Quote:
Originally Posted by W.F. Lantry
Maybe that's the theological difference here. If one believes, with the Spartans, that virtue can not be taught, that it (like artistic ability) either exists or doesn't exist within the individual, then every discussion of the subject would be pointless. On the other hand, that would also mean workshops are completely pointless.  |
Even if the eye/ear for beauty cannot be taught (which I am not necessarily saying) the workshop wouldn't be pointless if its goal was more about using the tools to shape the "stuff" skillfully in order to match the expectations/vision of the artist.
And besides what Allen said, which was a fair point, maybe Keats wasn't making an algebraic equation as much as saying that the something was connected across these particular distinctions that wasn't being seen or understood as the same "stuff" in some way. Such an idea doesn't collapse all the distinctions in the universe like your suggesting. Why would it.
Some posts in this discussion make me think of the guy on third base who is so busy calculating bat speed, wind velocity, and correct hormonal dosing that he isn't doesn't even realize that baseball is a shamanic ritual involving mitts under the mattress, hot dogs, and Babe Ruth's lucky socks.