is to illustrate how the matrix may be used to represent very different approaches in philosophy, such as positivism, which regards religion as belonging to humankind’s age of ignorance and superstition (at the bottom); philosophy as a step forward liberating from fear; and science at the top as the only reliable path to truth. Thus, I make it clear that my way of presenting things with the spiritual at the top represents my own conviction.
These three values, considered flexibly (!) through these dimensions, elaborated in these seven topics give students framework for integration, a framework sorely needed in this age of fragmentation. The greatest downside to symbolizing all of this in a set of nine boxes is that the matrix takes a step toward a dogmatic intellectual system, which freezes concepts. When we formulate truth by ourselves, it dies on the vine.
I appreciate your sustained interaction.
The matrix will be saved for live occasions or maybe a YouTube video someday where I can unfold it with appropriate sequence, visual appropriateness, commentary, and flexibility.
Estimado JefFrey:
He venido disfrutando de tus artículos y manteniéndome al margen, en razón a que quería ver un poco más los enfoques y dirección de tus planteamientos, por la cantidad de escritos que aparecen en internet y que finalmente dejan sabor amargo al ver lo despistados y confundidos que están sus escritores.
Claro que en tu caso y después de conocerte en Medellín, la verdad tenía grades expectativas y no me he equivocado al estudiarlos detenidamente.
Te felicito y sigue dándonos luz y guía.
Estimado JefFrey:
He venido disfrutando de tus artículos y manteniéndome al margen, en razón a que quería ver un poco más los enfoques y dirección de tus planteamientos, por la cantidad de escritos que aparecen en internet y que finalmente dejan sabor amargo al ver lo despistados y confundidos que están sus escritores.
Claro que en tu caso y después de conocerte en Medellín, la verdad tenía grades expectativas y no me he equivocado al estudiarlos detenidamente.
Te felicito y sigue dándonos luz y guía.