I just wanted to jot a few thoughts down to share following tonights Haunted Cornwall FM. I’m posting from my iPhone so thick fingers and small buttons my produce some typos – apologies in advance.

PERHAPS…….

How we know what we know as people is based upon a mixture of personal experience and empirical questioning and research.

I guess there comes a point for most people when “evidence” from personal experience becomes more important (or relevant) than the contiuned questioning of ‘how do I know this has validity outside of me’.

Whilst we as people are always able to learn and question, for some, formalised learning and questioning is something that takes ‘second place’ to personal experience.

Personal experience, the way in which we see, hear, feel, think and understand the world is special.

It is uniquely personal.

It is real and requires respect, compassion and understanding from others. It may not be the same way they perceive the world but that does not and should not mean that one way is superior to the other. The differences are worth noticing and celebrating – they are part and parcel of our unique, individual natures.

In many ways this kind of knowledge – experiential – is the place where the mystic lives and thrives.

Personal experience is, however, the way the mind makes sense of the world baed upon preexisting patterns of knowledge, experience, expectations and so on. All of which cones from our culture, our learning, our personal beliefs, our behavioural conditioning.

Empirical knowledge is a little different. It is based upon the desire to compare personal experience with that of others. More importantly it is about asking challanging questions about how the interpretation and understanding of an external event relates to what is known about the world, what it suggests about the world and what is known about human perception, bias and beliefs.

This kind of approach requires the individual to be willling to offer their experiences and existing understanding of the world to cross examination, scruitiny, investigation – scientific research. This is the realm of the rationalist.

Without scientific empiricism we would not be having this sharing of ideas – we may not even be living in the homes and settlements we are now – we may not even have the ability to engage in this discussion.

Without the ability to create personal realities from what we experience we would not have evolved or be open to the existence of others.

There is a synergy between both Rational and Mystical approaches to being and learning.

There are closed minded scientists who are biassed and do not think skeptically.

There are closed minded mystics who are biassed and do not think holistically.

Funny how the true skeptic can be far more compassionate than the some spiritual of self-styled gurus.

Funny how mystical experience motivated and motivates some of the most violent acts in human history (Inquisition, Hitler, Holy Wars)

There are experience junkies who think nothing….

There are empirical emperors who feel nothing…..

Where are you on this continuum?

Me I’m a Rational Mystic. a compassionate skeptic, seeking to inspire and be inspired; to challenge and be challlenged; to feel and to think, to sense awe and wonder in both science and magic……

Being holistic – capable of being with my mind, in my body and contemplating my spirit.

Alan

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone