Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

Well Carpe Diem I have frantically finished all my final exams in an attempt to fly home early tomorrow morning. Since I will be on a plane tomorrow I decided I would post my final blog early tonight. I would first like to say its been a great semester and I was really glad I was able to learn from such fine bright peers. You guys have been very helpful in my attempt to gain as much knowledge as possible in this class. During the Salon my discussion always seemed to lead to one subject: the distinction between the Sophic view of knowledge and Mantic, what is spiritual knowledge and what is worldly and what are the implications of both? So naturally that is what I decided to make my thesis and final blog post about. Here it is:

While some would argue that certain types of knowledge are sophic and others mantic, there are elements of both the sophic and mantic in all four types of knowledge that we studied in class. Both views of knowledge are appropriate in certain contexts, while the mantic yields more effect in the transmitting of spiritual knowledge and the sophic has more effect with the transmission of more conventional and scientific knowledge. The question arises with the sophic vs. mantic, what are the different implications and spectrums of effectiveness between knowledge that is transmitted in a spiritual manner and knowledge communicated by worldly means.

Oral knowledge has had the most powerful effect on spirituality and religion than any other knowledge. It relies on experiences in the moment of knowledge that gives an aspect of spirituality. While this experience is near impossible to record and replicate, it is nonetheless the most powerful in transmitting spiritual knowledge. This lack of longevity of oral knowledge has been a basis of criticism for its ineffectiveness. Marc posted about the loss of the knowledge of concrete from Roman times to the Dark Ages to show how oral knowledge is susceptible to sudden absences. We discussed in the salon that while oral knowledge relies upon print knowledge to give it longevity, no writing or records can replicate the emphasis and inflections of a voice that were so important in the Anglo Saxon civilization as bards recited epic poetry in mead halls. The King Benjamin speech gave me new meaning once I heard it through the lips of each of our classmates, transmitted as it was meant to be through the word of mouth. These forms of knowledge are spiritual and the mantic view would use orality to give spiritual transmission of experiences such as the sharing of a testimony. Orality is also the main element used to communicate folk knowledge. It is through experience and interaction that I was able to teach tennis and learn bugling. The folk knowledge in Japan of encoffinment that I studied had such a spirtual and peaceful aspect to it because of the orality and tenderness of the encoffiners. Thus folk knowledge also gains this mantic and spiritual aspect to it as it relies on orality. Although oral knowledge is limited by its lack of longevity, it provides for a way to transmit knowledge spiritually through experience.
Written and print knowledge both yield ways to record knowledge and increase the longevity of it. Print knowledge allows for the mass production of ideas. These forms, with some exceptions, are worldlier based and less spiritual forms of transmitting knowledge. These two forms of knowledge lack the collaboration and learning through experience that oral and folk knowledge have. They are more of a linear form of knowledge where I spread my ideas to all of you. Print knowledge is disseminated very easily which allows for mass communication of wonderful ideals and doctrines such as the Book of Mormon. But it lacks the spiritual experience of transmitting that knowledge through another person. In our salon we discussed that while the Book of Mormon gives everyone personal revelation, it is useless without that information being used to help and collaborate with others. For written knowledge I taught my group the art of Japanese Calligraphy, it was amazing to see the difference in just the act of copying down the characters and actually understanding their meaning. For me, writing the characters has great meaning and spirituality to it, while my group members were just copying lines and shapes. This is an example of how written and print knowledge are both very useful in recording knowledge and giving it longevity, but they fail to communicate that knowledge with any spirituality or experience that comes with oral knowledge.
Through all the different forms of learning in this class, collaborative, self-directed, projects, and activities, I have seen the forms of mantic and sophic knowledge being transmitted and recorded. While some forms of knowledge are more sophic or mantic than others, it is safe to say that both views yield effective ways to share and store knowledge and thus are equally important as we continue to learn knew knowledge and cherish the old.