One of the joys or burdens of being an architect is that you know a little bit about a lot of things but not a lot about anything. I can, for instance, explain how a structural moment connection works in a steel frame building but I can’t tell you how thick the steel plate needs to be or how many bolts are required. I need the specialized training of a Structural Engineer for that. I enjoy laying out places for plantings and trees but I need the detailed knowledge of a Landscape Architect to select the best plant materials for a specific location. Other generalists, like composers, film directors, pastors, and presidents, are similarly ‘dependent on the kindness of strangers’.
For better or worse, I deal with philosophy and theology in the same way. I know just enough about a lot of things to get me into water that’s too deep for me and am dependent on specialists beyond that. This ‘shallowness’ of my knowledge has kept me from writing down my thoughts for a long time but I’m just now learning to live with it as an occupational hazard.
I am currently working on a post about Critical Theory for which this note is highly relevant.
Well put.
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