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This is something I very strongly believe in. Your confidence when knowing what you're talking about shines through in your writing.
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The things we do for love...
- Thread starter Svrtnsse
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This is something I very strongly believe in. Your confidence when knowing what you're talking about shines through in your writing.
Abbas-Al-Morim
Sage
I have a final about ethics tomorrow and I'd like to explain using two terms Aristotle used.
Poesis is an activity that is not worth anything in itself and we only engage in it to achieve a goal. An example of this is running: if I hate running but I still run then I do it because it's healthy and it will (hopefully) increase my life expectancy and my physical condition.
Praxis is an activity that is intricately valuable. You do the activity without any goal in mind. You just do it because you think the activity is valuable. An example of this is a hobby like playing a musical instrument. Running can also be praxis.
The difference between poesis & praxis isn't absolute. Aristotle will reason that all activities that are praxis are also poesis (e.g. I play instrument because I like it (praxis) and because I want to be happy (poesis)). There's only one activity that's entirely praxis and that's "eudaimonia" (living like the gods see fit, a happy life). This part of the theory is irrelevant though.
You should determine if your worldbuilding is poesis or praxis to you. If you enjoy worldbuilding and see it as a hobby then it's definitely praxis and you should worldbuild as much as you like. If worldbuilding is a necessary evil for you to write your novel then it's obviously poesis and you should limit yourself to worldbuilding what you need for your goal.
Most of the time, it'll be both. You worldbuild because you like it and because you want to write a novel set in your world. So then you should try and do both. Or do more worldbuilding than strictly necessary but not so much it will actually keep you from fulfilling your goal.
Poesis is an activity that is not worth anything in itself and we only engage in it to achieve a goal. An example of this is running: if I hate running but I still run then I do it because it's healthy and it will (hopefully) increase my life expectancy and my physical condition.
Praxis is an activity that is intricately valuable. You do the activity without any goal in mind. You just do it because you think the activity is valuable. An example of this is a hobby like playing a musical instrument. Running can also be praxis.
The difference between poesis & praxis isn't absolute. Aristotle will reason that all activities that are praxis are also poesis (e.g. I play instrument because I like it (praxis) and because I want to be happy (poesis)). There's only one activity that's entirely praxis and that's "eudaimonia" (living like the gods see fit, a happy life). This part of the theory is irrelevant though.
You should determine if your worldbuilding is poesis or praxis to you. If you enjoy worldbuilding and see it as a hobby then it's definitely praxis and you should worldbuild as much as you like. If worldbuilding is a necessary evil for you to write your novel then it's obviously poesis and you should limit yourself to worldbuilding what you need for your goal.
Most of the time, it'll be both. You worldbuild because you like it and because you want to write a novel set in your world. So then you should try and do both. Or do more worldbuilding than strictly necessary but not so much it will actually keep you from fulfilling your goal.
Rinzei
Troubadour
That's an interesting way of looking at it, Abbas. Definitely liking it. I think I'm praxis all the way then.
Nobby
Sage
You make a post called the things we do for love, and you ask for advice?
Ddruid you are right and wrong, in my opinion. And I can bake...and I will come after you with a loose based pie tin
I cook on the wild side, no recipes no rules.
No weights, no measures.
My advice is going to sound weird, but bear with me...I think it makes sense. If you are more in love with the batter of your cake than the cherries of your characters then you are going wrong somewhere.
Ddruid you are right and wrong, in my opinion. And I can bake...and I will come after you with a loose based pie tin
I cook on the wild side, no recipes no rules.
No weights, no measures.
My advice is going to sound weird, but bear with me...I think it makes sense. If you are more in love with the batter of your cake than the cherries of your characters then you are going wrong somewhere.
Some writers just can't rest until they have explored every single village of the entire map. This bugs me. I prefer stories that are centered around a few locations, or follow a fairly straight line of travel. GRRM is pushing it a bit at times. I feel that some of his locations don't contribute enough to the story to motivate a visit.
