Runic Overview: The Letter and the Symbol
The Northern European Runes form the basis of the earliest forms of writing in the northern lands, but for me they are much more than this. Before they were used to represent letters, they were powerful symbols in their own right. Each Runic symbol containing within it multiple layers and hidden meanings. Yet, so much of the academic delving and amateur investigations surrounding these enigmatic symbols focus much of their attention on them as simple letters. Before we delve deeper into Rune “theory” we must first understand what is lost when a Rune is reduced to a simple letter.
So what is a letter? Letters simply represent sounds, that form the basis of words, which in turn are used to construct sentences. Each collection of letters (words) has a given definition, which itself can vary related to the context it is used. Via this method we can construct thousands of words, in which to write about and define our existence. This precise method of communication leaves little to the imagination, making it ideal for clear and well defined communication. It is itself a form of reductionism, letters being the smallest part from which you can create multiple bigger things, such as words, sentences, etc. It is no wonder that when this form of communication firmly took hold, that reductionist science and philosophy was born. Reductionism is the idea that all things are the sum of all their parts and by the study of each part, you can determine the “thing”. Reductionist ideas form the basis of modern science and to a large extent modern thinking and without the humble letter none of this would of been possible.
All this at first glance may seem great and reductionist ideas are without doubt a magnificent analytical tool, however the concept of reducing everything to its various parts does have its own unique drawbacks. This way of thinking for me is rather mechanical, each part is seen as simply a cog in the machine. By observing the cog outside of the machine we gain knowledge of the cog, as it is in isolation, which will help us better understand the machine. The main drawback is nothing exists in a vacuum; in nature all things are connected.
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