BusterStronghart@Gmail.com
..................Truth, Beauty, Goodness

Dear Jason,

When your Dad and I were at Horace Mann we had a wonderful art teacher named Ion Theodore. He lived in the dormitory and was a sculptor. He chipped away at wood and granite through the night and taught in the daytime. As my room was next to his room(s) I was kept awake by his steady, rhythmic chipping.

He liked to expound his ideas to us, when he wasn’t pounding his mallet.

Ion was a wonderful man, soft, compassionate, and patient. He made time to speak to each of us individually. He liked to emphasize that he believed that we should lead our lives seeking “Truth, Beauty, and Goodness."

I am not absolutely sure that these were the three icons that he urged on us. I googled “truth and beauty” hoping to find the three correct words. Google took me to the Steiner book, “Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.” Do you know whether there is a different set of ideals that Mr. Theodore may have said to me?

If Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, are the correct ideals, do you know where originated? It sounds Greek, but I would like to know.


mike

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Dear Mike,

The Good was the highest archetype for Plato and the neo-platonists. From the Good, Truth and Beauty emanated (I think in this order). From this trinity of archetypes, lesser archetypes emanated until finally the material world - a shadowy reflection of the world of archetypes - distilled out.

Try Plato or Plotinus as sources.

Steiner felt that all education should kindle the natural feelings for Truth, Beauty and Goodness that all young people have inherently. The natural idealism of teenagers in particular must be cultivated. This idealism is in danger from the dark sides of modern life and human history. He felt students must have outlet to exercise activity to counter these dark "forces."

Your teacher was a natural pedagogue. How wonderful to have a student who remembers and ponders these ideas long after hearing them.

I hope this was helpful and that all is well with you and your family,

Jason
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