Lucas Kriner is founder of SGM Ideas: "a creative thought workshop" specializing in practical, imaginative, and creative thinking about philosophy, history, Christianity, and culture. He has earned a B. A. degree in History and Philosophy and a Master of Arts degree in Church History. He has found a special interest in the discussion of important and meaningful topics of history and philosophy in story form and the use of imagination to bring the significance of those disciplines to bear in the understanding of all people.

A native Pennsylvanian, Mr. Kriner uses the values and surroundings of Central Pennsylvania to form some of the imagery and perspective of the world of Brisbin Mindstorm.

A boy of many talents, Brisbin Mindstorm is an ordinary young man. In fact, he is often so underwhelmed with the ordinary life of youth, he desires something more satisfactory. He counts himself different from his friends and wishes to become great by a higher path and a higher understanding. He longs to set out and make something of his life. But how is it accomplished?

Unsure of who he is or how to find satisfaction, he turns his pondering of meaning toward the thought of a quest with only one defining feature: explore and gather knowledge. He finds himself separated from his friends with these unique longings and aspirations. He shares none of the same desires with his friends and appreciates quite different modes of satisfaction. What he finds wholesome, warming and thoughtful are alienating forces. However, he loves them.

In the earliest days of his youthful past, he has come to realize that there is a large world out there. The encouragement and teaching of his father and mother confirm the excitement of the vastness of the world and the depth of human ideas in his mind. He decides to set out and verify all that he was given. His greatest desire is to go out and amass great knowledge and experiences by exploring in order to gather knowledge that is good, true, sure and certain.

The excitement of high adventure supercedes his desire to stay comfortable at home any longer. Though his destination is mysterious and his adventures appear to lack purpose, a greater quest takes hold in Brisbin even with his first steps toward distant lands. What will develop takes him beyond his wildest expectations. It settles in his mind early on: the first step of the journey are necessary in order to come to know the world better. Even though highadventure in mysterious lands means loneliness, danger and solitude. Brisbin takes the risk only to be greeted by his partner and best friend. The anticipation of solitude is overturned with companionship. Brisbin knows that those who take no steps are deeply neglected as are those who take many steps in the wrong direction. This risk was taken in order to know the world of the seen and unseen. What was risky and unknown has a designed pattern and a destiny unto itself all along. This is Brisbin's first of many revelations. He realizes that knowing comes not just in the form of experience, but revelations and realizations because of them.

Brisbin Mindstorm is a boy who longs to know and works hard to make sense of the forces of good and evil in the world. He is an example to any thoughtful person who takes steps on a dangerous journey in life. Brisbin Mindstorm is ordinary. After all, all people take a journey in life. But, he is extraordinary because of the destinations he will reach and the understanding he will accrue.

The purpose of The Wisdom of Brisbin Mindstorm is found chiefly in personal reflection and exposure to practical philosophy. It is also designed to help individuals think deeply by the provocation of an entertaining story. Everyone comes under the influence of intellectual forces in life and everyone sets out to find meaning. All good humans set out to find themselves and make sense of the world they live in. Some entertain these deep questions for only a short time, then live out their life. Others spend their whole lives questing and searching. How do we authenticate and justify what we think?

This series is meant to provoke meaningful and deep thought in an interesting way. Brisbin's life is an intellectual journey. He represents the intellectual adventure of life. All people take an intellectual journey. They are confronted with ideas, sort, sift and consider them. Which ideas are true? Which are false? Where do they come from? Which do I believe? Which do I stand beside? What helps me clarify these claims? Which ideas grant meaning? Brisbin finds true philosophy useful in understanding the world and his own desires and convictions. His goal to find coherence in his physical adventure stems from encounters with the use of reason, multiple ideas, and learning. This fictional account may bring the same sort of meaning to life in the audience and map the progression of knowledge in a tumultuous and challenging intellectual struggles that Brisbin goes through. This may be what life truly is: learning about ideas and using reason to judge and arrange them to know who you are and your place in the world.

The purpose also presents the intricacies and adventures that can be found in the intellectual world of deep thinking that holds toils, battles, confrontations, victories and reflection. It is a primer of a dynamic intellectual world and the philosophical forces most struggle with in order to experience the victory of wisdom and certainty. The variety of Brisbin's adventures are meant to represent deep and real intellectual problems and attempt to offer insightful solutions to curtail the frustrations such problems present. It also is meant to entice people to explore a world that many overlook. Brisbin's quest is an intellectual journey in an intellectual world. It is also a quest toward the attainment of the highest way of thinking and the end of all reasoning and thoughtful humans.

The story is quest oriented. It is the story of a boy who is looking to understand the world and understand himself. The quest is largely the story of a boy's intellectual life and how he comes to form a worldview. It is a tale of the traces the impacts of philosophy on one boy...the influence of true philosophy made into a story. The dimensions of the book include many themes, but focus mostly upon the intellectual increase in a young boy and where growth and satisfaction of these things find an end. Early on, Brisbin does not know the scope of his adventure, but moves in a passionate direction toward a desire of omniscience, certainty and enlightenment. How he arrives there becomes a source of great revelation.

The story is one that makes use of philosophy presenting it in a practical and entertaining way. Some difficult passages can be found, but most of the philosophy presented is meant to be attractive and palatable. How philosophy can be used in everyday life and development in all people is a matter of general application of these doctrines. Thus, the scope is thoroughly philosophical, but retains a fresh and entertaining approach that might spurn on deeper thinking by entertainment.

The literary use of fantasy, allegory, and symbolism set forth the task of opening people's minds to think about otherwise uncommon and difficult concepts. The fantasy increases awareness of the intellectual life in all people and offers perspective on trying real life circumstances, like death. The allegory attempts to present multiple layers to the reality of the situations presented. A great part of the circumstances given in the story relate to real life. The layers also include the presentation of concepts in different degrees. Some will not be explicit in order for deeper thinking or anticipation of a revelation. One passage may be appreciated by a young reader, but an adult might fully grasp the meaning of the part. That is, the presentation of a situation may be an entertaining scene, but may hold a deep connection to reality and a deeper connection to the direction of the book's themes a various levels of meaning. A layer of personal relation and empathy might result in addition to increased understanding and the most basic element of any story: entertainment. Thus, the adventure is exciting but holds deeper and more meaningful layers to behold. That those deepest layers of understanding may be permeated and understanding might be awakened in a reader by this story constitutes the full scope and life of The Wisdom of Brisbin Mindstorm.

Quest: The quest aspect of the journey recognizes the necessity of journeying, but also that of high-adventure and searching for something greater than presently known. The trust that a quest requires is also significant since the attainment of knowledge not yet held is a matter of hope and faith.

Friendship: The driving force in Matthew and Brisbin's relationship is a realization of true friendship. This is where a person cares about the internal and intellectual well-being of his or her partner; that they are seeking good and fostering virtue.

Intellectual Journey: All men come under the influence of forces of knowledge and have an intellectual life. The events that take place in their mind are just as important as the physical events they experience. What ideas and influences constitute a person's being? What are the greatest factors that comprise the way people think? An intellectual journey is a careful setting out and recollection of how one learns about the world and how to reason properly. The journey also includes how one knows truth.

The intellectual journey is a quest to find the self, who and what a person truly is. A knowledge of desires, convictions and fulfillment and why such realizations are held. A person will therefore seek goodness and establish virtue and character because they are aware of its merits. They accomplish this independently; independent of social influences of a superficial and meaningless kind. Knowing who you are is knowing what is good for you. Solid thinking will apply to practical life style choices all the way up to deep intellectual affairs as a result.

Another facet of the intellectual journey determines how intellectual influences mold the mind and dictate not only how we reason, but valuable and meaningful tastes..what we like and dislike based in what we know. Many people go through life amassing all sorts of knowledge without first considering knowledge of self. They have then diminished the scope of the achievement and fulfillment of what it is to be human.

The anti-intellectual cannot discern what is wholesome and good without crippling prejudices and restraints in his or her nature. This person fails at the journey and knows only desires ignoring self and wisdom. They must learn to contemplate greater things so that he or she might journey far.

Autobiography: The contents of the story reflect real life circumstances, some historical and some lived by the author. Fiction and reality are represented in an indistinguishable way without the aide of a revealing source.

Creation: Brisbin's world is a creation, made by something greater than itself. He is a creation. But, does he know his creator?

Philosophy: Philosophy is seen as the highest way to think in Brisbin's world. It gives order to the knowledge Brisbin and Matthew have and is granted great status. It is the most adequate and satisfactory way of understanding the phenomena of nature and super nature. The culture of Brisbin's world holds philosophers in high esteem.

Philosophy indicates to the people in Brisbin's world how to live and act and why to live and act in that way. Philosophy gives reasons why one ought to live well.

Philosophy also teaches how to think rightly. This is the power to reason and know the truth. The philosophers of Brisbin's world are esteemed because they hold the best reasons and explanations.None of these give adequate explanations for life. It is these reasons that are superior to all other forms of knowledge, an adequate form of knowing is formed that satisfies. Philosophy in Brisbin's world is higher than math, science, nature, psychology, or economics. They are inadequate and unsatisfactory for the deeper questions and issues of life humans hold. Since all humans live and face confounding circumstances such as why people die and why bad things happen to good people. There is no mathematical explanation of this. Everyone should familiarize themselves with the philosophy Brisbin discovers in order to have hope and feel satisfied.

Law: a man-made representation of a standard for the good order of society and upholding of what is right. This is accomplished so far as man can interpret and is best aided by true philosophy and connection to the Standard of the Authority.

History: being mindful of the past and its meaning for the identity of the present is quite important as a theme. The knowledge of history is presented as the most important for self and worldview. Actual historical events are the basis for events in the tale keeping with the allegorical drive of the book.

Authority: indicates sovereignty and sustenance all powerful and perfect by nature. All perfection and source is found here. The Author creates based on his wisdom and laws. The Authority is beyond self and that which nothing higher can be thought. Everyone ought to answer to an authority other than self, but is it the highest authority?

Standard: represents the laws of good society and a universe of perfect order. The story recognizes the essential role of standards that are high and valuable.

Conversation: the role of the conversation in the book is to give a step-by-step and easy to read account of an impressionable or formidable topic of discussion. It is separated from the narrative in order to give significance. One is more likely to learn something in a casual, down to earth conversation than in formal settings. This is also true in comparison to narrative that usually holds entertaining statements which make it hard to extract the meat of a significant point.

Revelation: the knowledge of all things cannot take place without revelation. It is reliance on something other than ourselves. It is also a driving force of discoveries in a quest. Something that was in a prior time unknown is now known. Things revealed can either be known by self or given by another unsuspected or unseen force. Secrets are revealed in this way. They might have been discovered on our own or might never have been known except for a source of help. Much of what Brisbin and Matthew experience in their quest was formerly unknown, but revealed to them.

The Wisdom of Brisbin Mindstorm can be read in three layers. Consider these directives to enhance your reading experience and your understanding:

Stage One-Narrative: The first layer is the narrative. The story can be read as a story entertaining anyone interested in the narrative. This is the surface value of the tale. However, there is much more than meets the eye that goes deeper. If you pay close attention, you might uncover another layer. But, if not, that's fine. The story still takes on a meaningful display.

Stage Two-Allegory: The second layer includes allegory and symbolism. Here the lines of fantasy and reality are blurred with autobiographical and historical references. In other words, an amount of the story represents actual events from the past. Since actual events cannot be written about the future, the past and interpretation of it comprise the writing in Brisbin Mindstorm's adventures. Essentially there is a meaning behind every passage in the story. Can you ascertain them? Some will know more than others. Only the creator can possess omniscience.

Stage Three-Philosophy: The third layer is made up of purposeful infusing of philosophy. The reader who appreciates these themes may pick up on them or may set out to discover them right away as a purpose for reading the book. Thus, two "substages exist: discovery and affirmation. Discovery takes hold in the person who is otherwise unaware of specific philosophical ideas, but does see that there is something valuable and meaningful in the text. They will discover truths of daily life and the scope of human longing that they take for granted or otherwise never knew about the state of the cosmos. Affirmation takes hold in people who are already appreciative of philosophy. In these folks, a fresh perspective on familiar topics might be delightful or useful.

The book's purpose is to present philosophy in an entertaining way. Usually such tough concepts are not entertaining. By presenting philosophy in story form, more people may relate to intense issues or find some use for them in life. Others still may become aware of forces in life that were there all along, but were previously unidentified or unmanageable. Topics found in the books include: faith, death, love, revenge, certainty, reason, logic, naturalism, law, order, property, evil, goodness, happiness, justice, will, and others.

In the spirit of the philosophical journey, issues in life are presented in the story because they are raised in all individuals in reality. Philosophy, as a key force in the book offers explanations and solutions to the apparent conundrums and difficult situations that arise in Brisbin's quest. Sprinkles of autobiography can be found here with references the author has had with particular philosophers. It also shed light on the daily and practical uses of philosophy that prevail in daily existence, sometimes unnoticed, but certainly worth getting to know for the benefit of self-knowledge, improvement, and understanding. Yet, the story does not just addrerss troubling circumst. It is meant to make philosopy attractive and useful for all circumstances. True philosophy is beneficial to all mankind since it reveals the adequate path of the philosophical journey: toward true happiness and meaning.

Please note that the story can be approached and appreciated without the allegory and philosophy. We would encourage readers who have difficulty with a passage to grasp the narrative. This is primarily why passages chocked full of philosophy, like the Conversations, can be skipped. They are essential to reveal the philosophical advancement of the main characters, but are not essential for the narrative layer. Others who are otherwise disengaged and desire challenge, search for deeper passages and how they enhance the narrative. Since this project stems out of the idea of reaching a broad range of people from different perspectives with a uniting aim of truth and coherence, the range of angles presented and the multiple layers of the tale present a unique range of topics that encourage good thought. The goal to impact with a story is a perceived angle that has been carefully procured and persuasively argued. Undeniable common ground truths are the thrust of the story's function to reach no matter what layer you seek with expectations or what layer is achieved in the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
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