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Introduction: Rupert T. Gould

Jonathan Betts

in Time Restored: The Harrison timekeepers and R.T. Gould, the man who knew (almost) everything

This introductory chapter presents a background on Rupert T. Gould. Gould possessed an exceptional mind; he was a veritable polymath, and his extraordinary knowledge and his dissemination of it in ... More

This introductory chapter presents a background on Rupert T. Gould. Gould possessed an exceptional mind; he was a veritable polymath, and his extraordinary knowledge and his dissemination of it in his books and radio broadcasts made him a household name in his day. Of all the subjects he became expert in, it was Horology — the study of clock making and timekeeping — where he made his greatest contribution: he had an all consuming obsession with the subject and was one of the 20th century's finest antiquarian horologists.Less

The Spiritual Geography of Russian Cosmism

George M. Young

in The Russian Cosmists: The Esoteric Futurism of Nikolai Fedorov and His Followers

This chapter introduces the major themes of Russian Cosmism, which include: active self-directed human evolution; the need for universal solutions to existential problems; the unity of knowledge and ... More

This chapter introduces the major themes of Russian Cosmism, which include: active self-directed human evolution; the need for universal solutions to existential problems; the unity of knowledge and action, religion, art, magic, and science; universal immortality as a human task; and a view of man as a citizen not only of the earth but of the entire cosmos. The major Cosmists were polymath thinkers, embracing a variety of intellectual disciplines and apparent contradictions. They combined visionary, futuristic projects with a defense of traditional culture and institutions. A special feature of Cosmism was the attempt to discover scientific equivalents to investigations previously characterized as esoteric or occult. The chapter emphasizes both the Russian and universal character of Cosmist thought.Less

TOD MACHOVER (b. 1953)Open Up the House (2012): Text based on a poem of Letha Hafferkamp Kiddie

Jane Manning

in Vocal Repertoire for the Twenty-First Century, Volume 2: Works Written From 2000 Onwards

This chapter assesses Tod Machover’s Open Up the House (2012). Machover has long been recognized internationally as an outstanding and influential all-round musician and polymath, whose areas of ... More

This chapter assesses Tod Machover’s Open Up the House (2012). Machover has long been recognized internationally as an outstanding and influential all-round musician and polymath, whose areas of expertise comfortably straddle the twin worlds of arts and science. Most readily associated with groundbreaking innovation in musical technology—often applied to ambitious operatic, educational, and symphonic ventures—he is nonetheless able to tailor his talents to embrace more modest, small-scale forces, as shown here. This exhilarating little piece fizzes with vitality from the outset. The piano’s continual, pulsing, eighth-note chords drive the music along, ensuring that momentum never flags. The incisive soprano writing calls upon the singer’s brightest, most radiant resonances. The piece builds cumulatively, with leaping, plunging intervals, spiked accents, and insistent repetitions. The singer must conserve stamina for the long notes at the ends of phrases, and plan breath spans accordingly.Less

The Guardian of Difference: The Essayist Alexander Kluge

Richard Langston

in Difference and Orientation: An Alexander Kluge Reader

This introductory chapter provides a background of the essayist Alexander Kluge. Born in 1932 in the central German city of Halberstadt, the German polymath Alexander Kluge is certainly known both at ... More

This introductory chapter provides a background of the essayist Alexander Kluge. Born in 1932 in the central German city of Halberstadt, the German polymath Alexander Kluge is certainly known both at home and abroad for wearing many hats. Above all, his career as one of New German Cinema's most cerebral filmmakers still commands international acclaim. First and foremost a writer of stories, Kluge returned to writing in earnest in 2000 and has generated since then an astonishing complex corpus of storybooks that has grown more than twice the size of what he published during his first robust literary phase. A filmmaker, author, and television producer, Kluge is, however, more than just the sum of this triumvirate. He is also recognized as a trained musician and lawyer, an accomplished theorist with roots in the Frankfurt School, a savvy media activist and entrepreneur, and a celebrated public intellectual of the highest stature. Kluge is also arguably one of Germany's great essayists of the late twentieth- and twenty-first centuries. Collected in the present volume are twenty-eight examples of Kluge's essayistic thinking that attest to his long-standing commitment to “intellectual freedom.” The chapter then looks at the concepts of difference and orientation, which are recurrent themes throughout all of Kluge's thought.Less

Introduction: A Life in Laughter

Paul M. Zall

in Benjamin Franklin’s Humor

This introductory chapter explains the coverage of this book, which is about the humour of Benjamin Franklin, a polymath and one of the founding fathers of the U.S. This book examines Franklin's ... More

This introductory chapter explains the coverage of this book, which is about the humour of Benjamin Franklin, a polymath and one of the founding fathers of the U.S. This book examines Franklin's satirical writings using the pseudonyms Mrs. Silence Dogood, Martha Careful, and Caelia Shortface. It highlights his ability to inject humor into almost every situation and discusses his use and abuse of humor for political and diplomatic purposes.Less

Locke's Legacy

in Alain L. Locke: The Biography of a Philosopher

Because Alain L. Locke's achievements as a cultural leader were reflective of his thinking as a polymath, one could assume his legacy would be diverse in form and purpose. The effects of Locke's ... More

Because Alain L. Locke's achievements as a cultural leader were reflective of his thinking as a polymath, one could assume his legacy would be diverse in form and purpose. The effects of Locke's contributions in many fields, beginning with the period shortly after his passing, are indeed notable and varied. These fields include philosophy, cultural criticism, race theory, adult education, and aesthetics, among others. Locke's life and thought manifest a striking consistency, while his most outstanding contribution is usually referred to as multiculturalism or transculturalism. As with many thinkers, Locke's own terminology offers variants to this: pluralism, cultural relativism, and intercultural reciprocity are all terms he preferred. Horace Kallen revealed Locke's insistence on “cultural pluralism,” the right to be different. Locke was a classical pragmatist, and, although rarely appreciated as a philosopher or a pragmatist during his life, his ideas are increasingly appreciated after his death.Less

Introduction

Steven B. Smith

in Spinoza's Book of Life: Freedom and Redemption in the Ethics

This book begins with a look into the early life of Spinoza. Born Bento Despinosa on November 24, 1632 in Amsterdam, his Hebrew name Baruch means “blessed.” Spinoza received a typical Jewish ... More

This book begins with a look into the early life of Spinoza. Born Bento Despinosa on November 24, 1632 in Amsterdam, his Hebrew name Baruch means “blessed.” Spinoza received a typical Jewish education at the Talmud Torah school. The Jewish community in which he grew up consisted largely of Marranos, that is, Sephardic Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent who had been forcibly converted by the Inquisition and who later fled to France and the Netherlands to avoid further persecution. From an early age, Spinoza's intellectual gifts were noted, and he was considered a polymath. In addition to Portuguese, the lingua franca of his community, Spanish, its literary language, and Dutch, the language of trade and commerce, he also learned Hebrew.Less

The Gifts of Breadth: Insights from Leaders with Non-Linear Careers

Nick Lovegrove and Matthew Thomas

in Re-Imagining Capitalism

We live in a world sold on depth. As a society, we have become convinced that the route to excellence is a deep specialization. Meanwhile, the highest priority challenges facing society are wide ... More

We live in a world sold on depth. As a society, we have become convinced that the route to excellence is a deep specialization. Meanwhile, the highest priority challenges facing society are wide ranging and multi-faceted. Thus, a new, “broad” leader is urgently required—one who has a wide array of experiences across multiple sectors, disciplines, cultures, functions, and issues. Their breadth imbues them with six distinguishing traits—intellectual thread, transferable skills, integrated networks, contextual intelligence, balanced motivations, and prepared mind—enabling broad leaders to develop more robust and thoughtful solutions to complex global challenges than their deeply specialized counterparts.Less

Using Neuroscience to Image the Creative Brain

Nancy C. Andreasen

in Secrets of Creativity: What Neuroscience, the Arts, and Our Minds Reveal

The nature and sources of creativity have intrigued people for many years. During the early phases of this effort, people relied on anecdotal or historical accounts, but in the twentieth century the ... More

The nature and sources of creativity have intrigued people for many years. During the early phases of this effort, people relied on anecdotal or historical accounts, but in the twentieth century the emphasis shifted to empirical studies. Assuming that high intelligence (“genius”) was associated with creativity, investigators relied on IQ tests to select subjects for study. In the mid-twentieth century the emphasis shifted to custom-designed tests that assessed more specific components of creative thinking. With the development of neuroscientific methods and neuroimaging, the emphasis has shifted to include methods that directly measure brain activity, based on the assumption that creative ideas are the product of brain activity.Less

The Khalkha Zaya Paṇḍita’s Smoke Offering Rituals to the Khangai Mountain Range

Krisztina Teleki

in Sources of Mongolian Buddhism

This chapter introduces the life and activity of the Khalkha Zaya Paṇḍita, Luvsanprinlei (Tib. Blo bzang ‘phrin las, 1642–1719), briefly describes his sixteen smoke offering ritual texts, and ... More

This chapter introduces the life and activity of the Khalkha Zaya Paṇḍita, Luvsanprinlei (Tib. Blo bzang ‘phrin las, 1642–1719), briefly describes his sixteen smoke offering ritual texts, and provides a translation of selected five short texts dedicated to different geographical sites in the Khangai Mountain Range. The five texts reflect the Mongols’ belief in spirit landowners, or caretakers, who must be pacified and pleased with offerings and encouraged to ensure prosperity and well-being. The male deity of the Khangai Range, together with its female consort, has manifold retinues, including local gods and spirits who live in nearby valleys, lakes, and springs. The colophons of the five texts mention Zaya Paṇḍita as the author, and they name monks and laypeople who encouraged and supported him. The five texts illustrate how smoke offering practices spread at the turn of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Mongolia. Several geographical sites mentioned in the texts can be identified in the current area of Arkhangai, Zavkhan, and Bayankhongor provinces.Less