About Us

The name Letter 88 refers to the writings of Seneca, who was a Roman philosopher around 60 AD. These 124 letters make up the collection entitled 'Letters from a Stoic' where Seneca writes to his friend Lucilius. Seneca discusses friendship, developing character, and contentment. In Letter 88 Seneca contemplates what work does for us rather than what we do for work. He argues that there is only one type of work that is truly important, the pursuit of wisdom. Letter 88 mentions several professions, one of which is surveying. He says, 

"...What use is it to me to be able to divide a piece of land into equal areas if I'm unable to divide it with a brother? What use is the ability to measure out a portion of an acre with an accuracy extending even to the bits which elude the measuring rod if I'm upset when some high-handed neighbor encroaches slightly on my property?"

He continues to his main point, 

"Oh, the marvels of geometry! You geometers can calculate the areas of circles, can reduce any given shape to a square, can state the distances separating stars. Nothing's outside your scope when it comes to measurement. Well, if you're such an expert, measure a man's soul; tell me how large or how small that is. You can define a straight line; what use is that to you if you've no idea what straightness means in life?"

For us surveying is not a means to an end, rather a profession to develop virtue. Every one of us must select a career, provide for our family, and work. Surveying is not something done light heartedly, people's earnings and property are at stake. Almost two-thousand years ago Seneca wrote about surveying, there were many professions to choose from but why surveying? Because it requires great accuracy as he states, and the attention to detail. In this detail we can get lost. Seneca reminds us that our true pursuit is virtue. As surveyors we all must measure lines, but we aim to measure a line with virtue.