Simultaneously, Gadamer says, a horizon is “something into which we move and which moves with us.” That is, we are always moving into new views, but there is no final resting point. We can, ideally, merge our own horizon with those of others. From that action we might work together toward communication and understanding while acknowledging that the horizon will always remain before us and will be changing constantly. In short, there is no end to our need for open, honest communication. Perhaps this is especially critical when we are part of a large, constantly evolving system which needs our help to develop. We need to learn to merge our unique interpretations with those of others.
The mission of the Auburn Horizon has been to bring people of differing horizons--as individuals, across disciplines and hierarchical divisions-- together in a collective inquiry, with the assumption that we share a love of learning that reaches beyond our specializations, as well as a concern for the well-being of the university. We can, it was hoped, merge horizons there: with our care for the future of learning and of the university.
This is the last issue of the Auburn Horizon--of this Horizon, at any rate. It is our hope that all members of the university community (including staff and undergraduates) will become passionately engaged in and will continue the conversation. We hope that all will feel that they have something to contribute, and, perhaps more importantly, we hope that all will also feel that they have something to learn from listening to others.
