In this conversation Tom Murray and I explore Tom’s model of ‘Wisdom Skills’. In this model Wisdom Skills are made up of both the movement of complexification and development (ascending), and the movement of simplicity and subtraction (descending). 

We explore the relationship between simplicity and complexity in the development of wisdom, sort out some confusions about the relationship between spirituality and human development, why spiritual teachers ‘do bad things’, why development without deconstruction is problematic, why spirituality is more ‘down and in’ rather than ‘up and out’, how deconstruction releases complexity and opens possibility, why development is dangerous without spiritual clarity, and how this model allows us to talk bout spiritual realization without unnecessary metaphysical claims.

To read a draft of Tom's work in progress on the "wisdom skills" material we discussed. send him an email at [email protected]. The title of the manuscript is "Metamodernism, Complexity, Simplicity, and Spirituality."

The other paper we mentioned is "Knowing and Unknowing Reality: A Beginner's and Expert's Developmental Guide to Post-Metaphysical Thinking" (here)

Tom's Wisdom Skills Model (image) and Progressive Summarization of his Metaphysics Paper

Other links to Toms work include: 

Tom's home page: www.tommurray.us

A list of Tom's papers: www.perspegrity.com