1. The Way of Wisdom “Integrative Pluralism”
Unity in Diversity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The Way of Wisdom
“Integrative Pluralism”
As an Impossible Yet Relevant Ideal

2. Session One: Introduction
Unity in Diversity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The Way of Wisdom
Session One: Introduction

3. A Few Books on “The Way of Wisdom”
Three Philosophical Poets, by George Santayana
The Cosmotheandric Experience, by Raimon Panikkar
The Way of Wisdom, by Karl Jaspers
Ways of Wisdom: Readings on the Good Life, Ed. by Steve Smith
Wisdom: From Philosophy to Neuroscience, by Stephen S. Hall
The Passion for Wisdom: A Short History of Philosophy, by Robert Solomon
Ten Theories of Human Nature, by Lesley Stevenson & David L. Haberman
Worldviews: Cross-cultural Explorations of Human Beliefs, by Ninian Smart
The Saturated Self: (Romantic, Modern, Pomo), by Kenneth J. Gergen
The Truth About the Truth: (Romantic, Modern, Pomo), Ed. by Walter T. Anderson

4. What is “Integrative Pluralism” within an Encompassing Perspective?
An assumption behind the ideal of “Integrative Pluralism” is that each vision and value may be partly right, symbolically meaningful or pragmatically useful within a particular linguistic, historical, social and cultural context. Many things can be true.
The comprehensive or Encompassing
Reality is posited as being beyond
the limits of our finite circles human knowledge and discourse.
There is always more to Reality than we presently know, and what we tacitly know is more than we can explicitly say.
Unity in Diversity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

5. An Impossible Yet Relevant Ideal?
Impossible: Because there are times when our different assumptions, beliefs, visions and values may be mutually exclusive, being incompatible with each other; or else they are radically incommensurable, so different as to defy any meaningful comparison at all.
Relevant: Because there are times when we attempt to “make connections” and even to find “common ground” between different assumptions, beliefs, visions and values since they may be compatible, complementary, dialectical and/or paradoxical rather than absolutely opposed and exclusive of each other.

6. Applying Integrative Pluralism within an encompassing Perspective
Exemplar: Dante
Unity in Diversity
“T”
“H”
“N”
...And That respects our finite human comprehension of the Encompassing Reality that transcends our limited personal and cultural views
Seeking an
“Integrative Pluralist” perspective on human beliefs, values, knowledge and experience that finds unity in diversity…
Exemplar:
Lucretius
Exemplar:
Goethe
Applying Integrative Pluralism within an encompassing Perspective
to the transcendental, naturalistic and human horizons of Reality

7. TEMPERAMENTS & EPISTEMOLOGIES The Humanistic Horizon:
The Transcendental Horizon:
View from “Above”
Metaphysical
Consciousness
Mind, Intuitive
Psyche, Intuition
Introspective
Holistic; Music
Right-Brain “Mystery”
1st Person Subjectivity
War m Participation
Intuitive-Feeling Type
Introverted Perception
The Naturalistic Horizon:
View From “Below”
Physical
Cosmos
Matter, Empirical
Soma, Sensation
Observational
Mechanistic; Math
Left-Brain “Mastery”
3rd Person Objectivity
Cool Detachment
Sensory-Thinking Type
Extraverted Judgment
Unity in Diversity T H N
The Humanistic Horizon:
View from “Between”
Relational, Dialogical, Synthetic, Symbiotic, Implicit-Explicit, Inward-Outward
“I-Thou” & “I-It” : 2nd Person Inter-Subjectivity & Inter-Objectivity

8. Exploring the Humanistic Horizon:
Applying An Integrative Pluralist Approach
4. Intellectual Domains:
Humanities, Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences
5. Philosophical Worldviews:
Body/Mind: Dualist, Idealist, Physicalist, Soma-psychist
6. Political Ideologies:
Conservative, Liberal,
Libertarian, Communitarian
1. Whole Person:
Physical, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual
2. Life Systems:
Personal, Relational, Cultural, Societal
3. Historical Ages:
Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Post-Modern
Unity in Diversity T H N

9. “Wisdom” A Dictionary Definition
1. The ability to understand inner qualities or relationships
2. A body of facts learned by study or experience
3. The ability to make intelligence decisions especially in everyday matters
4. Suitability for bringing about a desired result under circumstances

10. “Wisdom” Synonyms and Antonyms
Near Synonyms
Near Antonyms
Acuity, acumen, astuteness, clear sightedness, keenness, penetration, perspicacity, sensitivity, understanding, appreciation, apprehension, comprehension, grasp; brain(s), braininess, brightness, brilliance, canniness, cleverness, gray matter, intellect, intelligence, judgment, mentality, power, reason, sense, smartness, wit; discrimination, foresight, foresightedness, insight, perception, judiciousness, prudence, sanity; logic, rationality
Density, dullness, obtuseness; brainlessness, folly, foolishness, idiocy, imbecility, mindlessness, silliness, simplemindedness, simpleness, stupidity, witlessness; illogic, irrationality, unreasonableness, unsoundness, craziness, insanity, lunacy, madness; preposterousness, silliness, zaniness

11. Wikipedia Definition of Wisdom
The judicious application of knowledge. The opposite of wisdom is folly. Synonyms include prudence, sagacity, discernment, or insight.

12. Wisdom (Sophia) as a Cardinal Virtue
Wisdom (sophia) is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. Wisdom has been regarded as one of four cardinal virtues; and as a virtue, it is a habit or disposition to perform the action with the highest degree of adequacy under any given circumstance.
(Source: Wikipedia)

13. Wisdom as the Optimal Course of Action
This implies a possession of knowledge or the seeking thereof in order to apply it to the given circumstance. This involves an understanding of people, things, events, situations, and the willingness as well as the ability to apply perception, judgment, and action in keeping with the understanding of what is the optimal course of action.
(Source: Wikipedia)

14. Wisdom as Control of the “Passions”
It often requires control of one's emotional reactions (the "passions") so that the universal principle of reason prevails to determine one's action. In short, wisdom is a disposition to find the truth coupled with an optimum judgment as to what actions should be taken in order to deliver the correct outcome.
(Source: Wikipedia)

15. Wisdom as “Harmonious Existence” --by A.C. Grayling
Meaning
Intimacy
Endeavor
Truth
Freedom
Beauty
Health
Power
Fulfillment
Education as the Process of Life-Long Learning
“Sheer Wondering Inquiry”
as the Central Sane Activity
Safety
Pleasure

16. The Archetype of “the Wise Fool”

17. What is “the Wise Fool?”
The wise fool, or the wisdom of the fool is a theme that seems to contradict itself in which the fool may have an attribute of wisdom. With probable beginnings early in the civilizing process, the concept developed during the Middle Ages when there was a rise of "civilizing" factors (such as the advent of certain practices of manners in Western Europe) and achieved its most pronounced state in the Renaissance. The wisdom of the fool occupies a place in opposition to that of learned knowledge.

18. What is “the Wise Fool?”
The wise fool may also be the Socratic Gadfly whose wisdom consists of “learned ignorance,” of knowing that there are things (“after physics”) that one does not know, or at least not through reason, mathematics, logic, philosophy and science alone.
The wise fool often speaks in riddles, parables, aphorisms and enigmas that confound the arrogant, powerful, pretentious and “wise.”

19. The “Simpleton” and the “Wise Fool”
The difference between the Simpleton and the Wise Fool is that the latter knows perfectly well that he is “playing the fool” – whether to protect his life from harm or to say things to those in power and authority that they need to hear but refuse to hear from a wise man.
The Wise Fool uses such techniques as wit, word-play, irony, satire, role reversal, irreverence, fake ignorance, exaggeration, parody and buffoonery, following Emily Dickinson’s dictum to “tell all the truth but tell it slant.” Sometimes the truth “told straight” is too much for men to bear. We may need our fictions and illusions.

20. Wisdom as…Pluralistic, Integrative, and Encompassing
Perspective A B D C
Unity in Diversity
The Encompassing Reality
Beyond Human Comprehension

21. Wisdom as Cultivating the Mind-at-Large
All Ages
All Civilizations
All Knowledge
All Experience
Primal
Axial/Ancient
Medieval
Early Modern
High Modern
Late Modern
Post-Modern
Trans-Modern
North
North-East
East
South-East
South
South-West
West
North-West
Philosophy
Religion
History
Literature
Arts
Sciences
Psychology
Sociology
Childhood/Youth
Young Adulthood
Mid-Life Adult
Senior/Aging
Comic
Romantic
Tragic
Ironic

22. Pluralistic and Integrative

23. Encompassing Reality: “Always More Than We Can Apprehend”

24. Encompassing Reality: “Like an Endless Series of Majestic Horizons”

25. Human Knowledge: Potentiality, Actuality, and Limitation

26. Life Experience: A Vast, Intricate & Diverse Complexity

27. Human Knowledge & Life Experience

28. Wisdom and the Three Horizons: Transcendental – Humanistic – Naturalistic
The Transcendental Horizon: Numinous Intuition (“Above”)
Ontological & Teleological, Being & Process, “Spiritual”
The Humanistic Horizon: Pragmatic Experience (“Between”)
Body & Soul, Mind & Spirit, Culture & Society, “Human”
The Naturalistic Horizon: Rational Empiricism (“Below”)
Cosmic & Atomic, Physics & Biology, “Material”

29. Plato & Aristotle: Humans Living Between the Transcendental & Naturalistic Horizons

30. Living Between Sky & Earth, “Above” & “Below,” “Up There” & “Down Here”

31. “Living Between” Various Aspects of The Mystery of the Ineffable Reality
Above
Far
After
Outside
Below
Near
Before
Inside
We use the parts of speech known as “subjects” and “predicates” to designate” different aspects of assumed, intuited, observed or constructed reality, whether personal or impersonal, concrete or abstract.
Example: Earth & Sky
We use the part of speech known as “prepositions” to designate relationships between various subjects and predicates,
whether personal or impersonal, concrete or abstract.
Example: “Living Between Sky Above and Earth Below”

32. Information, Knowledge, Wisdom
LEVEL 1: SURFACE MIND: Pre-Rational Mass-Mind Crowd Chatter
Gossip, Trivia, Misinformation, Propaganda, Group Think
LEVEL 2: MIDDLE MIND: Rational Analytical-Empirical Cognition
Information, Knowledge, Understanding
LEVEL 3: DEEP MIND: Post-Rational Perceptive-Intuitive Contemplation
Wisdom, Connection, Integration

33. Session Two: The Ways of Wisdom
A Variety of Wisdom Traditions:
East & West: Mystical & Technological
North & South: Ascetic & Hedonic
Ancient & Medieval: Humanist & Monastic
Modern & Post-Modern: Empirical & Existential

34. Session 2: The Ways of Wisdom A Variety of Perspectives & Traditions
Encountering Emptiness and/or Ignorance
Wisdom as Pleasure in Moderation
Wisdom as Detachment from Cravings
Wisdom as Becoming Human
Wisdom as Harmony with Nature
Wisdom as Communion with God
Wisdom as Authentic Courageous Existence
Wisdom as Receptive Acceptance of the Universe

35. “Wisdom” and “the Meaning of Life” A Variety of Perspectives & Traditions
The Teaching Company:
36 Lectures by Professor Jay L Garfield
The Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism), Aristotle, Job (Judaism), Stoicism, Epicureanism, Confucius, Taoism, Buddhism, Zen, Classicism, Hume’s Skepticism, Kant, Mill, Tolstoy, Nietzsche, Gandhi, Lame Dear, HH Dalai Lama XIV

36. Wisdom is… Rooted in the Intuitive Mind

37. Wisdom is… Questioning Our Assumptions about the Fundamental Nature of Reality

38. Wisdom Is… Cultivating a Sense of Wonder Amidst the Vast Grandeur of the Universe

39. Wisdom Is… Learning How to Live an Authentic, Courageous, Fully Human Life

40. Wisdom Is… Listening with the Intent to Understand, Not Merely to Reply

41. Wisdom Is… Having the Patience to “Live the Questions”

42. Wisdom is… Being Awake, Receptive and Aware in the Present Open Moment

43. Wisdom is… A Dialectical Tension Between Apollo (Reason) & Dionysus (Passion)

44. Apollonian & Dionysian Ways

46. Wisdom and Happiness: Flourishing, Fate, and Futility
The Optimistic View: Wisdom leads to Human Flourishing
The Middling View: Wisdom leads to Acceptance of Fate
The Pessimistic View: Wisdom leads to Knowledge of Futility
All three of these views appear to be present throughout history.
They seem to reflect different life situations and casts of mind.

47. Wisdom is.. Receptive to the Sense of Wonder

48. The Influence of Temperament on “Ways of Knowing” the Nature of Reality
Inductive & Deductive: Parts & Wholes, Science & Philosophy
Machines & Organisms: Substances & Forms, Particles & Waves
3rd, 2nd & 1st Person Views: Objective Thing. I-Thou. Subjective Being
Sensation & Intuition: Observable & Visionary, Visible & Invisible
Thinking & Feeling: Objective & Subjective, Detached & Engaged
Judging & Perceiving: Seeking Certitude & Valuing Ambiguity
Closed Systems & Open Systems: Causation & Complexity
Logical & Paradoxical: Linear & Spiral, Information & Metaphor

49. Five Approaches to Wisdom
Monistic: Wisdom is…”Realizing Oneness with Reality,” whether we define “the real” as Nature or Spirit, Cosmos or Consciousness, Matter or Mind.
Dualistic: Wisdom is…choosing virtue vs vice, happiness vs misery, modesty vs arrogance, truth vs falsehood, goodness vs evil, generosity vs selfishness, kindness vs cruelty, love vs hate, life vs death
Dialectic: Wisdom is…living in a “creative tension” between complementary values, such as prudence and courage without the defect of cowardice and the excess of foolhardiness.
Pluralistic: Wisdom is…respecting the necessary differences between a variety of cultural belief and value systems, seeking unity that allows for real difference.
Eclectic: Wisdom is…creatively mixing and combining select elements from different cultural values, symbols, rituals, artifacts, icons, and historical traditions.

50. Session 3. The Transcendental Horizon (TH)
Transcendent: “Above & Beyond” Physical, Emotive, Rational Realms Immanent: “In and Through” the Physical, Emotive, Rational Realms
Transcendental Vs. Immanent or Transcendental & Immanent?
Ineffability & Mystery: “Via Negativa” – “Living the Questions”
Revelation & Illumination: “Via Positiva” – Outer Witness & Inner Light
Metaphysical Ideals: Beauty, Goodness, Truth; Light, Life, Love; Justice, Mercy, Peace; Being, Consciousness, Bliss, Yin, Yang, Tao...
Ontological Categories: Inside & Outside, Individual & Collective,
Above & Below, Far & Near, Before & After, Primordial & Consequential

51. The Search for “Immanent-Transcendence” in the Post-Religious Modern Secular Age
How have we lived since “the death of God” and the decline of religion in the modern secular technocratic society?
Ancient Spiritual Transcendental Ideals: Beauty, Goodness, Truth, Light, Life, Love; Justice, Mercy, Peace; Yin, Yang, Tao, Being, Consciousness; Bliss; Mindfulness, Non-Attachment, Compassion; Body, Mind, Spirit
Modern Secular Immanent Transcendence” [These Symbolic and Surrogate “Gods” or “Supreme Goods” function as “Life Motives” and “Immortality Projects”]: Nature, History, Humanity, Reason, Romance, Community, Sensuality, Sexuality, Imagination, Creativity, Will, Courage, Education, Science, Arts, Freedom, Democracy, Capitalism, Socialism, Liberalism, Conservatism, Money, Status, Power, Fame, Celebrity, etc.

52. The Transcendental Horizon (TH)

53. Transcendental Ideals

54. Ontological Categories

55. Ontological Categories

56. Session 4 The Naturalistic Horizon (NH)
The Macro-Cosmic Inter-Stellar Dimension
The Micro-Atomic Quantum Dimension
The Midi-Scale Living Earth Dimension
Stages in the Evolutionary “Tree of Life”
Cosmos & Consciousness, Body & Mind
Dualism, Physicalism, Idealism & Panpsychism

57. The Macro-Cosmic Inter-Stellar Dimension

58. The Sub-Atomic Quantum Dimension

59. The Midi-Level Living Earth Dimension

60. The Evolutionary Tree of Life

61. The Mind-Body Problem

62. Sessions 5-10 The Humanistic Horizon (HH)
Whole Person
Life Systems
Historical Ages
Intellectual Domains
Worldview Perspectives
Political Ideologies

63. Sessions 5-10 The Humanistic Horizon (HH)PW LS HA ID WP PI
Political
Ideologies
Worldview
Perspectives
Intellectual
Domains
Personal
Wholeness
Life
Systems
Historical
Ages

64. The Humanistic Horizon (HH) Why Do Some Narrowly “Fixate” on One Dimension?PW LS HA ID WP PI
Political
Ideologies
Worldview
Perspectives
Intellectual
Domains
Whole
Person
Life
Systems
Historical
Ages

65. Session 5 HH: Whole Person
Dimension
Health/Wellness/Vitality
Neglect/Excess/Defect
1. SPIRITUAL
2. ETHICAL
3. VOLITIONAL
4. RATIONAL
5. IMAGINATIVE
6. SOCIAL
7. EMOTIONAL
8. PHYSICAL

66. Session 5 HH: Whole Person
Which of these eight dimensions of the whole person receive the most and least care and attention in our contemporary American secular corporate consumer technocratic society?
Why do some people fixate on one or two of these dimensions while neglecting others? How would our medical and health care practices be different if they treated the whole person?
Spiritual
Ethical
Volitional
Rational
Imaginative
Social
Emotional
Physical
Caring for and Integrating the Whole Person

67. Session 6 HH: Life Systems
Self
Relationships
Work
Society
Leisure
Environment

68. Session 6 HH: Life Systems
Dimension
Health/Wellness/Vitality
Neglect/Excess/Defect
Self System
The Whole Person
2. Relationship System
Partner, Family, Friends,
3. Work System
4. Leisure System
5. Societal Systems
6. Environmental System

69. Session 7 HH: Historical Ages
Primal
Ancient
Medieval
Modern
Contem-pory
Q1. Why do many people narrowly fixate on the present moment as “re-presented”, “interpreted” and “constructed” for us in our mass-media consumer-driven society at the neglect of reflecting upon the larger historical and cultural contexts that have profoundly influenced and shaped who we are, what we believe, and what we value today?

70. Session 7 HH: Historical Ages
Primal
Ancient
Medieval
Modern
Contem-porary
Q2. What is the problem or limitation associated with ignoring or forgetting the historical past, whether as individuals or as a society and civilization? How does this happen either by deliberate purpose, perpetual distraction or benign neglect?

71. Session 7 HH: Historical Ages
Q3. Is history the slow evolutionary advance of life, consciousness, intelligence, creativity, civility, society and culture, or is it just the “natural selection and random mutation” of contingent accidents, of “one damn thing after another?”
Primal
Ancient
Medieval
Modern
Contem-porary

72. Globalization of Open Systems with Multiple Points of Articulation
CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION
Ages: Time
Civilizations: Space
POLITICAL GLOBALIZATION
Centralized Authority
Decentralized Autonomy
BIOLOGICAL GLOBALIZATION
Species Migrations
Bacteria/Organisms
ECONONOMIC GLOBALIZATION
Products & Services
Banking & Currencies
Communication
Information
Mobilization
Organization

73. Session 8 HH: Intellectual Domains
An Encyclopedic Approach to the Liberal Arts
Comprehensive Knowledge & Systematic Inquiry
Definition of Terms; Associated Words and Ideas
Denotations and Connotations, Contexts and Uses
Historical Development: Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Contemporary
Leading Founders, Exemplars, and Achievements: “Who’s Who?”
Basic Questions, Key Issues, Schools of Thought, Critical Debates
Documented References and Footnotes
Recommended Reading and Links for Further Study

74. Session 8 HH: Intellectual Domains
Tender-Minded
Integral Approach
Tough-Minded
Religion
Symbols
Symbols &
Ideas
Philosophy
Literature
Poetics
Poetics &
Events
History
Psychology
Individuals
Individual &
Institutions
Sociology
Arts
Creations
Creations &
Discoveries
Sciences

75. Session 8 HH: Intellectual Domains
Phil
Rel
Hist
Lit
Arts
Sci
Psy
Soc
Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge, Complexity, Dialogue & Integration

76. Session 8 Intellectual Domains

77. Session 9 HH: Worldview Perspectives? ?
The Ineffable, Encompassing Mystery of “Prime Reality”
Pantheism (All)
Monotheism (One)
Polytheism (Many)
Atheism (None)
Finitude and the Limits of Human Knowledge ? ?

78. Session 9 HH: Worldview Perspectives
Left
Center
Right
Pantheism: All
Pan-en-theism
Monotheism: One
Henotheism
Gnosis & Agnostic
Deism
Polytheism: Many
Esotericism
Atheism: None
What happens when each of these worldview perspectives enters into critically reflective debate and constructive dialogue with each other? What ought to be the optimal desired motive and outcome?

79. Session 9 HH: Worldview Perspectives
Pre-Modern: Symbolic, Sagacious, Prophetic, Mystical
Modern: Rational, Skeptical, Naturalistic, Empirical
Post-Modern: Eclectic, Ironic, Whimsical, Constructivist
Trans-Modern: Existential, Pragmatic, Pluralistic, Pragmatic
Q. What difference does it make for inter-worldview dialogue whether our given epistemological approach is pre-modern, modern, post-modern or trans-modern? Why do these given epistemological approaches go on largely undetected? Why do they tend to “talk past each other?”

80. Session 9 HH: Worldview Perspectives
Pre-Modern: Symbolic, Sagacious, Prophetic, Mystical
Modern: Rational, Skeptical, Naturalistic, Empirical
Post-Modern: Eclectic, Ironic, Whimsical, Constructivist
Trans-Modern: Existential, Pragmatic, Pluralistic, Pragmatic
Q. What difference does it make for inter-worldview dialogue whether we interpret various worldview assumptions, beliefs, visions and values LITERALLY, SYMBOLICALLY OR MYTHICALLY?
Q. What happens when the question shifts from what is “Objective” Literal Truth to what is Symbolically Meaningful and Mythically Evocative?

81. Session 10 HH: Political Ideologies
Liberal
Conservative
Communitarian
Libertarian
Unity &
Plurality

82. Session 10 HH: Political Ideologies
Left
Center
Right
Liberal
Government
<Insiders>
Progress & Tradition
Conservative
Corporations
Community,
Public Sector
“The Commons”
Social Sector
Individual,
Private Sector
Communitarian
Communes
<Outsiders>
Occupy vs. Tea Party
Libertarian
Compounds

83. CAN WE TALK? Critical Reflection & Constructive Dialogue through “Comparative Correlation” without Identical Correspondence or Total Incommensurability
Identical
Correspondence
(Absorption)
Comparative
Correlation
(Dialogue)
Totally
Incommensurable
(Polarization)
A & B correspond identically to each other, saying the same thing in different symbolic language, as in “syncretism”
A & B have partial comparative correlations with each other without being either totally identical or totally incompatible
A & B are so radically different from each other as to be beyond all comparative correlation or search for common ground

84. Thanks for Exploring… “THE WAY OF WISDOM”
Unity in Diversity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8