Difference between revisions of "Holotopia"
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| − | <p>The academic tradition did not | + | <p>They can be readily found in the way in which this institution developed. The academic tradition did not originate as a way to pursue practical knowledge, but to <em>freely</em> pursue knowledge for its own sake. </p> |
| − | < | + | <p>And as we pointed out in the opening paragraphs of this website, by highlighting the iconic image of Galilei in house arrest, |
| − | <p> | + | <blockquote>it was this <em>free</em> pursuit of knowledge that led to the last "great cultural revival".</blockquote> |
| + | </p> | ||
| + | <p>The ethos of the free pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is deeply woven into the academic system—and for good reasons, as we have just seen. At the universities, we consider ourselves as heirs and custodians of a tradition that has historically led to <em>the</em> most spectacular evolutionary leaps in human history.</p> | ||
| + | <p>We asked: | ||
| + | <blockquote>"Could a similar advent be in store for us today?" </blockquote> | ||
| + | </p> | ||
| − | + | <blockquote>The pivotal point of change, or "the systemic leverage point" is, as we shall see, the academic self-perception—and that's what we'll focus on.</blockquote> | |
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Revision as of 09:13, 20 August 2020
HOLOTOPIA
An Actionable Strategy
Imagine...
You are about to board a bus for a long night ride, when you notice the flickering streaks of light emanating from two wax candles, placed where the headlights of the bus are expected to be. Candles? As headlights?
Of course, the idea of candles as headlights is absurd. So why propose it?
Because on a much larger scale this absurdity has become reality.
The Modernity ideogram renders the essence of our contemporary situation by depicting our society as an accelerating bus without a steering wheel, and the way we look at the world, try to comprehend and handle it as guided by a pair of candle headlights.
Modernity ideogram
Scope
"Act like as if you loved your children above all else",Greta Thunberg, representing her generation, told the political leaders at Davos. Of course the political leaders love their children—don't we all? But what Greta was asking for was to 'hit the brakes'; and when our 'bus' is inspected, it becomes clear that its 'brakes' too are dysfunctional. And changing the system is well beyond their power—and even what they may be able to conceive of.
The COVID-19 crisis too is demanding systemic change.
So who—what institution or system—will lead us in "changing course"?
Both Jantsch and Engelbart believed that "the university" would have to be the answer; and they made their appeals accordingly. But the universities ignored them—as they ignored Bush and Wiener before them, and others who followed.
Why?
It is tempting to conclude that the university institution too followed the general trend, and organized itself as a power structure. But to see solutions, we need to look at deeper causes.
They can be readily found in the way in which this institution developed. The academic tradition did not originate as a way to pursue practical knowledge, but to freely pursue knowledge for its own sake.
And as we pointed out in the opening paragraphs of this website, by highlighting the iconic image of Galilei in house arrest,
it was this free pursuit of knowledge that led to the last "great cultural revival".
The ethos of the free pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is deeply woven into the academic system—and for good reasons, as we have just seen. At the universities, we consider ourselves as heirs and custodians of a tradition that has historically led to the most spectacular evolutionary leaps in human history.
We asked:
"Could a similar advent be in store for us today?"
The pivotal point of change, or "the systemic leverage point" is, as we shall see, the academic self-perception—and that's what we'll focus on.