Tag: philosophy

Some philosopher has noted that philosophical work is the repercussion of a single, decisive flash, from which a before and after can easily be delineated. Such a flash is certainly observable; but the curious thing is that, as is customary before thirty, it only points the way, the unavoidable path, but does not ensure where it will lead. By thirty, there is no denying it, philosophy is done more or less as literature is done: recording and discussing impressions. These, although true, although decisive, seem to require time to crystallize. In other words: the admirable, impressive confidence with which some white-headed philosophers express themselves is almost never matched by younger philosophers, which seems to suggest that the great philosopher is discovered early on, but is only realized after a long time of maturation.

If I am not mistaken, it was Nietzsche who said that in order to know how to respect, one must know how to despise. And that is why iterated praise seems hollow. Although it is much more pleasant, it is also necessary to exercise criticism, so that praise, when it comes, is valued. Rejection and appreciation are, in short, complementary and inseparable manifestations.

Disdain is the most childish response to the reality of miracles. Facing them sincerely is an unparalleled exercise in humility, which imposes an awareness of insignificance and vulnerability that is foreign to modern presumption. In fact, to face them sincerely is to run the risk of slipping into a state of paralysis, perhaps discouragement, in the face of the irrefutable confrontation between what there is and what one is.

It has always been up to philosophy, not religion, to demonstrate that one is before, after and beyond matter. Until recently, this was a matter of consensus, as the humblest peasant could attest to it, even if his only tool for validation was direct perception. Today, of course, everything has changed. And when we take into account the simplicity of the reasoning that leads to the necessity of the old conclusion, it is truly astonishing how many obstacles modern man has to overcome in order to reach it. He first has to undo an infinite number of deceptions, get rid of a series of stupid notions, in short, uneducate himself. And the worst thing is that saying it this way does not express the tremendous effort required to do so, which involves an almost detachment from time and an almost denial of experience. This effort, as we can see, seems to require the fiber of a devotee, which is why the so-called conscience today is more easily attained through religion than through philosophy.