Jacques Maritain

[djeter]

http://payingattentiontothesky.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/maritain5.jpg?w=183&h=265

It struck me as I was reading this essay by Jacques Maritain (based on a chapter from Creative Intuition In Art And Poetry, how contemporary philosophers would probably be doing research or commenting on brain studies that attempt to use brain cat scans to discover which parts of the brain are activated by artists when they are working.

How many people do we have about these days who were like Jacques Maritain, who had the breadth of intelligence and experience to apply Thomist principles to art and poetry? This is a representative piece of his writings that are so unique to this field. Anyone can read it really and sense the timeless truths he writes about the human soul.

I hope you like it.

dj

you can find it here:

payingattentiontothesky.com/2010/03/18/jacques-maritain%e2%80%99s-aesthetics/

 

[Bookcat]

One that I look to…together with his Wife Raissa!

 

[DBT]

Interesting reading, thank you

I was wondering if either of you could point me to a similar link by Maritain where he discusses the “spiritual unconscious or preconscious” in the context of mystical prayer. I ran across another essay that hinted at Maritain’s views on this as it relates to the contemplative prayer states of recollection, quiet and union.

Thanks in advance for any help you might have

Dave

 

[Bookcat]

Interesting reading, thank you

I was wondering if either of you could point me to a similar link by Maritain where he discusses the “spiritual unconscious or preconscious” in the context of mystical prayer. I ran across another essay that hinted at Maritain’s views on this as it relates to the contemplative prayer states of recollection, quiet and union.

Thanks in advance for any help you might have

Dave

The later part of “The Degrees of Knowledge” gets into Contemplation…not sure if it gets into these terms…but it does get into Union… you can buy it or order it via interlibrary loan…

but it is certainly highly philosophical

 

[donanobis]

I recently read a book "The Radical Vision of Saul Alinsky / by P. David Finks’. Alinsky was a friend of Maritain who was a good friend of Pope Paul. I wondered about those friendships.

As Alinsky has been notoriously associated with ACORN of recent news, what are your views on those friendships above. I really haven’t read anything of Maritain as he is pretty deep.

I did find this recent link but wonder about your views on those friendships.

 

[Bookcat]

I do not know the person of whom you speak.

But the Maritains were friends of many! Poets…artists…theologians…philosphers writers…etc

He was himself (as was Raissa) entirely an Orthodox Catholic Faithful to the Church…

being friends with someone of course does not mean embracing their ideas …

and the Maritains had one could say an apostolate of friendship…

 

[djeter]

I recently read a book "The Radical Vision of Saul Alinsky / by P. David Finks’. Alinsky was a friend of Maritain who was a good friend of Pope Paul. I wondered about those friendships.

As Alinsky has been notoriously associated with ACORN of recent news, what are your views on those friendships above. I really haven’t read anything of Maritain as he is pretty deep.

I did find this recent link but wonder about your views on those friendships.

Wow! That is a quite revealing link. The overlap in their lives would probably have occurred when Alinsky was younger (his heydey was the 60’s when he affected Hilary and other Dems). Maritain passed in 1973, I believe.

They were both intellectuals but Maritain lived in more rarified environment of honorific appointments and ambassadorships. You may note in my post that he was described by Michael Novak as being very child-like (so I imagine, trusting). Alinsky was a political radical, a father figure to many in the SDS movement in 60’s and the Chicago radicals who now figure covertly in the Obama White House. Strange bedfellows, though. Thanks for the info.

dj

 

[donanobis]

Wow! That is a quite revealing link. The overlap in their lives would probably have occurred when Alinsky was younger (his heydey was the 60’s when he affected Hilary and other Dems). Maritain passed in 1973, I believe… Alinsky was a political radical, a father figure to many in the SDS movement in 60’s and the Chicago radicals who now figure covertly in the Obama White House. Strange bedfellows, though. Thanks for the info. dj

The book by Finks is easy reading. You might gain more light by reading it in relation to Maritain/Pope Paul. Alinsky died in 1979. The book is not slanted in a negative way. One almost sides with Alinsky in reading it. His ideas were notable. His greatest fear, apparently, was that the have-nots would have and not pass on the favor and it happened repeatedly although he said it was worth the risk. I have read so much negative about Alinsky that I had to find a balance and the book did that. I got the book from our interstate library system. There is more on Alinsky on this Scribd link. PS-I am not a radical and am not promoting him. I just find it enticing when someone is maligned to finding out more about that person and judge for myself.