Man, Universe-Builder and Maker of Over-Beliefs

Every man is a "Universe-Builder"; he is, likewise, a maker of "Over-beliefs". Man's inner and outer necessities, real or imagined, have made him both a Scientist and a Philosopher. Neither Science nor Philosophy alone has been adequate. The material facts of the science of his universe have not satisfied; an "overbelief" or a "philosophy" in terms of which an interpretation of his life as a whole may be attempted has been a necessity. He has been in search not only of facts but of meaning ...

 A Poem to Teach a Child

We live in an age of information. Too much information can swamp the boat of wonder, especially for a child. From a science book we might learn that a flying bat might snap up 15 insects per minute, or that the frequency of its squeal can range as high as 50,000 cycles per second. Useful information, yes. But consider the information in this poem from Randall Jarrell's "The Bat Poet": A bat is born Naked and blind and pale. His mother makes a pocket of her tail And catches him. He cling...