avatarHarry Stefanakis

Summary

The web content discusses the balance between Mythos and Logos, advocating for the equal value of both wisdom traditions to achieve a harmonious understanding of knowledge and meaning.

Abstract

The article "Pendulum: A Metaphysical Haibun" delves into the dichotomy between Mythos and Logos, two wisdom traditions that the author's ancestors believed held equal value. Logos, representing logic and reason, is essential for navigating the material world but insufficient for fulfilling humanity's need for meaning and growth. Mythos, on the other hand, embodies experiential truths through story, poetry, and metaphor, allowing for exploration beyond the tangible. The author laments the historical swing of the pendulum between these extremes, from the privileging of spirituality to the dominance of logic, often leading to fundamentalism and the loss of wisdom. The text suggests that balance is key, and that moments of equilibrium between the two knowledge systems can lead to profound wisdom, as evidenced by the writings of many contemporary thinkers.

Opinions

  • The author believes that humans tend to rationalize anything, highlighting the limitations of Logos in providing existential fulfillment.
  • Mythos is valued for its ability to convey truths of experience and extend human understanding into the liminal, or in-between, spaces.
  • Wisdom is seen as requiring an equal appreciation of both Logos and Mythos, a concept not limited to Greek thought but present in various traditions.
  • The author expresses concern over the historical extremes of the pendulum swing, where both spirituality and logic have been taken to absolutes, leading to the loss of wisdom and the marginalization or destruction of dissenting voices.
  • There is an optimistic view that it is possible to find wisdom in the balance of knowledge systems, as demonstrated in the writings of many people on the platform.
  • The author suggests that perhaps the conventional frameworks of knowledge need to be transcended, hinting at the need to 'break the clock' to achieve a new understanding of wisdom.
  • The article references the author's previous works on Medium, inviting readers to explore the themes of Mythos and Logos and the meaning of wisdom in greater depth.

Pendulum

A Metaphysical Haibun

Rosenfeld Media photo licensed under (CC BY 2.0) changed by the author

when the grand clock stops will we find in the center new wisdom to hold

Pendulum swings to extremes of knowledge decreed and knowledge disdained as some pathways are shut and new ones proclaimed, yet wisdom may hold both sides ascertained compelling a crossing beyond what is aimed to knowledge and knowing where all is contained

This piece arose out of a conversation with Arthur Dewson and his poem Untitled #2. It also reflects meaningful interactions with others who have attended to time and meaning —though some of these interactions only took place inside my head as I contemplated their written work (This incomplete list includes: Matthew Word Bain, Scott Schuler, Kris Bedenian, Joe Merkle, Hayden Moore, MT Pariti, Monoreena, G Merrick, Dr Neera Handa, Randy Shingler, Anthi, Paul Leonidou, The Transcendentalist and everyone else I missed)

Commentary:

My ancestors held the belief that there were two wisdom traditions that had equal value. They referred to these as Mythos and Logos. Whereas Logos (logic, reason) was essential in navigating the material world, it failed in meeting humanity’s need for meaning and growth. And let’s face facts, humans can rationalize anything if they try hard enough.

Mythos represented truths of experience rather than literal truths. It is the language of story, of poetry, and of metaphor in which we extend beyond the material into the liminal spaces which allow us to extend beyond ourselves.

Wisdom, therefore, required one to value both Logos and Mythos equally. This of course is not just a Greek idea, it has representation in many other traditions (but I’m Greek so hey, of course, I bring up my ancestors).

Unfortunately, across time the pendulum has swung from one extreme to another. At times “spirituality” has been privileged and people refused to see the truths before their eyes. At the extremes, fundamentalism rises as a certainty where there are no more questions and the questioners are destroyed. At other times the pendulum has swung to where the spiritual baby is thrown out with the bathwater remaining after the fundamentalism of a logical washing. People have also been destroyed in this extremism of absolute certainty. Today I fear there is a tug of war between the two.

Yet there are magic moments in time where the pendulum sits in balance and we can witness at the same time the wisdom of both knowledge systems and hold them in equal value. I see it in the writing of many people here. I believe we can find wisdom again in the middle.

Or perhaps we need to break the clock to get there.

I wrote about Mythos and Logos in this story:

and on wisdom here:

Haiku
Haibun
Poetry
Metaphysics
Move Me Poetry
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