Dear Joel De Ceulaer...

[ Wed. Feb. 22. 2017 ]

Yves Petry is a writer. The new debate series De Morgen, uppercut, he challenged journalist Joel De Ceulaer for an interview.

Dear Joel De Ceulaer,

Perhaps you are familiar with the Edge Foundation, an organization dedicated to the spread of a so-called third culture. Intended becomes the dialogue between scientists and the public on issues of common interest: who we are, where we come from and where we are going. The first and second culture, the literary and scientific, the traditional domain of the respective alphas and betas. The third culture begins when the latter take on the role of intellectual audience and their ideas can get outside the walls of their institution influence.

John Brockman, founder of the Edge Foundation, says that he wants fast and smart thinking prevail "over the local anesthetic of wisdom." This does put a certain tone. Intellectuals from the first culture - writers, philosophers, psychoanalysts, the friends of literature, say - be dismissed as a kind of doctors from a prewetenschappelijk era, which at most can numb the pain of ignorance verbal first aid kit but not cured. A reading public, thirsting for knowledge, consult your doctor urgently serious!

The sense of cosmic dimensions in which I move has freed me from certain pretensions. But on closer inspection it was by no means a reason to deny myself the pleasure of captivating literature

Personally, I was more familiar for I had heard the term with that third culture. The book by Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Steven Pinker I met decades ago. I am addressing you because you know those books to me. Only we draw there apparently opposite conclusions regarding the position of literature.

Found myself aforementioned book fascinating reading. Often I was touched by the concern spend the authors to their style and the composition of their story. Facts and understanding, all well and good, but it should also be brought compelling way, otherwise bored. Like a novel. Undoubtedly, science has something changed fundamentally my self-image. The evolutionary and cosmic dimensions in which I move, the only conceivable complexity that underlies even the slightest act I performed - a sharper awareness of it has freed me from certain pretensions and my I definitely instilled a deep humility as to what the know and can. But on closer inspection it was by no means a reason to deny myself the pleasure of fascinating literature.

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