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Chapter I – My Perspective in the Universe

A Voice from the 21st Century

By, Timothy Bowling

Chapter I – My Perspective in the Universe

- Considering the Source -

Having read a lot of history and a plethora of newspapers and articles, one thing that seems certain is that all things written are based on a point of view, or from a certain perspective. There is nothing that can be done about it. One can attempt to write free of prejudice or bias, to state things as plainly as humanly possible, but even the words we use and the grammar and idiom we adhere to - or don’t adhere to, it can get quite subjective – influence the way we think and how we communicate with others.

Add to this that many write to convince people, consciously or subconsciously, even if they are in the guise of historian, or reporter, or technical writer. The pen, metaphorically speaking, can be quite powerful and has launched ideas as varied as Marx, Hitler, CS Lewis or Jefferson. With this innate power, the temptation to use it to promote personal and public agendas must be irresistible to an author, even if the subject matter doesn’t warrant it and could do better without it.

An author can write whatever they want to. Ideas are best left unfettered or they do not grow. Although some ideas are probably best left on the side of the road, we can maintain a free and fertile environment for ideas since we cannot progress without ideas. This then requires the reader to practice a very important skill – discernment. Indeed, it is important to be responsible when reading and learning and gathering ideas by remembering what the perspective of the author was when he wrote it. Knowing the motivation of the author goes a long way too, to help balance their thoughts with subjects collected from other places and personal observations.

Too often a reader will assume the circumstances of the author were similar to their own and think of it in that context. This is especially missing the mark when dealing with words set down in distant ages or in cultures very different from our own. They did not think in the same context as us, nor would it even be possible for them to think in our context. A misconception which we so often blithely take for granted.

It should also be added that the genre of the literary work is important too, because it explains the context of its form and purpose. This can be tricky, because the genre might be totally different from age to age. Histories as a genre, for example, have undergone quite a change. Once it was considered an art form, often in prose, and embellishment was quite acceptable in that context. Facts could be a secondary concern.

It was Herodotus who first wrote what he saw and reported facts, which is closer to what we now regard as history. For this reason he has become to be known as the father of history. However, even he came at it from a decidedly Greek viewpoint and as a pious pagan as well. In the description of various Egyptian religious rites, there were times he refrained from going into detail because he did not want to sound impious. He correlated the Egyptian gods with the Greek ones, describing it as merely a name change across cultures. Remembering this viewpoint adds to what he says and doesn’t say to understand his subject. This is, incidentally, a good thing to remember when practicing the dying art of listening to what people have to say in a conversation or debate.

Another thing to consider is that reading is not a solitary effort. It takes at least two people – the writer and the reader. If the writer is putting his perspective and prejudice into writing, it must be remembered that it is equally true the reader is filtering his ideas with his own perspective and prejudices.

Lastly, it is very important to remember that just because something is written, doesn’t mean it is true. All too often people think because it is in a book it has more credence than if it was merely spoken. This reflects back to the power the written word has that I alluded to previously. Words are written by human beings, and even with the best intentions, human beings can err. Conversely, it is important to remember that just because we have surmised that an author is so totally wrong on one subject, does not mean all his words should be dismissed.

- Skepticism with an Open and Selective Mind -

Consider books written about witches from the Renaissance. It is quite unsettling to read contemporaries describing why they were burning witches and the proscribed tortures for testing for witchcraft. The books sound revolting to us, like some horror story that could not possibly be real. And yet these incidents occurred in cultures and societies full of cultured and urbane people. They were not necessarily ignorant or sadistic, but their world was dramatically changing. Old fundamentals were melting away, and new ways were causing stress in the fabric of society. With so much going on it was easy to believe that humans were aligning themselves with demonic forces in a very real sense and that burning them was actually doing them a favor for the preservation of their souls. This doesn’t excuse it, but since it was generally accepted that this was the case, it has to be put in that context.

One can’t help but notice how analogous their times were to this present century. Social dictate, political forces, new worlds and technologies – all have combined to cause matters to change in the past one hundred years more than any other time in human history. While we may not be crying witch, many do see forces in conspiracies of evil against us. Whether it is big business, government or secret societies, our “demons” and those in league with them are still widely feared and mistrusted.

While considering the context, the irrational fears and the wrong assumptions in which an author came from, it is easy to dismiss everything they present as non sequitur. Returning to the example of the fear of witches, in the sixteenth century Jean Bodin was a great mind who wrote on philosophy, government, economics and history. Yet in his book “La Démonomanie des Sorciers” he did not even question that there were witches and that people who objected to the burning of witches were more than likely witches themselves. Reading this, the modern American reader might immediately put up a screen, as can be personally attested to from this author, and think this is an ancient McCarthy who substitutes witch for communist. Immediately everything he writes become the writing of an ignorant barbarian and fanatic, and things he might have to say that have some merit are dismissed. Surely ‘the best stomachs are not those that reject all foods”. Skepticism is certainly required when listening to new viewpoints, but an open and discerning mind is also needed.

Our word skepticism comes from the Greek σκεπσις. Literally it means to examine or consider. The Academy of Plato and disciples of Pyrrho are the two main schools of classical skepticism – Academic and Pyrrhonian. To generalize, skepticism recognizes our epistemic shortcomings by examining two opposing arguments that seem equally valid and finding your peace by not deciding on a position. This is not always practical, but this author can attest to the fact it can work when it is deemed the matter of controversy is beyond present understanding or irrelevant.

Oft times the overly opinionated will come with their arguments for a position very important to them, and they become incredulous that you are unable to see a point of view that is so plainly and manifestly true. If one’s opinions run contrary and are equally personally important we have the stage for debate. This can be constructive, salubrious and enlightening because one is presented with a case of facts and assumptions that may not have been previously considered. Opinions may not change, and probably will not, but at least an understanding of why an opposing view point is held will be better understood.

Conversely, such debate can be totally unhelpful when neither side wishes to consider the opposing arguments because the beliefs are so deeply held, and contrary opinion is thought offensive. These debates can quickly degenerate into invective and vituperation and disrupt the digestion. Thus politics and religion, two subjects often held with deep personal conviction, are best avoided at the dinner table.

Consider again the skeptics. While they may have made their peace by not taking a position, there are times when a decision must be made because a future, personal action is dependent on it. When forced to this plight it is important to consider whether one’s opinions are based on personal experience and proofs or assumed by extrapolation of experiences - either ones own or someone else one has trusted. In such cases, we debate within our own minds between two or more possible positions as we “make up our mind”. If this process is not producing results, we may consider advice of friends, relatives and mentors and open to their opinions we receive new information to consider that may swing the decision to whichever way we eventually decide to go. This can happen because we consider their opinion convincing, or because we rejected those opinions because they seemed spurious.

Two more illations are possible, whether deciding between two paths in our own mind, or in debate with others. Opinions can be modified by deciding that some arguments had merit in the opposing viewpoint, but not enough to consider totally abandoning a previously held belief altogether. This can reflect strength of character because one is putting reason before ego and considering that one might have been wrong, at least in degree. The other possibility is to recognize that the issue is beyond what one is capable of understanding or irrelevant. In such cases we can go the route of the skeptic and make our peace as best we can with the fact that we do not know. That it can be said, for now at least, we are unable to form a correct or convincing opinion to ourselves.

The maxim that wisdom comes with age has a good deal of truth to it. In our youth we hold our opinions brashly with no patience for dissent. As time goes by and we recognize our weaknesses through often devastating experiences that bring the epiphany that the universe is perhaps not as black and white as it had previously seemed. This can lead to a time where we consider that nearly everything is irrelevant or unknowable, and we are open to often destructive opinions of the self-possessed. This can also lead us into the misleading desert of relativism. It can even go the opposite way where all semblance of dogma is rejected outright without even considering the beliefs held. As time goes by each swing of this pendulum dampens and a happy medium is met. Opinions are held more tenaciously, but we are very cognizant of the fact of how little we know. This then is wisdom. As seniors, if we are fortunate enough to live to be one, we become wise - if somewhat annoyingly intransigent.

Wisdom requires considering a source that has much experience. Experience is a convincing if often cruel teacher for every person who lives in the world. It teaches, and our reaction to those teachings, applied wrongly or correctly, form who we become and what we believe. They create our perspective on our universe.

- Thoughts on Perspective -

James Burke, a man as entertaining as he is brilliant, is of the opinion that knowledge is man made, and that changes in knowledge bring new realities for people. I suppose this is a variation of the Duhem-Quine theorem that all hypothesizes can be disproved, as long as you are willing to go far enough with assumptions. Burke brings up one anecdote from a philosopher who was talking to a student who remarked how ridiculous the people of long ago were to believe the earth was the center and the sun and planets revolved around it. Obviously the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west, and we had to be revolving around the sun. The philosopher seemingly agreed but asked the student, what would the sun’s movements have looked like if the Earth was the center?

With these thoughts in mind, this book will have served its purpose if the opinions from the perspective of this author are considered and begin meaningful and constructive debate. If a subject is discussed that disconcerts overly, especially when not in agreement with present opinions held, it is hoped the reader will continue through to glean what one may in the pages yet to come. Perhaps it is a good time to reflect on why the subject is one of such sensitivities and consider the filters that are being made as a result. If nothing else, a contrary opinion’s raison d'être may provide some enlightenment. One might even reaffirm presently held opinions with constructive reasoning.

This is not a bad thing. Existing personal opinions may be right - and thirty years from now if granted a long life this author might be in agreement in the light of more wisdom and experience. This is a team effort - the thoughts expressed here and how they are received are creating a very personal experience that cannot be identical to anyone else’s anywhere in the universe.

- Personal Perspective –

This does not mean to imply that the author is a total relativist. Opinions held are based on logical conclusions derived from experience and open-minded skepticism of arguments heard. Comfort is taken when remembering that truths need not fear questioning, since they will become ultimately evident to a mind willing to consider anything as possible.

This author is Christian and Libertarian, not only because some of these are instilled culturally but because of a constant questioning of the fundamentals. This book exists because much can be gained in perpetuity from being presented with the thoughts of one voice early in this 21st century that belonged to a human being, that lived and loved and felt just as the reader does, and why he thought that way. From this we can see that which survives as common ground across generations and cultures, and that which is peculiar to the time it was written. It is the peculiarities and their reasoning that can be most interesting, since they are often the most difficult to understand. When the perspective is understood, a context is established to understand what is presented.

It is equally possible that the people of the past held certain wisdom that has been lost by future generations because of the passage of time and political and social fashion, and perhaps those opinions deserve to be reconsidered. With open minds and discerning spirits, let’s consider issues fundamental to many and use the mirrors of history and observation to make what sense we can of this wonderful experience called life.