intangible turning tangible idea

INTANGIBLE TURNING TANGIBLE
Valente Associati GEB Partners is a leading firm
providing legal, tax, and strategic management consulting services.
(www.gebpartners.it)
IDEA-SPAWNED
2016
“La Pensée” (“The Thought”)
“Scholar on a Bench”
by Émile Louis Picault
by Arthur Guillot
Ideas may be either the natural children of genius and
Thought feeds on inspiration
Keys
creativity, or the offshoot of intense brainstorming, or even
and
through
multiple doors to all kinds
an urgent response to collective needs (whether these be
knowledge to be acquired
of knowledge: i.e., practical
conscious or not).
by drawing on ancient
knowledge, technical know-
wisdom
how, skills, special talents,
develops
and
science
allow
to
“open”
The artist’s sculpting skill masterfully embodies the
(papyruses
and
genius and that one-of-a-
birth of knowledge being delivered from the rock, with
parchments of yesteryears)
kind characteristic, peculiar
wings spread out and, just as the arrow, ready to take a
and today, by easily accessing
to each and every single
heaven-bound flight, soaring towards the utter stretches
to
individual that is no one
of human science, as the torch of knowledge – the legacy
knowledge tank of all times,
else’s. of learning and cognizance come down to us from our
i.e.,
which
All of the above are essential
ancestors through papyruses, parchments and books –
allows knowledge to be
elements that constitute the
which has been burning since the mists of time, and will
available to anyone on a
heritage of the entire human
continue doing so throughout the ages, its being one of
planetary scale via digital
race and represent a most
the most fervent and natural quests of the human spirit.
means, and we may expect
invaluable human capital
Consultancy as the living upshot of an idea represents
new digital means – faster,
of knowledge resources to
today the highest standard of professional and specialized
smaller
more
which today’s professions
advice at the service of society, based on extensive and
sophisticated – to be booming,
and occupations owe everything.
in-depth knowledge of the law, expertise, know-how
in view of the uncontainable
and applied skills combined with the highest moral and
proliferation of high-tech
Knowledge comes in many
ethical standards.
inventors and the successful
colors: it may be the sum-
Ideas shape peoples, worlds and history.
IT impact on worldwide
total of our own personal
They shape us, as we go along, through a self-catalyzed
economy.
and/or empirical experiences,
the
the
scrolls
most
impressive
Internet,
and
ever
thought-generating process that expands in as many
or that special gift known as
directions as our interests, motivations, consciousness
A
and will shall allow.
intriguing element incor-
intelligence),
porated by the sculptor’s
clear perception of the
genius in the statue refers
truth, all of which – stated
to keys.
in other words – is that
Keys – as an age-old symbol
inexplicable certainty of the
of knowledge, and especially
truth that surges from the
of access to knowledge – are
mind, reaching us within
not merely important but
a split-second, without the
are at the heart of human
need of rational thinking, or
development and awareness,
others’ further confirmation
and of civilizations in general.
and/or consent.
“Coral and Doubts”
by Jacques Antoine Théodore Coinchon
This bronze masterpiece includes coral (one of the unsolved
quandaries ever since the days of Aristotle: “is coral an animal
or a plant”?). Aristotle did eventually classify coral as a
hybridization of “plant-animals” he named “zoophyta”, while
this superb work of art means to remind how important and
stimulating doubt is in all of life’s facets, since nothing should
be taken for granted or judged without further consideration,
further
and
most
intuition (a.k.a. instinctual
(cont...)
Copyright ©
which
is
(cont...)
“Secret d’En Haut” (“A Secret from On High”)
analysis or investigation.
The popular saying “never judge a book
by its cover” is ever so true especially
within the context of law. The tenet “innocent until proven
guilty” gives rise to the theory that a
person indicted for criminal purposes
is innocent until proven guilty “beyond
any and all reasonable doubt”, in view
of the fact that sufficient evidence must
be provided before the judging Court to
substantiate the defendant’s guilt. Popular wisdom has further produced
two well-known expressions about how
best to deal with doubt; such expressions
are actually contradictory in that one
states: “if in doubt, leave it out” while
the other “if in doubt, check it out”. While
the
first
recommendation
suggests a prudential approach, the
other is symptomatic of a skeptical or
investigative attitude. Both pointers might surely be useful in
different cases, as doubt may arise in
manifold circumstances but especially
in the context of law – and criminal
law in particular – when a ruling must
be issued as to an accused party’s guilt
or innocence, which must be proven
beyond any and all doubt, and which are
all elements that are not only essential
but absolutely vital, and not strictly in a
metaphorical sense.
MILANO
TORINO by Hippolyte Alexandre Julien Moulin
This sublime statue is not merely physically appealing in its perfect lines, but is also a
masterpiece of thought. The work enfolds the most intriguing elements of a secret being entrusted by a god, Mercury,
who descended from “on high” – namely, from Olympus – just to whisper some arcane truth,
fact or knowledge to a statue’s ear such to cause the “listener” to smile, even?
Master Moulin’s subtlety exceeds by far that fine line that distinguishes mere “greatness” from
sheer “genius”, seeing that Mercury’s entrusting a secret to the statue is unique, brilliant and a
veritable inspiration “from above” since, if one initially wonders how terrible and dark this secret
must be in order for it to be entrusted to a mere statue, on second thought one is immediately
relieved by the statue’s smile… (and since when do statues smile – could this be the real
secret?).
Well a secret is a secret and as such, must never be revealed. The subject’s content is more than enough to fire anyone’s imagination and to rouse even the
most apathetic person’s curiosity.
Of course, secrets and mysteries are to be safeguarded always since, while the former involve
the duty to respect whoever entrusted the secret, the latter, in view of the fact that knowledge
comprises a commensurate degree of responsibility, and not all are endowed with a profound
(or even shallow) sense of responsibility; therefore, it would be good common sense to desist
from wishing to unveil mysteries at all costs, unless someone is willing to pay the high price
such knowledge generally entails.
This takes us back to the importance of “keeping a secret” and especially “professional secrets”,
which are always to be kept within the strictest bounds of the parties immediately involved,
i.e., the party entrusting the secret and the party receiving such secret. Within a professional
practice context, the keeping of secrets should be deemed to all effects, a sacred duty that binds,
therefore, any professional consultant ethically and morally. Some secrets may cause “statues” or “humans” to smile or even laugh, while others may cause
dismay or downright scandal. There is a very good reason why the adjective “professional”
precedes the term “consultant” since “being professional” is by definition a behavior that
espouses a high moral and ethical standing as well as a considerate and balanced approach
towards any party seeking reliable guidance and reassuring advice, and this most certainly
includes the ability to honor and respect any third-party secrets and absolute right to privacy.
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