The Well Educated Mind
Thursday, January 4, 2007 at 07:58PM My book, The Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer, came yesterday! Last night, I read the first four chapters, which explain the tenents of Classical education, the process of self-education, and some historical examples of the keeping of "commonbooks."
A commonbook is basically a journal--a written record of one's thoughts, observations and impressions noted during the process of reading and learning.
Occasionally, though, commonplace books took on a more personalized form. Their authors carried them around and jotted in them at odd moments during the day. The commonplace books gathered reflections, scraps of original verse and other creative writing, and summaries of books read, as well as the de rigeur bits of copied information. They became artificial memories.
Susan Wise Bauer, The Well Trained Mind, pg.36
When I read that phrase, artificial memories,I sat up and took notice. I immediately began to think of all the little techniques and tricks that I use to help me remember and learn. From my Palm Pilot to the calendar on my computer, I set reminders for myself. These are the "to do" reminders. Appointments, obligations, commitments, birthdays, anniversaries, heartworm pills, you name it. Without (and sometimes even WITH) these helps, I would be lost. I do not have a great memory.
Then I thought of the system I have devised over the years to help me read and study. Mostly it is a book marking system (which is why I usually buy every book I read; I need to be able to scribble down my thoughts and make note of the things that puzzle or interest me or that I need to think through again. It's a very efficient system, at least for me. I will not give it up entirely to follow the system outlined in the Well Educated Mind--I will incorporate it somehow.
And then there is this blog--really these three blogs. They serve as artificial memory, too. The blogs, especially this blog, Hiraeth Warehouse, function a lot like a commonbook. It's like a placeholder for ones thoughts.
A commonplace book. I like thinking of blogging in those terms, don't you?
Reader Comments (3)
An interesting thought - our blogs being articificial memories. Do you ever wonder what will happen to them, if they'll still be accessible years from now?
Books are so...stable, don't you think?
Hi Carol,
Actually, I do think about what will happen to them years from now. Hopefully, when I am gone and my great grandchildren ask about "who is that old lady walking those two red dogs?" they can read about the things that I delighted in, the things that I thought about, and most especially the Saviour I worshiped and depended upon.
I have both my grandmothers' Bibles. I have often wished I knew more about my paternal grandmother who died when I was a toddler. I get a tiny glimpse into her when I see what she underlined in her Bible. I'd love a larger picture, but I'll have to wait until heaven to get it!
That should read when the great grandchildren see a picture of that old lady. . .
Hopefully, if I'm still alive they won't have to ask who the lady is, they will know her. : )