Patience Required

I was on a roll. Last week I finally finished reading Ricoeur's Interpretation Theory. Over the weekend, I wrote about 8 pages on the philosophical basis of my methodological approach. Then I hit a road block. I realized that before I could continue further, I had to have a good understanding of the first three chapters of Ricoeur's Time and Narrative (Vol. 1).

This was discouraging, I thought I had enough conceptual knowledge to complete the methodology section of the introduction. However, when it came down to it I needed a bridge between Ricoeur's theory of interpretation and my application of it to John's Apocalypse. That bridge is in Ricoeur's understanding of mimesis as the mediator between time and narrative.

So, I have spent the last three evening working through one and a half chapters. Patience. I have to remember that "reading is writing" in the sense that it is what I read that produces what I write. Perhaps the drive to keep getting words to page is a good thing. I hope it makes me read faster . . . it certainly makes me want to read faster!

The first chapter of Time and Narrative (Vol. 1) explores St. Augustine's concept of time from his Confessions (Book XI). I have found it intriguing how St. Augustine combines intellectual inquiry with communion with God. Indeed, his learning is expressed in a conversational (prayerful) interaction with God. Here's an example:

I would hear and understand, how “In the Beginning Thou madest the heaven and earth.” Moses wrote this, wrote and departed, passed hence from Thee to Thee; nor is he now before me. For if he were, I would hold him and ask him, and beseech him by Thee to open these things unto me, and would lay the ears of my body to the sounds bursting out of his mouth. And should he speak Hebrew, in vain will it strike on my senses, nor would aught of it touch my mind; but if Latin, I should know what he said. But whence should I know, whether he spake truth? Yea, and if I knew this also, should I know it from him? Truly within me, within, in the chamber of my thoughts, Truth, neither Hebrew, nor Greek, nor Latin, nor barbarian, without organs of voice or tongue, or sound of syllables, would say, “It is truth,” and I forthwith should say confidently to that man of Thine, “thou sayest truly.” Whereas then I cannot enquire of him, Thee, Thee I beseech, O Truth, full of Whom he spake truth, Thee, my God, I beseech, forgive my sins; and Thou, who gavest him Thy servant to speak these things, give to me also to understand them. (Book XI, Chapter III)

As a matter of a spiritual experiment, I want to try applying this approach in my own intellectual inquiry concerning this dissertation.

Catching Up

Well, I am supposed to be posting something on a daily basis to help me verify my progress to myself. As you can see, it has been several weeks since my last post. Thankfully, that does not mean that I have not been working on my dissertation! It does mean that I've been very busy doing my dissertation and other things.

Two weeks ago, I traveled to Vancouver to present a paper at the International Leadership Association's annual conference. I was able to meet with my dissertation chair at the conference. Since I am doing my dissertation away from campus, it was a delight to have the opportunity to speak with him face to face. He was encouraging and I needed some encouragement at this stage in the process! Looks like I'm still on target for a May graduation!

Writing the introduction has been painfully slow. I have had to spend a great deal of time learning Ricoeur's interpretation theory before I could write about it. I am happy to say that I've gotten about 15 pages done on the methodology section of the introduction. I am beginning to see light at the end of the introduction tunnel!

So, what have I learned in the past few weeks about the dissertation process?

1. Keep plugging away at it - a paragraph here and there eventually turns into a page, a page here and there eventually becomes a section, a section here and there eventually becomes a chapter.
2. Maintaining other academic projects in addition to the dissertation provides for variety and increases your doctoral skills. The paper I presented at the ILA conference was totally different research from my dissertation topic. I also have another research project going that will hopefully lead to a conference presentation at an international conference in July. It is good to note these are not projects that I started during my dissertation, but research that began (in both cases) about two years prior to beginning my dissertation.
   
3. Take advantages of opportunities to meet with your dissertation chair face to face. Although, we have been communicating via phone and email during the writing process, it was really good to have the face to face time.