One of my favorite writers, science professor and naturalist Chet Raymo, wrote a recent post “Hand to Mind” at his blog Science Musings* about The New York Times review of Richard Sennett’s new book, The Craftsman; I highlighted some excerpts of the Times review here.
Prof. Raymo hasn’t read the new book yet, but has some wonderful thoughts on the subject. Here’s just a bit from his post,
The purest way to live, it has always seemed to me, is with what might be called a Benedictine balance of manual labor, intellectual work, and prayer. The closest I have come to achieving this is on the island, where part of each day is given over to reading and writing, part to woodworking and household maintenance, and part to paying attention, usually while walking. Yes, I know. It’s our brain that by most accounts defines our humanity — that gray stuff locked out of sight in the strongbox of the skull. But it’s with our hands that we make physical contact with reality. Our hands are our emissaries to the world.
Read the rest here.
* Prof. Raymo has the Science Musings blog and the Science Musings website (where you can find his thoughts on Benjamin Franklin and plate tectonics, among other things)
Filed under: Craftsmanship, Science
Reminds me of Helen and Scott Nearing…and their day’s structure was credited as being inspired by Thomas Jefferson.
Yes, very much so, Jen. Ah, the Good Life : ). You’re probably beginning to detect a theme here at this point!
Ha, ha! Probably the reason why I keep coming to read your posts! :) The Good Life, indeed.
I have always liked the idea, at least, of the Benedictine way of life–although since my impressions of it were garnered from Rumer Godden’s novel, In this House of Brede, I’m not sure I really know what that means.
I shall look out for The Craftsman…
Oh I love that book, Charlotte.
The one thing I think I know about Benedictines, or at least about Benedict, is that he said something along the lines of, “You’re only a real monk once you live by the work of your hands”. And when I read the passage above I thought of the Trappist monks — when I was growing up Trappist jams were quite popular (I think we got some as gifts). Made in Massachusetts, I think.