As I've mentioned before, if I ever write another book, it would have to be as terse and pointy as Dávila, if only because there is way too much goround to cover. Each field, from cosmology to theology to physics, would have to be stripped down to the bare truth, with no excess verbiage or egocentric bloviating: just say it and get out of the way. If a truth can be reduced to a deeper truth, then the former is not strictly necessary. Let others emanate those secondary and tertiary penumbras from the deeper principles.
Some of the aphorisms apply to the subjective world, while others apply to the objective world. Nevertheless, both must be objective. What do I mean by this? Here is an example: Reason is no substitute for faith, just as color is no substitute for sound. Most people would regard faith as "subjective," which it is; it is nevertheless an adequation to reality and therefore partakes of the objective nature of things. Or in other words, Faith is not an irrational assent to a proposition; it is a perception of a special order of realities. Objects can't be faithful; subjects can't not be.
More deeply, if God is a person (a Subject to whom we'll return), then a subjective element is built into the cake. I know that my new neighbor objectively exists. But to say that my objective knowledge of his existence exhausts what can be known about him is just silly. Same thing with reality: to imagine it can be exhaustively described empirically is instantaneously self-refuting, otherwise, to whom is the world a mere object? Another object?
Now, is God a person? Well, do persons exist? If they don't, then you are dismissed. For you the denial of personhood is rock, and you have reduced yourself to it. "There are no persons, said the person." Okay Humer.
But if persons do exist, then what is their principle, their sufficient reason? In what are they grounded? Is human intelligence just "more" animal intelligence, or something else altogether? If you believe natural selection is a sufficient cause of human intelligence, then you are faced with a dilemma, because animals can know nothing of essences, principles, abstract categories, etc. How can natural selection transcend itself if it forbids transcendence a priori?
Here is an aphorism that goes to one of our rock-bottom principles, complementarity: Two contradictory philosophical theses complete each other, but only God knows how.
Now, when I use the term complementarity, I don't just mean it in the quantum sense, i.e., Heisenberg's uncertainty principle; rather quantum complementarity is just the residue of a much deeper complementarity that is built into the nature of things. What are some of our primordial, which is to say, irreducible, complementarities?
Let's see: subject/object; eternity/time; absolute/infinite; point/space; center/periphery; vertical/horizontal; creation/created; geometry/music; spirit/matter; form/substance; act/potency; existence/essence; quantity/quality.
There are no doubt more, but in any event, they are all synthesized and harmonized in God, both before and after the fact, since God is both outside and inside time. The reason why we can approach unity is because unity exists; we may know there is One Cosmos, even if we can never rearrive there in this life. Or as the Prophet Leonard says, the goal falls short of the reach, being that no earthly or finite goal can satisfy us because our reach extends to God, to infinitude.
So, God doesn't harmonize anything, since he is Harmony. In which we are privileged to participate, which is why we may attain integral knowledge of this One Cosmos, a vision of the All. Again, animal intelligence can't even know that it knows, let alone what it can never know.
A few more rocks, and then I gotta go:
Only the theocentric vision does not end up reducing man to absolute insignificance.Either God or chance: all other terms are disguises for one or the other.
God is not an inane compensation for lost reality, but the horizon surrounding the summits of conquered reality.
22 comments:
Faith is not an irrational assent to a proposition; it is a perception of a special order of realities.
Two contradictory philosophical theses complete each other, but only God knows how.
Thus the Psalmist may have "Faith Perservering in Trial" - that is, even though we may suffer at times, we understand that there is a promise of deliverance into something far greater.
It's easy enough to prove the existence of God, nor is it difficult to figure out that he is the source of truth, beauty, goodness, and justice. And if he's just, then earthly injustice can't be the end of things. I have faith in the latter, but not certitude. Or, the certitude is in my head, but hasn't penetrated and infused the heart.
The old gag -- "I believe, help my unbelief." Reminds me of another Leonard Cohen lyric to the effect that the mind can swallow the soul if you're not careful.
From this beautifully done video: Every soul is like a minnow / Every mind is like a shark
The “old gag” about unbelief is from the Gospel of Mark: https://www.biblehub.com/mark/9-24.htm
Please do write another book. I have run out of friends to give “One Cosmos” to!
I have faith and hope that earthly injustice isn't the end. Most of the time. In truth, my prayers have been answered so ridiculously often that there's no excuse for doubt.
Patience, on the other hand...
The Cohen video is gorgeous. There was a man with serious depth.
Interesting looking book: The Anti-Mary Exposed: Rescuing the Culture from Toxic Femininity. The only reason I wouldn't get it is because I already believe feminism is demonic.
Definitely.
It's genuinely tragic how many women forego actual femininity in favor of some myth that is actually the antithesis of everything being female is about. Feminists are the real misogynists, not that it's worthwhile arguing the point with them.
On faith, I think we get a small glimpse of what it's like to see beyond the veil, every time someone who's colorblind puts on a pair of these glasses for the first time. They have always seen, but suddenly everything looks overwhelmingly different and they start to understand what they have been missing all along. You see a similar response when people hear for the first time.
I have the same reaction as that kid when a classic black & white movie has been colorized.
Top of the morning to everyone, I'll guess I'll chime in.
Loved the post; more great aphorisms to enjoy.
Dr. Godwin commented:
"It's easy enough to prove the existence of God, nor is it difficult to figure out that he is the source of truth, beauty, goodness, and justice. And if he's just, then earthly injustice can't be the end of things. I have faith in the latter, but not certitude. Or, the certitude is in my head, but hasn't penetrated and infused the heart."
Many would agree with this. Certitude in the heart is a primary goal of spiritual life, but not easily achieved. How does one go about getting that, and then keeping it?
Julie provides one clue:
"I have faith and hope that earthly injustice isn't the end. Most of the time. In truth, my prayers have been answered so ridiculously often that there's no excuse for doubt."
Julie has received plentiful grace which has allowed certitude to penetrate and infuse her heart. This has been evident over many years of reading her comments. Julie has a working relationship with God, and that is a precious thing.
Regarding feminism, which you both find odious, I would agree it is a bit odious. I look upon it as a reactionary over-correction to genuine past oppression.
In the 1930's a prominent Yogini was heard to remark "As far as the sexes, one is as good as the other." The lady disposed of the controversy with this one terse comment. She was a monument of certitude and sincerity.
-Double Dip
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Mushroom, Happy Thanksgiving!
There is nothing to be thankful for, unless you have things to be thankful for.
-Dabila
I usually try to keep it simple, stupids. Feminism, kneeling racism, aboriginalism, tribal religion... amongst the few assholes who are too often the loudest and most destructive voices, are actually many good and decent folks who really are just good and decent folks. I’ve even met them! The latter just doesn't want to be bullied anymore. They don’t necessarily want power, just a bit more freedom from power. For them, “Run away!” has gotten old.
But they don’t know how to keep the assholes amongst them from redirecting their causes, or the assholes not amongst them from obfuscating their causes for nefariously selfish reasons.
I don’t think they should just give up because the assholes are so camouflageasiously crafty.
Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean the good people aren’t out to let the bad people get you. Personally, I think it’s easier to just be paranoid about the bad people.
Does Davila have any practical aphorisms about dealing with power on a personal, non-metaphysical level, that doesn't get all monkishly nihilistic?
Stumbled across your blog about three weeks ago, at a point where I had just finished reading everything available to me by Wolfgang Smith and Jean Borella about religious symbolism and vertical causality and really wanting more... then: click. (Didja know that "serendipity" is an anagram for "ripe destiny"?)
I've bought the bOOk but have barely started it yet because I'm still having too much fun digging backward through the arkive (currently at July 2017).
Anyway, today's gift of a few extra free moments seemed like a good opportunity to speak up and say thanks for all you do.
Power does not corrupt; it liberates latent corruption.
Man does not have the power to do anything important. Only to hope that what he does will have an important result.
Thank you, Guy. I think you'll find that the blog is addressed to the few other guys & gals who share your vertical sensibility. As such, if nothing else, you'll feel less alone but more strange (in a good way). All along you've been a Cosmic Raccoon without knowing it. Now you know. Welcome to the club.
Hi Guy, Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the comments!
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Nicolas, one of the most pernicious messages our culture has been spewing to young people for a couple of generations now is that it is the job of each one to somehow go out and "change the world." Nevermind that these poor kids can barely figure out how to run a washing machine or keep a balanced bank account, they believe that the fate of the world rests on their shoulders. Going back to the idea of humility, there is something very liberating in realizing that if you happen to change the world, it will most likely be a byproduct of what you do in your ordinary, everyday life. I can't change the world, but I can try to live my life according to the Lord's prayer, and that is more than enough.
Man matures when he stops believing that politics solves his problems.
Which is the appeal of leftism: one remains a child forever, growing but never maturing.
Leftism appeals to those who believe they've been prevented from growing, as does rightism.
Given that the religious love "God-inspired" leaders, I can't wait til theocrats from the only two possible sides they can ever imagine, get to have their latent corruption liberated.
Julie said "Feminists are the real misogynists..."
Yup... in more ways than One.
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