Chris,
Okay, I'm beginning to see...
You're in the business of creating aphorisms. But seriously Chris, you
sound like you're selling something (other than the idea).
I've checked out the site again and I can see how Magic Paragraphs could
help. They can help with research (say, if you logged in a shite load of
research and you want to find a specific quote) and they can help with
inspiration.
But I don't think this is a new way of knowing. And I don't think it will
replace, say, an essay. M-Ps will only augment it, or at least the process.
I don't believe any "Progress" was made in your little example. If you
stopped there, all you could say was that you came up with a few paragraphs
about what a few people said on the topic. You can't make an argument in a
paragraph, you can only state a position or viewpoint. That's all
aphorisms really are: a particular insight. Anybody could come by your
collection of quotes and shoot them down, one by one, with any number of
their own insights. Aphorisms are clever remarks made about the topic, but
they have no coherence between them. That's what essays and books do.
Maybe you think aphorisms are the end all, be all of knowledge. If so, I
should think Nietzsche was the smartest person ever to walk the earth and
we should live in his shining example.
But I don't think that. I don't think producing the most aphorisms will
make you the best or brightest.
So, here's an aphorism:
"Aphorisms are catchphrases, mottos, slogans, buzz words, and clichés. A
collection of aphorisms is a Dictionary of Quotations."
That'll be my new maxim. Aphorisms are cute and fun, but they are not all
there is.
Maybe everyone likes aphorisms. Maybe everybody agrees with Chris. Maybe
I'm making a big stink over nothing, just making myself look like a big
ass. Maybe I should take a lesson from the East and just shut-up.
And I think maybe I will.
Shutting-up,
Matt
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