“Longinus,” Method, and Chaos

I thought the reading by and about “Longinus” On the Sublime was really intriguing, especially because of his huge influence on European scholarship and literary criticism, two things I have encountered often in my education. I appreciated the fact that “in classical times the study of literature was not divorced from the study of rhetoric…and they went to literature to find material that could help their students…” (344). I personally think this still holds true today in many composition classrooms. The teaching of writing and analysis is not necessarily the same as the teaching of literature, but literature can be used to teach writing and analysis. 

I was specifically struck by something that “Longinus” said regarding method. The text states, “…it is method that is competent to provide and contribute quantities and appropriate occasions for everything, as well as perfect correctness in training and application” (347).  This reminded me of the discussion we were having in class on Wednesday February 6th regarding the usefulness of the humanities. We discussed the humanities as a way to teach empathy as well as critical thinking skill. I didn’t get a chance to express this because we changed topics, but I also think the humanities is useful for teaching theory as a methodology for practical use. For example, I used to privately tutor a nursing student who was getting her Bachelor’s degree, and in her upper division classes she had to look into various “theories of care.” These theories discussed personal autonomy, morality, and different ways to provide care based on these ideals. One that stuck with me was the Self-Care Deficit Theory developed by Dorothea E. Orem. She believed people should be self-reliant, and responsible for their care, as well as others in their family who need care, and that people are distinct individuals. She claimed that nursing is a form of action as well as an interaction between two or more people.  Helping my student understand this theory really opened my eyes to the fact that philosophy actually does have an impact on every day practical matters. People are going to react differently in different situations based on the beliefs and methodologies that they are taught and choose to follow.

 “Longinus” makes a bold claim when he says that method will dictate "appropriate occasions for everything” and “perfect correctness.” These sound like impossible achievements since perfection is not really possible. However, I do agree that method is the foundation for most important activities. The scientific method, for example, is extremely important factor in conducting valid research, and is followed by most reputable scientists. Music theory is another example of a practical application of method. Without it, music would be a bunch of chaotic noise. Business classes too teach theoretical frameworks by which organizations are run. 

“Longinus” also explains that a textbook should do two things: “explain what a subject is, and more important, that it should explain how and by what methods we can achieve it” (346). It is true that, to this day, most of us learn method from textbooks. Without them, we would be looking at a vast body of knowledge without knowing where to start, even with, or especially with, things like Google at our fingertips. “Longinus” disputes the idea that “natural products are very much weakened by being reduced to the bare bones of a textbook” in his assertion that method is necessary for execution of "everything" (347). The debate on whether education restricts or frees one’s mind still rages on to this day. For example, it can be difficult to be creative in the formulaic world of essay writing that academia insists upon. However, without some form of organization, it would be very difficult to follow most people’s train of thought in their writing. I believe one can be both creative and still follow a methodology. Because even with “the power to conceive great thoughts” one must still have “noble diction,” as “Longinus” puts it, to convey their point effectively (350).