Given the plethora of ideas raised it is difficult to be
selective but one that stood out especially (to me) was the
supposition that today’s 'academy' believes that the criteria for
excellence is that we have ‘better answers to better questions’. I personally
do not know how to respond to the concept of ‘better answers to better
questions’. I can somewhat understand
the idea of a more or less accurate correlation of one set of information to
another set of information but what exactly constitutes a ‘better question’?
Better in terms of what?
I do not understand how better or worse enters into things . .
. simply new or different questions, or perhaps questions that further
understanding--or am I to suppose that is what is meant by better? If so . . . then . . . what
might be intended, is that the ‘academy’ or those all working on a particular
region of knowledge ask questions and obtain answers to those questions that
further a progression toward goals that are perceived to be useful or productive?
Okay. Fine, I suppose. Well no, not entirely fine. I mean,
how does one even know that the direction furthered toward isn’t pointless?
You see, to me, that’s the great advantage of the
‘interdisciplinary’ inquiry, or of the collaboration of expertise from
different ‘disciplines’—it creates a kind of ‘checks and balances’ dynamic in
the construction of knowledge. By sharing differing perspectives and experiences it becomes possible to grasp fuller dimensions of implication, meaning and purpose.
Admittedly I had a TERRIBLE cold/flu
that day however and as such was not at my best. I did overall enjoy listening
to the differing perspectives. Here is a link to more information about that 'Disciplinarity: Representing Reformation': http://representingreformation.net/get-involved/events/disciplinarity/
On 25 Wednesday April I had the opportunity to attend a ‘Mapping
Faith’
workshop, which trained attendees in the use of an application called
‘Mediascape’, to create media-imbued, mobile maps. I think it will prove quite
useful in the creation of an interactive, hyper-cartographical narratives as
ancillary commentary and information support for the thesis case studies I’m
currently working on. Here is a link to more information about the 'Mapping Faith and Place' project:
The Snorgh
and the Sailor Book Release
Party was on 26 Thursday, April at the ‘Crumblin’ Cookie’.
During the gathering, the audience was treated to a ‘story time’ complete with
participatory opportunity (the audience provided the sound effects for accompaniment
to the story). Here is a lovely link to more information about the book, its
author, Will Buckingham and the illustrator, Thomas Docherty: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/dmu-staff/news/the-snorgh-and-the-sailor-book-launch.aspx
