January 7, 2007
Perspective
From all the philosophies I have learned, from all the experiences I have had, one thing comes to my mind; that is, “perspective comes before reason”. What is my perspective? What does this mean to me?
Filed by Satoru Shimada at 3:22 am under Personal Statements
Just saw your note, no idea what I think about that as I don’t quite understand the question. Could you explain in a little more detail what it is you are musing about? (if it helps you can use an example, not trying to be empiricist or anything, just sometimes helps to convey ideas that abstract words alone can’t quite manage or at least to offer some clarity)
To explain something and get it understood can be done if and only if that something is already included in mind. When we encounter something totally new, how could we understand it? Or could we see and recognise it at all? We try to see it from what we already have in mind, by analogy, by induction, etc. But what if that something is outside what we already have in mind? How could we possibly know it without already knowing a bit of it? Could we understand everything by reason? Yes or no? Why on earth does it have to be either one way or another? Why? How could I possibly think at all without already having something in mind?