An idealistically fine 4th of July 2007, this last week

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For us it 4th was a neighborhood event. The view from the back of our house within a few days of the 4th was as you can see, spectacular. Then again the 4th's events, for me, connect to the picture from 1509 below. Both in a way reflect part of this years "4th of July" time. No risk here in sounding boring and making folks figure this is not 4th of July stuff. However, telling you more anyway, we went to another neighbors house in a different direction. We had some good food, sat in the back yard and enjoyed ...................

each others company. Listened to some good music some of which was from the 1940's and 50's and all of which was patriotic. We listened to a recording of President Roosevelt in prayer. What do folks talk about as they sit around the back yard? Well three of us spent some time on Aristotle and Plato. We had all be re reading and updating ourselves on Aristotle. You see even these folks gathered in Raphael’s "The School of Athens" are kind of relaxed. Could have been the 4th of July the day this picture was captured. Many seem to just be enjoying stuff. The two in the center were Plato on the left and Aristotle on the right. By the way, the School of Athens was painted in 1509 or 1510 and it was part of Raphael's commission to decorate the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. (At the same time, Michelangelo was next door painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.) The School of Athens was Raphael’s vision of the community of intellects from the classical world; the greatest philosophers, scientists and mathematicians of antiquity. I often figure our time in Northeast Albuquerque has been one where we found the scientists and mathematicians. Lot of smart people around everywhere but the science labs in our area attract an interesting group. In some ways it gets down to whether your finger is pointing up as is the case with Plato center stage above or out as with Aristotle also center stage. I figure Plato is what I like about life and Albuquerque and Aristotle is like what I have found here in the neighborhood.

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This could take way too much space to really say much about this thought I will just offer one idea to support this. Scientists and mathematicians remind me of Aristotle's conclusion here, and Plato reminds me of why I enjoyed the back yard discussion that took less than an hour of our several hours fun time.

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Idealism vs. Realism is the difference shown but up or out. With his right hand Plato points upwards, indicating that the ideals of Truth, Beauty and Good are not of this world, but lie beyond, in the realm of pure Ideas. Aristotle takes exception to his teacher’s position. He holds his right hand straight out, his palm facing downward toward the earth, - the solid world of material reality. So for him the ideals were not really eternal or seperate but just here with us, around us, perhaps part of us. Back then it was said that everyone was born either a Platonist or an Aristotelian

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I find myself an idealist. (today at least)