I would like, if only as a matter of principle, to rise to the defense of all 
those techno-barbarians on the list who cannot find voice to defend themselves, 
but I can only say that …

 

IF there is something valuable in fiction, if it indeed fosters or transmits 
knowledge, 

 

Then fiction is a potential method in scientific psychology. 

 

To  twist Stephen J. Gould’s words a bit:  They are Overlapping Magisteria. 

 

There is no knowledge that is not potentially scientific knowledge.  

 

Nick 

 

 

Nicholas S. Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology

Clark University

 <http://home.earthlink.net/nthompson> http://home.earthlink.net/nthompson

 <http://www.cusf.org> http://www.cusf.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of 
Steve Smith
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 9:10 PM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Art is a Lie

 

Peter -

Well said... 

and in a single short paragraph with a single eloquent quote...

- Steve



 

A’propos Ten Best Texts as fiction.  I’m sure no one at Friam holds to the 
techno-barbarian view that nothing valuable can be gained from fiction.  In my 
opinion the important human values can be illuminated only by fiction.  After 
all, the King James Bible (1611) is about the best thing in fiction the English 
have ever done.  

When told that his work was “untrue”, Pablo* agreed, remarking: “Art is a lie 
that helps us see the truth”.

This seems a valuable insight.

 

*Pablo Picasso (1887 – 1968): Sp., Fr. painter.  Developed cubism  

 

Peter Lissaman, Da Vinci Ventures

Expertise is not knowing everything, but knowing what to look for.

1454 Miracerros Loop South, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505,USA
tel:(505)983-7728 

 
 
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