Jeff Owens wrote: >Before writing about holistic thought i did a few web searches to look for >interesting references. . . . Adding to the confusion is my belief that an >ecopath is about applying holistic thought. Things like ZEN, nature, >education, ecology, and Permaculture also fit the holistic model. . . . >So... how do we get past the philosophy and think about mud, pigs, trees, and the real world? We deal with basics first, then get to philosophy when we have nothing better to occupy our minds and time. (Socrates said men should marry; if you get a good wife you will be happy, if you get a bad one you will become a philosopher.) Who loves a label? Mud, pigs and trees surely do not. Permaculture seems to be a good construction, though, as there is little misunderstanding that gets in the way of common sense. I am a bit of a wordsmith myself but often muse that wrestling with words is wasted work--unless proving your point is your pursuit. It is my view that writers who use words or phrases not commonly understood have an obligation to explain their usage; if one chooses to stretch dictionary meanings then one must perform as a lexicographer. When I encounter writers enamored of words, I put them aside. In addition to being inscrutable, they tend to be verbose. Gene GeRue, author, How To Find Your Ideal Country Home http://www.ruralize.com/ "Writing is a sacred calling--but so are gardening, dentistry, and plumbing, so don't put on airs." (Garrison Keillor)
