Why is man so inclined to flee from the contemplation of deeper issues and expend all his mental energy on the mundane? Clearly there are much deeper issues which confront him on a daily basis, and the address of these issues would result in dramatic changes, if not improvements, in his life. Two reasons stand out to me now.

First, the confrontation of these issues would force upon him the urgency of the matter and, consequently, the weight of his own responsibility to respond and act. This generates fear in him as well as shame, as he feels incompetent to deal with the weeds that he has allowed to grow up in his own garden.

The second reason stems from the first, but seems now to me to be more primary, viz. when he allows his mind to rest a while on issue of true import, he begins to see just how incomprehensible all things are. His mind is led down a path into an ever more densely overgrown wood, out of which he begins to see there is no way out. If he is a particularly intelligent man, he may at first pursue these ideas with a confident stride as thoughts unfold before him with ease and he sees no barrier that could lie between him and the mysteries of the universe. At this point his attitude will often grow arrogant and cavalier as he bounds over walls that others have been unable to climb.

But sooner or later he will be met with an obstacle that he cannot overcome, at which point he has a choice to make.

1. He can recognize his own inability to figure out this problem and choose to withhold judgment on the matter, or at least hold to a tentative position.
2. He can muddle through the problem, guessing at answers while feigning a confidence and self-assurance to himself and others, and ultimately latch upon a solution that he knows in his heart to be spurious, but which he holds to the more tenaciously.
3. He can put the idea out of his mind altogether, avoiding the issue until such a time when he may happen upon a solution.

The last option seems to be the one chosen by the majority of individuals on the majority of topics of real importance. These people, when faced with their own inability to comprehend, are afraid and offended by the notion because, like the rest of proud mankind, they want to think of themselves as much more than they truly are, and so they flee from or viciously attack anything that confronts them with this reality.

Those who chose the second option, much in the spirit of the majority, are also ruled by their own pride and fear. In this group may be found most philosophers and scientists. They have been gifted with the ability to observe and perceive much of reality, but when confronted with the problem of what to make of these observations, they often chose to put forward ideas and propositions that they know to be ill-founded. Some of this is due to pressures that are placed upon such persons to provide answers to problems. Philosophers and scientists are supposed to come up with precise conclusions and solutions, not more questions and mysteries. Only the poet is allowed the luxury of presenting his ideas in all their unrefined complexity and intricacy without being expected to answer all of the questions that he raises.

It is one thing to be a good observer of what may be seen. It is another to be able to make good judgments about what is not seen by what may be seen.

To be continued…