The basic thought that guides the Western world has changed very little since the Renaissance. Reason, logic, and scientific precision are the staples of the everyday. Even when talking about religion reason is demanded from both sides, both from the people attacking the orange as if it was an apple and the people attempting to defend abstract concepts with concrete examples. Reason is supposed to be the defining force behind every motive, and anything else is madness.
I find it very difficult to wrap my mind around this idea, which to me seems irrefutable, when humans are such irrational beings. Humans consider themselves more advanced than all other animals on based on our rationality and intellect yes, and there must be something to that considering our otherwise lack of physical prowess. Yet at the same time the very things we find to be the most “human” are those without any semblance of reason. Emotion, the fine arts, love, all things that are generally considered the cruxes of our humanity. Now the idea of our humanity and reason sitting side by side may not be impossible, but humanity juxtaposed with rationality degrades the value of the reason to the point that it is invalid.
I believe that because any blemish in reason when multiplied across the millions of people working together in a society becomes serious dissonance. As there can only be one right answer* the very fact that there are multiple points of view proves that our “humanity” is influencing our reason. Not only that but we consider the ideal system to be one where multiple views are not only heard but are encouraged, seemingly in direct opposition to pure reason.
Our worship of reason is a phase we will go through as we have gone through phases of worshiping God(s), phases of worshiping the Church, phases of worshiping ourselves, phases of worshiping nature, and because it is merely a phase I am grateful. I am grateful because true reason is something that cannot be attained by irrational humans, and in trying to be something we aren’t we make things worse than they have to be. It is ridiculous to believe that through reason we can explain things like what the perfect government is, what level of socialism is acceptable, or how war should be justified. I can’t imagine a world where we try to answer those questions with anything but reason because this is the time I have been born into, just as a peasant born in the medieval period could not possibly comprehend the philosophical norms of today. However, I must and do believe that reason is not the answer, and that be it in 100 years or 1,000 years there will be a society that recognizes that.
*Logic can only lead to the correct answer. We don’t know what the correct answer is, we don’t even know what the right question is, but there is a correct solution to all of our problems. Opposed views cannot both be correct and both use reason as their proof.
Spoiler (highlight to read):
yes I realize the irony
I find it very difficult to wrap my mind around this idea, which to me seems irrefutable, when humans are such irrational beings. Humans consider themselves more advanced than all other animals on based on our rationality and intellect yes, and there must be something to that considering our otherwise lack of physical prowess. Yet at the same time the very things we find to be the most “human” are those without any semblance of reason. Emotion, the fine arts, love, all things that are generally considered the cruxes of our humanity. Now the idea of our humanity and reason sitting side by side may not be impossible, but humanity juxtaposed with rationality degrades the value of the reason to the point that it is invalid.
I believe that because any blemish in reason when multiplied across the millions of people working together in a society becomes serious dissonance. As there can only be one right answer* the very fact that there are multiple points of view proves that our “humanity” is influencing our reason. Not only that but we consider the ideal system to be one where multiple views are not only heard but are encouraged, seemingly in direct opposition to pure reason.
Our worship of reason is a phase we will go through as we have gone through phases of worshiping God(s), phases of worshiping the Church, phases of worshiping ourselves, phases of worshiping nature, and because it is merely a phase I am grateful. I am grateful because true reason is something that cannot be attained by irrational humans, and in trying to be something we aren’t we make things worse than they have to be. It is ridiculous to believe that through reason we can explain things like what the perfect government is, what level of socialism is acceptable, or how war should be justified. I can’t imagine a world where we try to answer those questions with anything but reason because this is the time I have been born into, just as a peasant born in the medieval period could not possibly comprehend the philosophical norms of today. However, I must and do believe that reason is not the answer, and that be it in 100 years or 1,000 years there will be a society that recognizes that.
*Logic can only lead to the correct answer. We don’t know what the correct answer is, we don’t even know what the right question is, but there is a correct solution to all of our problems. Opposed views cannot both be correct and both use reason as their proof.
Spoiler (highlight to read):
yes I realize the irony
