Have you ever looked at old college papers, if you still have them? Research for this series found me digging out a paper from a European history class, about the 18th century philosopher and writer, Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
As the “Words on Paper” series evolved, I realized that some philosophical background was, if not necessary, at least interesting, and perhaps both. Or it could be that philosophy is what happens when you lack success at achieving fame and fortune.
Following the premise that “literature expresses and influences society,” the door opened to a much deeper and wider perspective for the “Words on Paper” presentation and columns. While it took me back nearly 2,500 years to Plato and his most famous work, The Republic, I paused in the 18th century to reread and reflect on what I had written about Rousseau.
The Swiss-born philosopher, writer, and political theorist inspired leaders of French Revolution and Romantic generation. He promoted education, basic goodness of people, civil society-community, and beauties of the natural world. My paper focused on his religious thought, which was overshadowed by his social and political comments. One of his noted quotes: “Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains.”
Plato’s Republic supports the idea that literature expresses and influences society. It reflects norms and values, mirrors ills and proposes amends. And the “Great Conversation” has been going on ever since, and certainly, before. That’s another perspective that I gained: Philosophy and the Great Conversation about the human condition manifest in literature. This underlies the themes that provide the foundation of all good literature.
Research for my fourth novel, Beyond All That Matters, led me to Alfred North Whitehead. In Whitehead’s “process philosophy,” the British scholar (1861-1947) moves from his mathematical background to philosophy and metaphysics including theology. It contributes a foundation for the novel’s theme where faith and science intersect.
Whitehead is quoted as saying, “The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.” And before Plato and Aristotle, Socrates. Considered the founder of western philosophy, Socrates left no writings but lived on in the quotes by his followers: “The unexamined life is not worth living…. There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance…. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
From a sociological perspective, the influence of literature on society has been implied rather than directly linked. Literature provides insights into the condition of society, what people are thinking and talking about (Milton C. Albrecht, American Journal of Sociology, 1954). However, many books have influenced society. The Words on Paper list of important books in recent decades includes a significant number in that category. I think of Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson, which is credited with inspiring concern and action about the environment. I finally got around to reading it after leaving my nearly 22-year career with an environmental protection agency.
And what provides grist for philosophy, the Great Conversation, and literature? The Human Condition. Every worthwhile story, novel, probes some aspect of what it is to be human. Birth, learning, emotion, aspiration, morality, conflict, death… And the insights expressed in literature are “informed by intelligent knowledge and understanding of the human condition.” (Karin Armstrong, British author and theologian).
The term Great Conversation is attributed to Robert Maynard Hutchins, an educational theorist who wrote the first volume of Great Books of the Western World, published in 1952 by Encyclopedia Britannica. He is quoted saying, “the tradition of the West is embodied in the Great Conversation that began in the dawn of history and continues to the present day.” (Wikipedia).
In the next post we will explore aspects of the human condition. The promo for a Wondrium episode about the Great Conversation, with Alexandra Hudson, founder of Civic Renaissance, says, “Story-telling and the human condition – connection between the storytelling impulse and our drive to understand who we are and our place in the world.”
Extra credit: What books do you see as reflecting or influencing society today? If you are so inspired, please send me your ideas.
Next: Getting creative about the Human Condition
Thanks!
Forrest
