This
is an image of Amsterdam
etched by Rembrandt's hand in 1641.
It is a sketch of a town that was home to towering geniuses
of the Dutch Golden Age of inspiration, creativity and curiosity.
As Rembrandt recorded these lines, living within his gaze
and nearby
in surrounding 17th century Holland were:
Rembrandt van Rijn himself
Rene Descartes, settled in Amsterdam in 1629
Baruch Spinoza, born in Amsterdam in 1632
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and Johannes Vermeer, of nearby Delft
English Separatists who stayed in Leiden 1609-1620
before the Mayflower took them to Massachusetts
Swamp
Mist
How
We Will Learn in the 21st Century
EXCERPT
p.
66: The swamp mist that energized the originality of the 17th century
Dutch was a concoction that included access to knowledge, the freedom
to pursue it, and the synergy of relationships with other thinkers.
Each of these are inherent in the Internet, and more ingredients will
add to the mix. Again, you can help with that; there is a Swamp Mist
section in EdClicks.com.