pedantic or inspired?
Nov 07, 2002 08:11 AM
by Eldon B Tucker
At work, someone gets and sends out a dictionary word of the day.
Yesterday, it was "pedantic." Reading it, I think of how things are
taught sometimes. It is something to be aware of, lest any of us fall
into that mode of sharing Theosophy.
The word "pedantic," describes a manner of teaching that is pompous and
dull, unimaginative, and tediously devoted to a narrow specialty. The
opposite might be lively, interesting, imaginative, and inspired.
While a certain discipline and mental rigor is necessary to acquire or
teach some of the key theosophical ideas, the spiritual, numinous,
magical side is also essential. The terms and ideas learned form the
mental toolset. The energy or life side of the teaching forms the
spiritual transmission, the dharma lineage.
-- Eldon
>The Word of the Day for November 6 is:
>
>pedantic \pih-DAN-tik\ (adjective)
> *1 : narrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned
> 2 : unimaginative, pedestrian
>
>Example sentence:
> "Dr. Sanford is a pedantic old codger, in my opinion,"
>said Pam, "whereas I find Dr. Wilson to be a lively and
>interesting lecturer."
>
>Did you know?
> In Shakespeare's day, a pedant was a male schoolteacher.
>The word's meaning was close to that of the Italian "pedante,"
>from which the English word was adapted. Someone who was
>pedantic was simply a tutor or teacher. But a good percentage
>of instructional pedants of the day must have been pompous and
>dull, because by 1600 both "pedant" and "pedantic" had gained
>extended senses referring to anyone who was obnoxiously and
>tediously devoted to his or her own academic acumen.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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