No Man Is An Island

 "No Man Is An Island"

John Donne

Human Life Is Interconnected | Responsibility | Independent, or Absolutely Self-Reliant | Highly Dependent And Vulnerable Creatures 

"No Man Is An Island"

No man is an island,
entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
as well as if a promontory were.
as well as if a manor of thy friend’s
or of thine own were.
Any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
it tolls for thee.

Boston University, U.S.A.

«No man (individual) is an Iland intire of it selfe; each man (indivi- double) is a peece of the Continent, a piece of the maine; assuming a Clod honey bee was-

hed away by the Sea, Europe is the les se, as well as though a Promontorie were,

as well as though a Mannor of thy companions or of thine owne were; any monitors

demise reduces me, since I am engaged with Mankinde ... »

 (1)

The three tenors singing, «My Way» ,to Frank Sinatra

Such creative and bright salute. It is intriguing to think about what

John Donne was attempting to say. Ifhe'd expressed it in 1997, he most likely would

ha ve said "no individual is an island", however at that point he got into enough hot

water with the political implications of his day so he could ha ve kept it

at "no manis an island". Ladies throughout the years have become acclimated

to seeing such reference as orientation free, an adaptability that has recognized

them in the reason for human instruction. Be that as it may, enough reference to orientation.

No individual is an island-does this mean we are our sibling's manager?

It absolutely implies we need to examine and learn considerably more about this

The José María Cagigal Lecture at the 1997 AIESEP World Congress-Singapore

man, the person. Socrates gets us under way; «The unexamined life is

not worth living»(2). Holy person Augustine contributes as well; «We are excessively feeble

to find reality by reason alone»(3). Thomas Hobbes thought man

was singular, poor, dreadful, brutish and short(4). Machiavelli took an alternate

approach. He thought about that man's advantage was in political power. Man

required to have been fruitful at whatever cost. At first, one will in general berate

his hardness, however it should be expressed that in a later book to The Prince (5)

called The Discourses (6), Machiavelli was considerably more moderate. Regular

It would be ideal for objectives to be : freedom, security, and a very much arranged Constitution,

working in a majority rules system. The time of illumination of Voltaire, Burke,

Paine, and Rousseau saw man in chains, yet not naturally denied (7).

Goethe raised a high obstacle when his man, Faust, offers his spirit to the

Fallen angel, not so much for cash, or distinction but rather the option to control nature (8).

Preeminent empiricist, Hume, surmised that man could not know anything becau-

se he was unable to trust his detects (9). This enacted Kant who said that all

gaining comes from the tangible world, however there is a noumenal world as

well which can't be supported however which contributes information. We

can't legitimize God. We need to acknowledge him, said Kant (10). It was the

Extraordinary Compromise; there is a world out there that is constant and which

we can't feel however we can comprehend. This gives man preeminent control

also, empowers Philosophy to work in its unique definition. Man, a sweetheart

of astuteness. Fichte credited a flat out inner self (11) and Hegel said that not-

hing was inconsequential that existed on the substance of the earth. His proposal, antit-

hesis prompting a combination gave us a strong model that was either gone after

or then again stuck to by numerous savants beginning around 1830 (12). Kirkegaard demanded

that man should know himself initial (13) and Schopenhauer said everything is lost

except if man has principal will (14). Karl Marx returned Hegelian thought

lism to realism yet he neglected to anticípate that his cherished working class

would desire the wealth as well as the advantaged classes (15). Nietzsche

said everything and only he needed the world liberated from the two incredible

separating standards of profound quality - great and wickedness (16). Utilitarians wan-

ted the best for the most, which diminished man to an amount (17). Comte

needed an amalgamation of thought and activity, in this manner delivering anything past

experience as unessential (18). Present day way of thinking has would in general select with

Rorty as worry for how valuable thoughts are instead of with their reality or falsity (19). Freud excited us all by claiming that man's problems arise 

from his unconscious - the id (20). Frege, Whitehead, and Russell saw 

rationality as mathematical inbase (21) and Wittgenstein wanted use as the 

chief criterion of judging and interpreting language (22). Derrida decons-

tructed fixed meaning and rejected dualism like conscious and uncons-

cious and stressed the irreducible excess of language (23). Modem radi-

cals, like Foucault, continue to dismiss cause and effect, truth and false-

hood, right and wrong (24 ). But these people are wrong, plainly wrong. A 

world without good or evil cannot exist. 

These various positions speak to the incredible analyses that have 

gone into the definition of mankind over the centuries. Certainly I cannot 

lea ve this discussion without opting for m y favorite philosophic definition 

of the nature of man. I loo k to Pico Delia Mirando la, who sees man as the 

most fortunate of creatures. He is superior to other creatures and where 

and when man chooses the good, he is capable of solving the problems of 

life. Pico says in his wonderful Oration on the dignity of Man that man is 

a source of celebration, not commiseration (25). 

So mankind has been thus accorded a multitude of «esses» or essen-

tial natures and John Donne, with the typical and intrepid courage of a 

poet, insists that "no man is an island". He is thus speaking as a sociolo-

gist, a psychologist, a social psychologist, a philosopher, anda mathema-

tician. His «man» cannot exist in solitary confinement. Thus a congrega-

tion of men are interdependent. We in Sport and Physical Education 

understand this to an advanced degree. 

(a)Talents are great and appreciated but when combined or potentia-

ted miracles are achieved. Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippin, Derek 

Rodman, etal, triumphed in the National Basketball League yet again 

by combining super human talents. When Michael Jordan retired to 

play baseball, the Chicago Bulls were reduced to mortality until he 

retumed. Romero and Bebeto, etal...combined to bring Brazil yet 

another world cup in Soccer. They played for individual European 

teams in the interim but when combined were formidable with the 

round ball. Carl Lewis and Coach Tom Tellez were a formidable com-

bination in Track and Field and so was the presence of Carl's father and mother, a national footballer and a 1952 Olympian, who gave 

Carl singular ambition and incredible support. He is quick to praise 

his parents as is Tiger Woods of Golf. 

(b) Singular acts o( creativity astound us and capture out attention. 

But are they accomplished alone. John Uelses working with Jim 

Tuppeny at LaSalle University in Philadelphia introduced the fiber 

glass pole into pole vaulting. Material sophistication now enabled 

these two to complete the work that began in the 1930"s when the 

bamboo pole was used. It was now possible to have a push and thrust 

at the end of the pole, which gave at least two feet extra in height and 

rewrote the pole vaulting record books. Dick Fosbury defied tradition 

and introduced his backwards flop over the high jump bar, also 

accounting for new world records due to biomechanical improve-

ment. One could say that Mozart was a boy genius, entertaining the 

intelligentsia and royalty of Europe with scintillating brilliance from 

an early age. On Ebury Street in London there is a plaque on a sim-

ple three story building bearing the words «in this house Mozart com-

posed his first symphony. He was eight years of age». But those who 

have studied the great Salzberg genius know full well that his father 

Leopold, his sister Nannerl, along with Haydn and Rossini were very 

much involved with Mozart's achievements from a very early age. 

(c)Physical Education is essential. not peripheral. in the schooling of 

the modem child. Reading, writing, and counting are important but 

they are only part of an individual's existence. Life must be lived, 

enjoyed. A balanced agenda is far preferable to a currículum that pro-

duces only geniuses. John Stuart Mill was a motor moron - he 

couldn't tie a bow tie and deeply regretted his father's austerity in 

keeping his nose to the academic grindstone. Mill could speak ancient 

Greek and Latin when he was four years of age but he later expres-

sed, ruefully, that he never played Cricket, that he was never able to 

be a boy (26). The concept of ultimacy as defined by the great David 

Hemery, is needed here to rernind us that more is not necessarily bet-

ter in the lives of individuals (27). 

(d)Sport must share the stage with Physical Education. The glamo-

rous must make a place for bread and butter essence in our daily lives.

In retum, we talk about «sport for all» but we must also find a place 

where intensity and comrnitment are fully appreciated. 

In contrast, globalization, a word very much in fashion today, does 

not mean that everyone must be involved or universally and equally 

successful. Certainly all should be invited and provisions should be 

made for all to succeed but all will not tum up, all will not sacrifice, 

all will not give the same product. We must live with a distribution of 

effort and talent. The Physical Educator and Coach can make a stron-

ger contribution in this regard to an understanding of children than 

mentors in most other subject areas, although this aspect is the same 

for all subjects. It is so much easier to see talent in the world of games 

and competitive sports. 

(e)Emotions must figure in our schooling. The little word "inspira-

tion" is critica! for good teaching and successful leaming. The emo-

tion producing subject areas in the school currículum tend to be those 

subjects relegated to the periphery by the smoke-filled decision 

making powers in school committees. Music, art, craft, sport, physi-

cal education, band, drama, camping, and other excursions inspire 

children, make them excited and give them reason to be, to attend 

school, and to commit themselves toa program. We must not relin-

quish our membership in this treasured company. 

(f)Excellence must not be downplayed and an excellence ethic needs 

to be promoted. Excellence involves both effort and product. 

Mediocrity and early submission form the basis of a slop ethic, which 

reduces mankind and each individual to relative debauchery. The will 

to excellence is more important than universal success. Everyone can 

achieve a measure of success, thus figuring in this will to excellence 

and no one has ever achieved a final solution. Records will always be 

broken and this will to excellence is the ímpetus for record breaking. 

David Hemery, who took a second off the world record and won a 

Gold Medal in the 1968 400 metre hurdles, asked himself the ques-

tion, «How did I get to be so fast?»(28). He has spent a lifetime analy-

zing the answers. Ben Johnson, on the other hand, ran a magnificent 

100 metres race 20 years later in Korea but he got there courtesy of 

the illegal shortcut - anabolic steroids. The excellence ethic is seen likewise in a third individual we will call ordinary Joe or Josephine,

whose will to greatness is just to make the following obstacle. At the point when we

utilize the expression "putting individuals on the stretch" we allude to individuals being

tested so that their accomplishments flabbergast, frequently exce-

eding their own expectations. What's more, it does not matter whether the beginning

point is on the Olympic field or the country roads of life; what is criti-

ca! is the work to accomplish, the objective in the bigger race of life.

(g)Skepticism is a reality oflife likewise and will in general be shocking for the

person. History is brimming with models. There were a gathering of

old Greeks who were at real fault for conundrum mongering; " the right

are off-base and some unacceptable are correct", "You"re doomed assuming you do and

darnned on the off chance that you don't'. Sorne of these cynics ha ve showed solid

hostile to social way of behaving in response to the framework and in spite of the fact that we have

a lot of models today, presumably none entertained more than

Diogenes, who in 350 BC., stroked off in the commercial center to show

disdain for general assessment (29). Michel de Montaigne, who was a

extraordinary boss of Health and Physical Education, was likewise ace

of the words «What do I know?' (30) Rene Descartes needed proportion

na! thought however battled for sorne time to see as an OK base

from which to send off his pursuit; at long last it occurred to him that

«cogito therefore sum». "I think in this manner I am" was an adequate foun-

dation (31). To uncertainty is the start of science and consequently an

significant reasonable base. However, to uncertainty everything is to take the simple

way out, to intemalize to the place where circumstances and logical results is igno-

red and mush is presented.

    NO COMMUNITY IS AN ISLAND

   Gather together of the Brumbies by the mountain man in the film

 «The Man From Snowy River»

 A Brumby is the Aborigine name for wild pony.

  The cut-out is taken from the film,

 «The Man From Snowy River», initially a sonnet

 from Banjo Paterson(Australia's well known hedge artist).

(a)We cannot have community without leadership, which can be both 

autocratic and democratic. Few people ha ve the courage or the ability 

to chase wild horses down a vertical incline and gather them obe-

diently as our hero did in the clipping we've just viewed. This bri-

lliance tends to exhibit leadership as top down in nature and it is 

necessary for us to realize that sorne leadership emanates from sheer 

talent, regardless of our current political persuasion. Not all team cap-

tains, however, are the stars of the team. Many times, their appeal to 

the majority is for different reasons. It might be their unselfish capa-

city to produce team effort, or that they have a presence that unites 

normally differing factions within the team. Such leaders tend to be 

elected and to lead from a genuine democratic authority rather than a 

"follow the leader" model. John Locke presented his thesis that man-

kind learns not by genetic infusion but from a state of affairs called 

the «clean slate» (tabula rasa) (32). If Locke is correct, and many, 

many people think he is, then education, parenthood, and community 

modeling are critical in the education of the young chíld. Worldly 

possessíons may be improportíonate but are legitimate províded they 

have been earned. He cautions though, that they must not spoíl with 

accumulation, that enough must be left for others, and that the accu-

mulatíon of worldly possessions must not be harmful to others. 

(b )lnterdependence is usually a necessity. The Olympic Games 

Openíng Ceremoníes offer an example of communíty linkage among 

di verse interests. They are watched by millions and availability of tic-

kets is rare and expensive. The features are commendably broad based. 

Many non-Olympic performers are ínvolved. Traditions of peace and 

fair play are featured. Press, televisíon, and managers combine with 

ground curators, trainers, costumers, and transporters to produce a 

spectacle that holds premier place in the world's great parades. People 

are happy to rejoice in every aspect of this festival. Handicapped ath-

letes, children, the elite and every form of local custom take part. 

Surely this is a universally appreciated ritual, yet many of the coaches 

of the aspiring athletes fear for their charges well-being. The Openíng 

Ceremonies are such a monstrous diversíon that sorne athletes lose 

sight of theír reasons for being at the Olympic Games in the flrst place.

At the other end of the recreative spectrum, the Village Fair repre-

sents a ritual that usually benefits all. The entire village is present, perfor-

mance and opposition tend to be buried on this occasion in favor of parti-

cipation. Games, dances, frolic, and socialization become the important 

goals, yet for this fair to be successful there must be input from energy 

sources, planners, financiers, parents, kids, police, politicians, churches, 

schools, community clubs and sporting groups. There is a truly ecumeni-

cal spirit. Whatever the prize given it's certainly not a gold medal. The 

awards tend to be low cost, relatively insignificant, yet cherished just like 

the gold medal itself at the Olympic Games. A sobering presence at the 

Village Fair tends to be the jealousies and rivalries which are acute and 

debilitating. The adage "there is no smelllike a local smell" is all too often 

exemplified with such a local celebration. 

(c)Traditions and folklore are established in communities which manage 

to hold themselves together as a coherent group. The keeping of archives 

and the origins of local games transfix and absorb students of village life 

in such a way that intergenerational communication is possible. Out of the 

village Common, for instance, carne the game of Soccer. Highland games 

in Scotland, Wales, and Ireland led to sports festivals, developing a pro-

cess that was repeated all over Europe and Asia. The early Olympics arose 

not as a sporting competition, but as a religious festival in which the first 

four of five days were spent in religious observance. In the year 776 BC., 

for instance, only one athletic event took place at the Games and that was 

a 200 metre race called "one stadium". It was a race around the inside of 

the stadium. Although one could say that women were excluded and the-

refore the community was not represented, which is a pity, one could also 

praise these early villages for uniting the Greek city-states that surroun-

ded Olympia in peace and goodwill. 

NO PROGRAM IS AN ISLAND 

Videotape called «Play» 

The community consists of many di verse tri bes. Sorne of these tri bes 

ha ve fallen into disrepair and have festered in resentment of the more pri- vileged clans in the public arena. In the United States, this issue has tended to

be worked out among blacks and whites, among Jews and Gentiles, bet-

ween American Indians and the regulatory specialists, and between men

what's more, ladies. The tape you have recently seen called «play» is an intense

endeavor with respect to Boston University to replace easygoing bigotry

through the arrangement of positive and compelling projects. At Boston

College we have connected for value and tolerability with our

Tuesday/Thursday Program (Table 1 frameworks the fundamental parts of

this Program, which has been running continuous for north of 25 years). So

numerous majar accomplishments have come about because of endeavors to serve, research,

educator train, distribute, and in the

arranging of projects that understudies are flabbergasted at both the trouble

also, intricacy of this program yet completely energetic about the impact the favorable to

gram will in general have on their perspectives towards instructing. Also, it does not matter

which program is going a school's needs, for that definitely

relies upon the energies of those included. However, surely programs that

have the straightforward impact of uniting educators, executives,

guardians, janitors, and neighborhood networks are loved in the particular com-

munities included. It is at this level that we should manage hostile to social

abundances like referring to individuals as "muscle heads" or "stiffs" or "numskulls" or "bird-

cerebrums" or no big deal either way. The incapacitating impact of the tall poppy disorder

whenever youngsters are ridiculted for their earnest attempts just to assuage the bile

of lazier companions should be decreased at the program levels.

NO CURRICULUM IS AN ISLAND

Beethoven's Violín Concerto, played by the incomparable Philharmonia

Symphony of London and the glorious incapacitated violin player

from New York, Itzack Perlman

Perlman is hardly walking and experiences huge agony on a day to day

premise. However he is sublime in computerized control and the understanding of the

surly Beethoven's melodic expectations. He challenges the enormous thoughts of

the music and the impressive note structure without any difficulty that enchants and

astounds. He can summon Beethoven's ideas and his subtleties in con sonance with 100 different performers to deliver one of the most diffi-

faction melodic arrangements, the Concerto. Whenever initially created, symphony

individuals in Vienna fought that it was unplayable. With uncharacteris-

spasm politeness, Beethoven assembled them and said "I realize you can do

it. If it's not too much trouble, return home and practice and we will attempt it once more tomorrow.» They

did and they succeeded. Certainly, no educational program is more demanding as the

inner selves than the matching of the ensemble and the soloist so that

a bound together entire outcomes and individual self images subside.

In Brazil recently I illustrated five getting sorted out habitats for the premise

of what I view as fundamental for the 21st Century educational plan (34).

l. Heart/Lung Health (HLH)

Youngsters should move everyday, if feasible for forty minutes to 60 minutes, on

exercises which help to advance perseverance wellbeing. Along these lines, organs will

be ready and reinforced, fat cells limited, and bliss in development

will be presented where it can turn into a propensity. Solid perseverance can

be presented too. Regular models are strolling, running, run-

ning, cycling, swimming, skiing, and perseverance games.

Kids can leam the nuts and bolts of these exercises in school, yet all the same should be

urged from the start to integrate this significant focus during

their non-educational time too.

Protected, empowering areas should be made accessible for these activi-

ties. Pathways, crossing watches, and painstakingly arranged locales for winter

sports, water sports, and climbing sports ought to be accessible.

2. Games

Kids will copy the well known rounds of the day, whether the

school requires it or not. They will play Baseball, Soccer, Basketball,

Olympic style events Hockey, and so forth, in light of the fact that their older folks model them. So we

should assist youngsters with playing them better and spot the playing in perspecti-

ve. These we call conventional games and they are significant. The pheno-

menon of new games likewise squeezes into this coordinating focus. Here the games

can be changed, fill in for, reproduced, or adjusted in staff as cir- 

cumstances endorse. The guidelines and guidelines of new games are flexi-

ble, in this manner they can be cutthroat or helpful, sporting or genuine

disapproved, testing, or clever yet they are basically pertinent to the

requirements of the quick players and should be viewed as universalizable.

3. Movement Linkage 

The integration of human movement in other subject areas is not 

accomplished often, but is rich in potential. When the physical educator 

sits down with the math teacher and those responsible for Language, Art, 

Music, etc., and they plan joint curriculum everybody benefits and the 

children usually enjoy the experience. The covariance of Physical 

Education and Sport with classroom subjects has been well established 

but needs to develop in the 21st century. It is my contention that one can-

not focus properly on any one specific task without having a perspective 

of that task. We must then have bilateral thinking. We must reach out in 

many directions in arder to focus better on our chosen objective. What 

better operation than to prepare the children in the gymnasium and on the 

playing fields where they usually enjoy their experiences. Such coopera-

tion often explains singular phenomenon more clearly and helps us 

understand the complexities of our existence. 

4. Sports 

The current practices of providing intramural and inter-school sports 

must continue. We can improve their effect by including more children 

and more sports, but this aspect of children's movement experience is 

sound. Concomitant emphases can be place on values, structure, self-dis-

cipline, teamwork, strategy training, and unselfishness. 

5. Non-school Curriculum 

Non-school activities endorsed or conducted by schools, as well as 

church or community institutions, are often as important as activities held 

within the official school auspice. Camping, hiking, climbing, expedi-

tions, rafting, and specific explorations are excellent experiences for chil-

dren during their growing years and adults who wish to maintain vibran-

ce to their lives. These activities are often combined with other studied 

areas and almost always provide enjoyment beyond the norm. When stu-

dents are part of the planning and execution, they enjoy it more. 

Heroclitus, an early Greek philosopher, is attributed with a statement 

that has been repeated many times ; "You can"t step into the same river 

twice' (35). In the early part of the 20th century Alfred North Whitehead 

said that «there is no such thing as a moment in time»(36). They were both 

hinting that everything changes but change itself, and that the reality is not 

what we see but the process of change. A curriculum cannot be an island, 

alone and removed from the participants or the passages of time. It has to 

change. There are sorne people who believe in change for change's sake. 

Their opponents use another adage which is also well known, "if it aint 

broke, don"t fix it'. So once again the Aristotelian golden mean is useful 

to describe and implement the change that's really needed, when it's nee-

ded, and with whom. Clothing fashions come and go, sorne games are 

described as new, and change with the weather or the wind but each com-

munity is known by its depth of participation and interest. It is a good 

thing that five forms of Football are played in very different places and 

enjoyed in Ireland, the British Isle, the United States, and in Australia. 

Gaelic football, Rugby, Gridiron, and Australian football are situated in 

restricted areas but the fifth, Soccer, is thoroughly universal. This diver-

sity in the various communities results from a local and global curriculum 

which maintains integrity but does not function as an island. 

  NO FUTURE IS AN ISLAND :

Sarastros' incredible bass solo from «The Magic Flute» 

Very few people can reach the low notes of Mozart's great bass aria. 

There is need for incredible talent, which comes both from genetic con-

tribution and much schooling and practice. Problems that can be resolved 

only by the realization that the future is not something that we struggle 

with alone. In the community we have brutality and violence, stupidity, 

commercialization, a hundred «isms» and ideologues and sorne who will 

die for their respective positions. It is hard to give radicals credibility 

when they blow up women and children in London, crowded public buil-

dings in Oklahoma City, and commercial airliners going about the legiti-

mate business of civil aviation. When a handful of people have vision that 

is above the ordinary. the community must benefit. Visionary activities 

which result in harm and vicious retribution are scarcely needed in solving 

the world's future problems. Aristotle, for instance, gave his answer for 

political stability as the creation of a golden mean, a position somewhere 

between tyranny and democracy which produces, on the one hand a strong

middle class and on the other, coaches who take charge yet who are very 

much aware of the input from various team members. It may bring a smile 

to the face but I'm not sure that Aristotle didn't have the modem coach in 

mind when he advanced his wonderful concept of the golden mean. 

Physical Education and Sport are magnificent bridges from the left to the 

right, the old to the new, from stress to accomplishment, and from endea-

vor to success. The future is not an island if it in vol ves these two curricu-

lum entities in the programs of our community and the children's schoo-

ling within. 

«When one man dies, one chapter is not tom out of the book but 

translated into a better language and every chapter must so be translated». 

Music and people, people and people, vitality and people, a future for peo-

ple must heed John Donne's incredibly famous quotation from his 17th 

meditation. I tum again in finishing to the ingenious and playful aria of 

Bird Catcher, Popageno, and His New Love, Popagena, from Mozart's 

«Magic Flute». 

«And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for 

thee» and thee and thee and me.