The Wind Scroll from The Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi

I have given one version or another of this lecture since sometime in the mid 1990’s.  I have polished it quite a bit, and I have learned a lot since those early days.  Here I give a version of one of my lectures focusing on verbal interviews.  Criminals will use a variety of means to select victims, these can generally be classified as physical interviews- based more on body language- or verbal interviews, based on interactions that can be more subtle.  Either way can be very subtle or very direct, here we discuss some of these with a focus on the verbal interview.

In today’s episode of The Literate Caveman, we discuss Logical-Mathematical Intelligence from Howard Gardner’s Frames of Mind.  In this chapter, Gardner discusses his research and how it agrees with, and at some points disagrees with, the work of Jean Piaget.  He also discusses the brevity of the careers of most career mathematicians, and I compare that to what I have learned about the careers of competitive athletes, from my career in strength and conditioning.  

Today we are discussing Musical Intelligence, from a chapter by Howard Gardner’s book Frames of Mind.  Frames of Mind, first published in 1983, collects over 30 years of research and theories on the idea of multiple, fairly autonomous intelligences that work together, as opposed to a single, overarching intelligence.  

Howard Gardner is an American researcher and Professor of Cognition and Education.  Frames of Mind, first published in 1983, collects over 30 years of research and theories on the idea of multiple, fairly autonomous intelligences that work together, as opposed to a single, overarching intelligence.  It also challenges the widely accepted importance of IQ tests.  Today we are discussing Linguistic Intelligence.  

Howard Gardner is a researcher who has long worked on the idea that intelligence is not limited to a single, overarching quality.  He also has some interesting thoughts on the limitations of IQ tests, and education.  His research has led him to believe there is a strong possibility that intelligence is more complex, and that humans possess several different facets of intelligence that work together in daily life.  In today’s episode, we introduce his book ‘Frames of Mind, the Theory of Multiple Intelligences’ and discuss some of the ideas, and the history of this concept of multiple intelligences.  

The Chronicles of Narnia are one the best loved children’s story collections of all time.  However, most of the people who are aware of the series, have not read all seven books.  Today we are going to have a (mostly!) spoiler-free quick discussion about this remarkable series, the order in which C.S, Lewis wished them to be read- which is quite different than the order they were originally published in- some thoughts on their relevance to Christianity, and finish with some thoughts about reading these to children.  

In today’s chapter of The Literate Caveman, we are closing out our immediate discussion of The Book of Five Rings with an overview of some of the key principles from the book.  First we will look at the six principles translator William Scott Wilson feels are central to the text, and then I will discuss the three principles that I feel stand out as central to Musashi’s themes.  

In today’s chapter of The Literate Caveman, we review the Wind Chapter of the book of Five Rings, with a quick look at the Emptiness Chapter.  In this chapter Musashi discusses the shortcomings he saw in other styles of his day, listing out nine specific subjects that he felt led to particularly less-desirable frame of mind for martial artists.  As we review this, we discuss some thoughts on how it relates to today’s martial artists, with a strong emphasis on the corresponding mindset.  

In today’s episode of The Literate Caveman, we discuss the Fire Scroll, of Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings.  In the Fire scroll, Musashi discusses his thoughts on battle, sharing mindset principles and tactics that he learned over the course of his life, winning over 60 duels and fighting in at least three major battles.  

In the Water Scroll, Miyamoto Musashi discusses the mindset and principles that characterize his style of swordsmanship.  In today’s episode, we will discuss this mindset, and how it differs fundamentally from the way many martial arts are taught in modern times.