We think the material world came from science, but this is incorrect. Scientists from Newton to Einstein understood ‘holism’ – the idea that there is ‘wholeness’ to the world above the material we understand.
The opposite of wholeness is specialization, locked into a material world, and because it seems to work we accept it. But the concept came from philosophy, not science. And it arose because we were frightened by wholeness.
Philosophy formed into two streams. Empiricism was English-speaking, dealt in what could be seen, and led to science, democracy and pragmatism. Alternatively, continental rationalism retained the higher concepts of wholeness and led to totalitarianism.
These two philosophies battled it out in the two World Wars and Cold War, the offspring of empiricism winning the day. Because of the danger wholeness caused, we have feared considering it ever since, the material the only world we accept.
This could well mean that we only live in half an intellectual world because of our fears. And such fears could be causing more harm than good. The intellectual search should now be to reinstate wholeness without the dangers it caused.
P-ology is my attempt to do this. It has two unbreakable rules. It can only be a bedfellow to specialization, offering possibilities and never truths; and in all things moderation. With these rules are we safe to think ‘wholeness’ again?
© Anthony North, April 2007
A LITTLE EXTRA
Charity – un-selfish giving of time or gift. Charity is one of the finest occupations of man. But be warned, the more charities a society has, the less charitable it really is. For a truly charitable society would not need them.
(c) Anthony North, Apr 07 – find more little extras on pages of North’s Review.
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