Maps of Meaning<\/em> draws from several disciplines to propose a framework of constructing meaning and understanding religious and mythological models of reality that align with neuropsychology. Written by Jordan Peterson, a professor of psychology and practising clinical psychologist, the book draws significantly from the author\u2019s engagement with religion, philosophy, mythology and neuropsychology.<\/p>\n Peterson states his goal as a desire to establish a \u201csystem, acceptable to empirical and religious minds alike, [that] could \u2026 aid in the reduction of intrapsychic, interindividual and intergroup conflict[1]<\/a>.\u201d To this end, Peterson notes that while it is noble to remember the Holocaust, we must also ask,<\/p>\n What is the lesson we are supposed to have learned? We don\u2019t know how the Holocaust came about\u2014don\u2019t know what it is that the people involved did, or failed to do, step by step, that made them behave in such an appalling manner; don\u2019t know what or who made German society take such a terrible turn. How could Hitler fail to believe that he was correct, when everyone around him bowed to his orders?[2]<\/a><\/p>\n Peterson\u2019s questions challenge everyone who values the ideals of peaceful co-existence and respect for life to not just say \u201cnever again,\u201d but also join him in this journey of digging deep to uncover lasting solutions to this shameful chapter of our collective history.<\/p>\n In addition to the drawing from the Old and New Testaments, Peterson stands on the proverbial shoulder of giants to seek for answers. Notable among these are Solzhenitsyn, Campbell, Shakespeare, Jung and several others. Peterson begins his analysis of input from the forementioned sources by observing in chapter one that however society ends up defining meaning, it must have \u201cimplication for behavioral output.[3]<\/a>\u201d This refers to the need to hold each other accountable for moral or ethical standards. Max Weber would agree with Peterson. Arguably, Weber\u2019s most significant motivation for writing his landmark book, The Protestant Work Ethic<\/em>, was to identify the role of values in determining social action[4]<\/a>, or the connection between \u201creligious radicalism and economic progress[5]<\/a>.\u201d Specifically, Weber sought to investigate how puritanism, methodism, and other forms of ascetic Protestantism might have resulted in the behavior we have described [tendency of protestants, like Jews, for economic rationalism, advancement, and leadership through frugality, diligence, punctuality and honesty][6]<\/a>. Peterson and Weber\u2019s comments suggest a strong connection between meaning and morality<\/p>\n In chapter two Peterson proposes a framework from which meaning can be derived: the known, the unknown and the knower[7]<\/a>. With due respect to Peterson, I would add one important element to this model, an element that holds together not only Peterson\u2019s outstanding framework, but all of creation: God. According to the Old Testament philosopher Moses, \u201cThe secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law[8]<\/a>.\u201d This suggests that what is known, or within the realm of human experience, and what remains unknown are all controlled by God. In conclusion, my thoughts are also drawn to Solzhenitsyn, one of the luminaries that inspired Peterson, who reflecting on the \u201cruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people,\u201d encouraged his audience to remember God[9]<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Proposes a framework\/map\/paradigm\/theory\/model of how meaning is constructed based on ideas drawn from religion, philosophy, mythology and neuropsychology<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Peterson, Jordan B. 12<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> 315<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> 13<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Weber, Max and Talcott Parsons. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism<\/em>. (Kettering, OH: Angelico Press, 2014), 10.<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> Ibid, 15.<\/p>\n [6]<\/a> Ibid, 35.<\/p>\n [7]<\/a> Peterson, 19<\/p>\n [8]<\/a> Deuteronomy 29:29<\/p>\n [9]<\/a> Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. Men Have Forgotten God: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn\u2019s 1983 Templeton Address. (National Review). https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/2018\/12\/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn-men-have-forgotten-god-speech\/#:~:text=The%20Templeton%20Address,why%20all%20this%20has%20happened.%E2%80%9D<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Maps of Meaning draws from several disciplines to propose a framework of constructing meaning and understanding religious and mythological models of reality that align with neuropsychology. Written by Jordan Peterson, a professor of psychology and practising clinical psychologist, the book draws significantly from the author\u2019s engagement with religion, philosophy, mythology and neuropsychology. Peterson states his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":143,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1779,1778],"class_list":["post-29579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-maps-of-meaning","tag-peterson","cohort-lgp11"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/143"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29579"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29580,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29579\/revisions\/29580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}