The Ancient of Days

Columbia, South Carolina Study Center

The Masonic Philosophical Society has been growing throughout the world steadily. While we offer many different resources for our members to grow and learn online, there is simply no substitute for attending the Study Center nearest you. When you attend a Study Center of the Masonic Philosophical Society you will have the opportunity, not only to hear from a speaker, but to participate in the dialogue.

Columbia, South Carolina Study Center
6251 St. Andrews Road Columbia, SC 29212
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Is Our Worldview Shaped by the Maps We Create?
Date: 3/21/2020 2:30:00 PM
Topic of Study: Behavioral Science
Presenter: Bro. Sandy McKeown
Synopsis: For centuries mankind has relied on maps to navigate the seas, travel continents, or follow established trade routes. Accurate maps were often true treasures of knowledge and highly sought after. Other maps were more decorative and marvels of art and craftsmanship. We still rely heavily on maps to find our ways through the city, state, or across a continent but the appearances have changed drastically. Many of them are completely digital but nevertheless not less valuable. All maps, in present or past times, are created by the human mind. The cartographer makes deliberate choices on what to include, how to represent different features, scale, color schemes, and in doing so creates an image of his mind or society's view on the given region. How that result is perceived by another depends on the user of the map as well. This holds true for each of us and raises an interesting question: Are maps just a representation of our world's image or are they shaping our worldview as well? We will explore this question from a Masonic perspective using old and current maps.

"A human being is a part of a whole, called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest ... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
Albert Einstien
Physicist
Personal Writings