Not everyone appreciates an epic poem that is over 2500 years old. If you are, give an expert a chance to convince you. In this episode of EconTalkRuss Roberts interviews Claudia Hauer about war, education, and strategic humanism. Mr. Hauer is an expert on the importance of reading the classics, which he often had to do as a visiting professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mr. Hauer is a faculty member at St. John’s University in Santa Fe, where students learn ancient Greek as part of their education, and is the author of the following books: Strategic humanism: Leadership lessons from the ancient Greeksthat’s the focus of this interview.
Dr. Hauer said he mentors two very different student populations: U.S. Air Force officers in training and St. John’s University students who were specifically looking for a “great book” style of education. Hauer argues that both groups of students, although with different approaches and goals, can gain something from the humanities, particularly the ancient Greek epics she teaches.
Hauer’s students at the Air Force Academy often entered the classroom convinced that ancient war poetry had little to offer them. On the surface, the weapons and fighting methods depicted are homer A far cry from modern life and war. In Hauer and Roberts’ conversation, they mention the concept of practical knowledge: τέχνη (technology) Classical Greek.
Techne This is a concept that (in most cases) can be translated as: craft,In other words how We achieve excellence (Greek: ἀρετή (Arete)) within a specific domain. It is specialized knowledge, experiential knowledge gained from doing things. As Roberts notes, it is the backbone of our language. technology However, they do not mean exactly the same thing.
Hauer argues that Greek is worth reading even for non-experts, and describes how he succeeded in persuading a class of officers-in-training that it was worth reading Homer. Greek traditions about the best way to be human are still worth discussing thousands of years later, she argues, and these texts are especially relevant when it comes to military-led training. do.
I think it’s important to read this book, if only to witness some of these objectifying trends during the war. But beyond that, it teaches a timeless lesson about camaraderie and its cycles during war. Jonathan Shea has this book. Achilles of Vietnam, In it, he points out that the cycle we see, the emotional cycle, is unleashed in our Achilles’ heel. of IliadBetrayal of a commander, withdrawal from battle, death of a close friend, and a chain of grief that leads to brutal and savage rage. Jonathan Shea points out that these cycles are timeless and continue to play out on the battlefield.
And I think so, as far as what happens there. Iliad is still part of the war landscape. I think it’s important that we read it. Can you surpass that? Can it actually delve into territory that would be worth reading in its own right? I think this metaphor is that Homer sets the background of war in a natural landscape, where humans are like lions fighting, or forces of nature, like heavy rain or thunderstorms. I think it’s a way of exploring, but I think he’s really starting this work that the Greeks are going to continue with literature like this. How do we begin to find the realm of humanity versus our helplessness as creatures in this world of force and power?
And we please don’t Always fully understand our relationship with nature and animals. And that’s the problem the Greeks solved all The thing about their literature is that God didn’t hand humans over to them on a platter of scripture, so they have to work it out themselves. In that sense, I would like to argue as follows. Iliada must read for its own sake.
Like many modern people with a humanistic upbringing, I will likely spend much of my adult life behind a laptop. like what technology Is it necessary? Has my education given me any abilities? Technology? Knowing the best way to be human is technology?Is it something that can be taught or passed on? Techne As a concept, it is ubiquitous in Greek literature and philosophy. in Meno, Plato This question begins with the question: “Socrates, could you tell me whether virtue is acquired by teaching or by practice? Or, if not by teaching or practice, is it endowed by nature with man, or by some other means?” Don’t go too deep into the Greek text (Plato uses a different word for this) technology), it is clear that the reader is being asked to reflect on the practical implications of knowledge about what is good and true.
Aristotle deals with a similar question as follows: metaphysics, Here he distinguishes between the knowledge of a craftsman and the knowledge of a master craftsman. For Aristotle, experience is a necessary but not sufficient condition for knowledge. Wisdom enhances experience, but simple experience can also be very useful to humans, he says: In fact, it turns out that people with experience are more successful than people with theories without experience. ”
The Greeks had a complex and sophisticated view of practical knowledge in their philosophical discussions, poetry, and drama. There are too many examples to list here. These conversations are accessible to us, especially Liberty Online Library) whether we are soldiers, sailors, academics or self-taught. We continue to ask these human questions.
Other questions to consider are:
1- Dr. Hauer told the students at the Air Force Academy, Iliada poem about war. Is it relevant to those of us who are not involved in development? technology War and technology About reading Greek literature? How about that? Is it more or less related? odysseyas mentioned in the podcast episode?
2- The humanities can be seen as unrealistic because they often do not lead directly to vocational training. However, the ancient Greeks were very interested in the practical implications of ideas about knowledge. Why did the Greeks distinguish between purely contemplative knowledge and practical expertise? What does their approach to knowledge acquisition tell us about education today?
3- What similarities are there between physical practical skills, such as carpentry, athletics, medicine, or the production of art, and how we practice virtue?
4. Did the ancient Greeks think of the humanities as a kind of thing as we think of them today? technology?In what ways are the humanities similar? technology Do you work in a medical, military, or other specialized field?
5- What kinds of humanities disciplines do you think would benefit most from ancient Greek insights about knowledge transfer, and how? What can humanities students learn from modern practical scholarship? Can you learn?
Related resources
“Leadership Classes in the Ancient World,” Essay by Josiah Osgood
“Mr. Truman’s Degree”, an essay by G.E.M. Anscombe (1956)
τέχνη, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, Greek-English Dictionary
Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy’s Technē
Nancy Vander Veer received her BA in Classics from Samford University. She taught Latin in high schools in the United States and was responsible for programs and fundraising at the Paideia Institute. Based in Rome, Italy, he is currently completing his Master’s degree in European Social and Economic History at Philipp University of Marburg.
