Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Most Certain of All Principles

I have continued to plow my way through Aristotle's "Metaphysics." I'm all the way to page 48 (haha).

On this page, he makes a point. "Evidently then, it belongs to the philosopher ... to inquire into the principles of syllogism. But he who knows best about each genus must be able to state the most certain principles of his subject, so that he whose subject is existing things qua existing must be able to state the most certain principles of all thing...the most certain principle of all is that regarding which it is impossible to be mistaken; for such a principle must be best known (for all men may be mistaken about things which they do not know) and non-hypothetical....It is, that the same attribute cannot at the same time belong and not belong to the same subject and in the same respect; we must presuppose, to guard against any further dialectical objections, any further qualifications."

So, can the most certain principle be God? If so, then almost all of us are mistaken and do not know. In this sense, religion is an add -on. You know how some web pages want to run an add-on? Religion is an add-on in just this way. I sort of think the ecstasy of enlightenment is an add-on.

The abstract principle of God, without any add-ons, is my interest. And, I can only say that when I quieten my mind, ignoring any stray thoughts, I get as close an experience of the most certain principle as is possible for me. The silence before the ecstasy is the pure experience of God. Holding the silence holds the know of the most certain principle in its purest form. As soon as I try to explain, I'm formulating an add-on.

Selah!

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