Preparing for the Fall

The season we call fall officially begins with the autumnal equinox. This year it will be on September 22, but by a variety of definitions it is underway. It may be the passing of Labor Day, the end of August, the start of a new school year, or the return of football on the weekends. By some of these markers, fall is already here, but by taking a somewhat different perspective, there is still time to prepare.

Using “fall” to describe autumn makes sense even to the youngest. It is when leaves fall from the trees that are not evergreen. The term "deciduous" is applied to trees that shed their leaves, and it has its origin in the Latin word “decidere," which means to cut off or conclude. It is the season of falling temperatures and it is when we harvest many crops, a time of cutting and completion as well.

The one commonality among all these meanings is that fall is a time of change. It can be slow, as a tree loses leaves one by one after a frosty morning, or it can be sudden, as a windstorm whips many away quickly. It can be repeated days of practice for a football team, or one play in the final seconds of the big game. It can be a gradual process of renewal, sometimes unseen below the surface, or it can be, by the very definition, a fall, something that happens quite quickly and unexpectedly.

These connotations can be applied to what we call an education. Returning to school and college provides a multitude of opportunities to address misconceptions and come to new realizations. Football serves as a useful metaphor. Most plays do not end with a score. Either a ball or a player is down or out. Learning how to fall so you can get up and play again—and to fall forward, whenever possible—is essential. We all need to do this as learners.

Falling is an element of Plato’s metaphysics, specifically his Theory of Forms. Plato believes that the world in which we live, a place of constant change, is not what is most real. Only the eternal and timeless forms (also called ideals or essences) are unchanging and true. For example, we learn that a triangle is a three-cornered shape made of three straight sides. We can recognize a triangle and we can draw one ourselves, but the concept of a triangle can only be ideal when we conceive it in its perfect form in the mind’s eye. For Plato, that is where it is truly real.

The Theory of Platonic Forms may be applied to the most important ideas of all, such as Beauty, Truth, and the Good. These are capitalized to denote them as the perfect ideals. Arriving at an understanding of these may be thought of as the epitome of an education. This is not to devalue the development of skills through practice, or the attainment of knowledge that is the basis for evaluating new ideas, but an education should help one develop a sense of what is ideal. Plato compares it to falling in love. In the moment you see the true beauty of your loved one, you gain a glimpse of the original, capital B, timeless Beauty. In his view, this realization will seem like a kind of remembering, because once you see it, it will be like you always knew it. It is in those moments that we discover what is Real.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful autumn. May you fall—and fall well.

Kevin Beardmore may be reached at kbeardmore@senmc.edu or 575.234.9211.

I wrote the above article on Sunday, August 25, 2024. After completing it, I entered this prompt in Google Gemini, a generative AI program: “A 600-word newspaper article on preparing for the fall, tying together the beginning of the school year, football season, and Plato's Theory of the Forms.” Below is what it produced.

—Beginning of the article generated by Gemini—

A New Season, A New Beginning: Preparing for Fall

As the days grow shorter and the air begins to crisp, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a new season—fall. This time of year brings with it a unique blend of excitement, anticipation, and a touch of melancholy as we bid farewell to the warm days of summer. For many, fall is synonymous with the start of a new school year, the return of football season, and the opportunity to embrace fresh beginnings.

The beginning of the school year is a time of renewed hope and possibility. Students and teachers alike embark on a journey of learning and growth, filled with both challenges and triumphs. Whether it's the excitement of a new classroom, the anticipation of meeting new friends, or the determination to excel academically, the start of school offers a chance to reset and set goals for the year ahead.

Football season, with its pageantry, intensity, and camaraderie, captures the spirit of fall. From the roar of the crowd to the thrill of the game, football provides a sense of community and shared experience. It's a time to cheer on your favorite team, connect with friends and family, and celebrate the spirit of competition.

While the start of a new school year and the return of football season are undoubtedly exciting, there is something deeper and more profound at play during this time of year. It is a time to reflect on the cyclical nature of life and to appreciate the beauty of change. This concept is echoed in Plato's Theory of the Forms, which posits that the physical world is merely a shadow of a higher, more perfect realm of Forms.

According to Plato, the Forms are eternal, unchanging, and perfect ideas that exist outside of the physical world. They serve as the ultimate models for everything that exists in our reality. When we encounter an object or concept in the physical world, we are in fact perceiving a particular instance of a more general Form. For example, a specific apple is a particular instance of the Form of "apple," which represents the perfect, ideal apple.

The idea of the Forms offers a powerful framework for understanding the changing nature of our world. While the physical world is constantly in flux, the Forms remain eternal and unchanging. This suggests that there is a deeper level of reality that transcends the impermanence of our experiences.

As we transition from the warmth of summer to the crispness of fall, we can find solace in the understanding that the cycle of the seasons is a natural part of life. Just as the leaves change color and fall to the ground, so too do our lives undergo constant transformation. However, beneath the surface of these changes, there is a deeper level of reality that remains constant and unchanging.

By embracing the cyclical nature of life and recognizing the beauty of change, we can approach the fall season with a sense of peace and gratitude. Whether it's the start of a new school year, the return of football season, or simply the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature, fall offers a chance to connect with something deeper within ourselves and the world around us.

—End of the article generated by Gemini—