Autumn Arrives

This past summer appears to have flown by. Is it simply that we’re getting older?  Or that the special events that mark our time have been omitted: Z’s annual college reunion, the local courgette festival, etc.. Whatever the cause, our days seem to have sped by in a stream of sameness. The equinox has just passed and we’re definitely moving into autumn, despite our temperatures being unseasonably high and still hovering just below 30oC midday.

Recently we have been beset with water problems. We had our septic tank emptied but found our waste water was not dispersing readily. So Z found himself digging to locate pipes then - literally up to the elbows L - trying to break up and extract the solidified silt that was causing pipe blockage.  To mark his success, I made our live-in plumber his favourite tarte tatin as a treat.

Then there as water problem no. 2: an erratic water supply from our tank. On that score we will rely on professionals as we have ascertained the problem lies with the pump extracting the water from the water table. That needs repairing or renewal, and we fear the latter!

                                              

And here’s a sad scene: our pool emptying and filling with falling leaves. Ordinarily I would immediately switch to the spa venue to use the indoor pool. Unfortunately, they have not yet been given permission to open because of the covid-19 restrictions. So I am really missing it. Especially after a gardening session, that cooling dip was just the thing.   

    Our swallows have flitted off south and our crickets keep us a quieter company, till they too will wind down into silence.  But let’s not dwell on the negative aspects solely. For each season comes with its very own beauty.                                                  

                                                       

                                                                                   

• Our magnolia pods are swelling and will finally explode with bright berry-red seeds.
• The pampas grass is beginning to issue its fronds which will sway elegantly in the winter winds.
• Our olive trees have produced an abundance of green berries. Fingers crossed they will mature nicely into a good, healthy harvest. 
• 

                        

 This being our ‘season of mists’ I think this beautiful pixabay.com shot is quite atmospheric. 

                                              

There are, however, for me some negative connotations right now. Unfortunately, a close friend, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s well over a year ago, has now dipped irretrievably into the mental mists produced by this hellish disease. Since she no longer recognised me on recent calls, I find it devastating to know we can no longer communicate meaningfully. Frustratingly I can do nothing to help her, but I do know she has been admitted to hospital for tests to help ascertain what medication and care best fit her needs.   Unfortunately in both Britain and Greece some care homes seem not to have been managed competently, especially in terms of coronavirus protective measures. I pray all will turn out for her in the best possible way.

 I’ve left with the ‘mellow fruitfulness part till the end. This is a sample of the fruit produced by our garden.  Oh! I think I feel a wee still-life coming on!

   May autumn tones and tastes enrich your days as they gradually draw in!

                                                    

A Trip to Halkidiki - Appreciating Aristotle.

 Aristotle, or Aristotelis, was, among other things, a famous philosopher and educator. One of the local universities in Thessaloniki proudly bears his name and, since his origins lie in Northern Greece, I thought it was time I explored his life and works.

 He was born In Stageira - in the area of Halkidiki - in 384 BC                                                  
. His father, Nicomachus, was personal physician to King Amyntas of Macedon. However, he was brought up by a guardian as his parents died when he was about 13. Given his father’s connections, it has been mooted that in his youth he may have spent time at the Macedon court.

 

 This grand statue of Aristotle stands in the modern village of Stageira in a park which is dedicated to the great man. Along with his statue are examples of instruments which he experimented with as he studied the application of the rules of Physics. These include, among others, a prism, optical discs, and a pendulum. In the pictures below, next to his statue can be seen the compass, while in the lower picture we can see a sun dial in operation.                                     

There is one issue which remains unresolved: where exactly was Aristotle born? Was it here in Stageira, or in Ancient Stageira which also lays claim to the honour? Intriguingly, there is another possibility. When the road from Stageira to the nearby village of Stratoni was being worked on fairly recently, a large archaeological site was discovered. Locals believe that this, in fact, may hold the secret as to the actual birthplace.                         

      

What is uncontested, is the fact that at about the age of 17 he moved to Athens to be educated by Plato at his Academy in Athens. Initially this comprised informal gatherings of people who came to listen and learn. A more official Academy was founded in 387 BC and was open to the public – chiefly the upper class and would-be politicians. The topics covered were mainly mathematical and philosophical. Essentially what happened was that Plato posed problems which were to be studied and solved by others. This was known as Platonic Dialectic: the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinion. It was a discourse of two or more people, holding different points of view or beliefs, trying to establish the truth through reasoned methods of argumentation. Through this, one examines assumptions and basic concepts and hopes to arrive at better assumptions and concepts. German philosophers like Hegel and Marx were to develop their own forms of dialectic.                                             

His written works were often treatises - formal and systematic studies of a subject. As for subjects covered, he is credited with contributions as far-ranging as:

Maths, Physics, Ethics, Biology, Botany, Politics, Agriculture, Medicine, Dance and Theatre.

 So he really was a bit of a Polymath!

What is considered to be one of his main achievements is that his was the earliest study of what we now call formal logic. We can safely say he was the father of Logic and Metaphysics.

Let me now explain my interest in this particular field.  My first degree was an MA from an old Scottish university, Aberdeen, where a broad range of studies was considered necessary for a well-rounded education. As well as our main subjects we were required to select a science and a philosophy. Since I was planning a career in education, Psychology seemed the obvious science choice. But what to choose between Moral Philosophy and Logic& Metaphysics?! A friend, studying the former, advised she was writing an essay to the effect that if you ate an apple when you had no desire to do so, then you could derive the same enjoyment from eating a stone.

Without further consideration, I opted for Logic & Metaphysics and never ever regretted it!