You reminded me of an article published in the New York Times Magazine last June 22. The article in the on=line version carried the title "A.I. Is Poised to Rewrite History. Literally." We're not able to render in bold or italics words in Substack comments but I was able to change a pivotal sentence to all caps (a poor substitute). As a person who has only visited a library once in the last decade I did recognize with nostalgia the serendipity described in this excerpt, looking for one book and finding another of more interest and value:
"How might A.I. change the way history is written and understood? To answer that question, it’s useful to think about L.L.M.s as merely the latest in a long series of shifts in the organizing of human knowledge. At least since the third century B.C., when Callimachus wrote his “Pinakes,” a series of books (now lost) cataloging the holdings of the famous library (now lost) in Alexandria, humanity has devised increasingly sophisticated systems for navigating pools of information too large for any one individual to take in.
Such systems inevitably have a double edge when it comes to scholarly research, a task where “efficiency” always risks being synonymous with cutting corners. The printed index in books, a device dating back at least to the year 1467, allowed scholars to find relevant material without reading each tome in full. From the perspective of human knowledge, was that a step toward utopia or dystopia? Even now, 558 years later, who’s to say? INNOVATIONS THAT CULTIVATE SERENDIPITY — SUCH AS THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM, BY WHOSE GRACES A TRIP INTO THE STACKS FOR ONE BOOK OFTEN LEADS TO A DIFFERENT, MORE SALIENT DISCOVERY — MUST, ALMOST BY DEFINITION, BE PLAGUED BY ARBITRARINESS. Classify a book about the Mariposa Battalion with Brands’s “The Age of Gold” and other gold-rush titles (979.404), and it will acquire a very different set of neighbors than if it’s classified as a book about the Battalion’s victims (“Native populations, multiple tribes,” 973.0497)."
John, thanks for the link and the broader point about classification vs. serendipity. I have always enjoyed browsing the library stacks precisely because of those unexpected discoveries. I remember once in grad school, I was looking for a book on the Irish Potato Famine and happened across a title by G. K. Chesterton, "Irish Impressions." Hardly one of his better-known titles, but out of curiosity I checked it out. As it happened, I ended up using parts of it in my dissertation, and I have even taught excerpts from it several times in a seminar on loyalty.
Another browsing treasure that has been a casualty of technological change: the periodicals reading room. This was always my favorite part of any academic library: journal after journal on everything under the sun, where you could browse and find all kinds of fascinating things you'd never imagined. But the periodicals reading room is all but extinct these days.
What an interesting way to describe that kind of reading. I do that all the time, trying to find out more about the subject I've been reading about. Though not as thoroughly as you because I read for my own pleasure.
But I love that word, serendipity, it is not only beautiful but expresses something that you can hardly express in any other way. My brother even named his boat that way.
Unfortunately, my brother is seriously ill, so there will be no more trips on the Serendipity.
Actually, I found you through your wife, we've been blogger friends for a while. We were able to meet when you were in Europe the last time. I live a little north of Osnabrück.
How nice to hear from you, and I'm glad that you found me. I remember that the two of you were able to meet in person during our brief visit to Germany last year. Thanks for letting me know this was you!
I am, however, sorry to hear about your brother. Best wishes to him, and I hope you will all remember the Serendipity with affection.
I have had your address for a while now but I had trouble with my blog, I couldn't add any new bloggers. But now it's fixed and I started "following" you.
I created a Google album after the visit and there is a selfie of your wife and me. And she can also fill you in on my brother. In any case, thank you very much for your good wishes.
Interesting window you've opened Peter. Thank you.
What arises in my mind are questions of whether serendipity is (a) much more individual rather than collective in character (b) suited to being a form of guided reading?
Questions genially provoked which I'll ruminate on for want of anything resembling clear cut answers taking shape.
And 'Global Humanities'... there's another question generating notion!
In general I'm very much in favour of an approach which aims to get students out from under the coshes of 'recognised authority and received opinion' and straitjackets of 'bodies of academic knowledge'... to get off-piste and skiing independently if I make so bold as to borrow - as a non-skier - a metaphor.
I will definitely re-read this piece and keep an eye out for any follow-up here in FMB.
Thanks, Rob. The two questions you raise are well-taken. Various thoughts in response: (a) There are many things that we eventually do on our own but first learn with guidance from others. (b) I've tried to build in some of that individual element by first asking students to generate and then vote on their own suggestions for our final readings on each country, and again at the end of the course, when they will each do a similar individual project on a country of their own choosing. (c) Ideally, they will develop habits that they can take with them later and practice on their own.
But of course it's absolutely right that what we're doing is not *pure* serendipity--not just walking up to the library shelves, say, and picking a book with our eyes closed, trusting in good fortune. As I'm thinking of it, the serendipity lies more in the uncertainty of the path--not knowing what will come next but letting one's self be guided by clues (or temptations) as they appear.
I doubt it was something I posted somewhere on Substack which brought 'serendipity' to mind but I've certainly mentioned serendipity here and there since first signing up to Substack by subscribing to 'Story Club' with George Saunders.
You've added to your first post with this rich response Peter and I think opened up the big theme of what learning in higher education was, is and will be about. In many ways I think the sight of the heart of the matter and the depth of the real wood has been lost by the untrammelled proliferation of market-driven tree plantings.
The time may - just as your refreshing course concept, design, development and delivery demonstrates - be right to sprinkle the magic dust of serendipity into the learning mix.
Thanks for this, Rob. I'm glad that you thought the course design sounded interesting. And I agree with your comment about higher education spending too much time chasing after whatever the latest supposed get-you-a-job major is. (I once wrote a little essay, "I Don't Care If My Students Get Jobs." Which is obviously not literally true, but of course I was trying to make a point.)
I'm pretty sure I didn't come across the phrase at Story Club. I think it was just in the Notes somewhere. But I could be wrong. I think George's approach to writing--listening to that voice inside telling you when someone is off or needs to go in another direction--certainly involves a certain amount of (well-trained) serendipity.
You reminded me of an article published in the New York Times Magazine last June 22. The article in the on=line version carried the title "A.I. Is Poised to Rewrite History. Literally." We're not able to render in bold or italics words in Substack comments but I was able to change a pivotal sentence to all caps (a poor substitute). As a person who has only visited a library once in the last decade I did recognize with nostalgia the serendipity described in this excerpt, looking for one book and finding another of more interest and value:
"How might A.I. change the way history is written and understood? To answer that question, it’s useful to think about L.L.M.s as merely the latest in a long series of shifts in the organizing of human knowledge. At least since the third century B.C., when Callimachus wrote his “Pinakes,” a series of books (now lost) cataloging the holdings of the famous library (now lost) in Alexandria, humanity has devised increasingly sophisticated systems for navigating pools of information too large for any one individual to take in.
Such systems inevitably have a double edge when it comes to scholarly research, a task where “efficiency” always risks being synonymous with cutting corners. The printed index in books, a device dating back at least to the year 1467, allowed scholars to find relevant material without reading each tome in full. From the perspective of human knowledge, was that a step toward utopia or dystopia? Even now, 558 years later, who’s to say? INNOVATIONS THAT CULTIVATE SERENDIPITY — SUCH AS THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM, BY WHOSE GRACES A TRIP INTO THE STACKS FOR ONE BOOK OFTEN LEADS TO A DIFFERENT, MORE SALIENT DISCOVERY — MUST, ALMOST BY DEFINITION, BE PLAGUED BY ARBITRARINESS. Classify a book about the Mariposa Battalion with Brands’s “The Age of Gold” and other gold-rush titles (979.404), and it will acquire a very different set of neighbors than if it’s classified as a book about the Battalion’s victims (“Native populations, multiple tribes,” 973.0497)."
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/magazine/ai-history-historians-scholarship.html
John, thanks for the link and the broader point about classification vs. serendipity. I have always enjoyed browsing the library stacks precisely because of those unexpected discoveries. I remember once in grad school, I was looking for a book on the Irish Potato Famine and happened across a title by G. K. Chesterton, "Irish Impressions." Hardly one of his better-known titles, but out of curiosity I checked it out. As it happened, I ended up using parts of it in my dissertation, and I have even taught excerpts from it several times in a seminar on loyalty.
Another browsing treasure that has been a casualty of technological change: the periodicals reading room. This was always my favorite part of any academic library: journal after journal on everything under the sun, where you could browse and find all kinds of fascinating things you'd never imagined. But the periodicals reading room is all but extinct these days.
That's a wonderful story of serendipity in the stacks!
Or is it divine intervention?
Perhaps the two are closely related. : )
What an interesting way to describe that kind of reading. I do that all the time, trying to find out more about the subject I've been reading about. Though not as thoroughly as you because I read for my own pleasure.
But I love that word, serendipity, it is not only beautiful but expresses something that you can hardly express in any other way. My brother even named his boat that way.
Marianne, thank you for the kind note and I'm glad that you enjoyed the piece. My own reading would also be somewhat less structured outside of class.
Obviously, you should do some serendipitous reading while on board "Serendipity"! : )
(By the way, where in Germany do you live? Meine Frau ist Deutsche.)
Thanks, Peter.
Unfortunately, my brother is seriously ill, so there will be no more trips on the Serendipity.
Actually, I found you through your wife, we've been blogger friends for a while. We were able to meet when you were in Europe the last time. I live a little north of Osnabrück.
Ah, so... Du bist *die* Marianne! : )
How nice to hear from you, and I'm glad that you found me. I remember that the two of you were able to meet in person during our brief visit to Germany last year. Thanks for letting me know this was you!
I am, however, sorry to hear about your brother. Best wishes to him, and I hope you will all remember the Serendipity with affection.
Ja, richtig. Ich bin *die* Marianne. ;)
I have had your address for a while now but I had trouble with my blog, I couldn't add any new bloggers. But now it's fixed and I started "following" you.
I created a Google album after the visit and there is a selfie of your wife and me. And she can also fill you in on my brother. In any case, thank you very much for your good wishes.
Interesting window you've opened Peter. Thank you.
What arises in my mind are questions of whether serendipity is (a) much more individual rather than collective in character (b) suited to being a form of guided reading?
Questions genially provoked which I'll ruminate on for want of anything resembling clear cut answers taking shape.
And 'Global Humanities'... there's another question generating notion!
In general I'm very much in favour of an approach which aims to get students out from under the coshes of 'recognised authority and received opinion' and straitjackets of 'bodies of academic knowledge'... to get off-piste and skiing independently if I make so bold as to borrow - as a non-skier - a metaphor.
I will definitely re-read this piece and keep an eye out for any follow-up here in FMB.
Rob
Thanks, Rob. The two questions you raise are well-taken. Various thoughts in response: (a) There are many things that we eventually do on our own but first learn with guidance from others. (b) I've tried to build in some of that individual element by first asking students to generate and then vote on their own suggestions for our final readings on each country, and again at the end of the course, when they will each do a similar individual project on a country of their own choosing. (c) Ideally, they will develop habits that they can take with them later and practice on their own.
But of course it's absolutely right that what we're doing is not *pure* serendipity--not just walking up to the library shelves, say, and picking a book with our eyes closed, trusting in good fortune. As I'm thinking of it, the serendipity lies more in the uncertainty of the path--not knowing what will come next but letting one's self be guided by clues (or temptations) as they appear.
I doubt it was something I posted somewhere on Substack which brought 'serendipity' to mind but I've certainly mentioned serendipity here and there since first signing up to Substack by subscribing to 'Story Club' with George Saunders.
You've added to your first post with this rich response Peter and I think opened up the big theme of what learning in higher education was, is and will be about. In many ways I think the sight of the heart of the matter and the depth of the real wood has been lost by the untrammelled proliferation of market-driven tree plantings.
The time may - just as your refreshing course concept, design, development and delivery demonstrates - be right to sprinkle the magic dust of serendipity into the learning mix.
Thanks for this, Rob. I'm glad that you thought the course design sounded interesting. And I agree with your comment about higher education spending too much time chasing after whatever the latest supposed get-you-a-job major is. (I once wrote a little essay, "I Don't Care If My Students Get Jobs." Which is obviously not literally true, but of course I was trying to make a point.)
I'm pretty sure I didn't come across the phrase at Story Club. I think it was just in the Notes somewhere. But I could be wrong. I think George's approach to writing--listening to that voice inside telling you when someone is off or needs to go in another direction--certainly involves a certain amount of (well-trained) serendipity.
Sounds like such an interesting class for the teachers (and the teacher)!
I'm enjoying it--so I hope they are also!