9. Ivy McDermott; Hermeneutics (class reading/reflection)

    Our lecture the other week at the Whisper Wall on Professor Redick’s new text reminded me of a lecture I had on the Hermeneutic Circle in a film class. We used this as a writing tool to help compose an essay about a film– something that proved pretty difficult to do. It helped us organize our thoughts and think of both the whole and the parts at the same time, because every part is intentional in a bigger theme. We visualize fractions as pieces of a whole, the body can be broken down into organ system, organ, tissue, and cell types, and we invented time and numbers to organize our lives and growth. We also form circles of communities, cliques, etc.

    I found it interesting how we use circles to organize ourselves, our thoughts, and other bodies and objects. There are a ton of examples of circles in nature: eyes, tree rings, planets, jellyfish, etc. Then there are a plethora of circular diagrams or ideas like the water cycle, the golden ratio, the tree of life, the life cycle of all living things, etc. It could go on and on. Overall, we are drawn to connections and visualizations and using circles may be a useful tool to help us build a better future. It seems daunting to address every problem at once but organizing and examining the smaller issues can shape the process of the larger goal and community. 


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