At the beginning of the metaphysics, Aristotle wrote that all human beings desire to understand. This volume is a portion of my continuing desire and effort to understand.
Human beings ask questions whose purpose may be ascribed as either: one, to believe; or two, to justify what is already believed. In the first, one seeks to find out what is, in order to believe. In the second, understanding is sought, not for understanding of what is, but how what one already believes can be justified or rationalized. In his book “how children learn” John Holt wrote, “… in reading, as in everything else, children seek out meaning, which is to say, whatever helps them make the most sense of the world they live in” (how children learn by John Holt, page 147). I am that child.
I find it frustrating to record thoughts through words that so weakly represent such a small and meager portion of the vision I see in my mind. Rereading the words I have written, I must use ample imagination to recreate the ideas they were formulated to represent. In part this reflects my limited ability to write, another part is that the format of written words is inadequate. The thoughts of my mind are multi-dimensional, multi-sensory and color. Two dimensional, black and white is a rude conveyance.
I recognize further that readers are only able to comprehend what they are prepared to understand. Therefore, what the reader sees in reading my words will often be something different than what was meant. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to attempt to share this small portion, for real communication is not realized in transfer, but in inspiration.
The written word, more than any other medium, has permitted people to share thoughts across time. It is a light of comparison to those who experience, permitting them to view their own experience in the light of another’s thoughts, juxtaposing context. I hope that for some soul, this work provides illumination to a newness of truthful thought.
Writing this work, my objective has been: directly, simply and clearly write my experience of learning what truth is. Walk informatively the raw path of reason, honestly, without hypocrisy or pretense, moving directly to the point without contention, only thought, clearly conveyed. Those who read, must see what I write through their own experience and learn for themselves.
This book is the result of definite and selective purpose, diligently pursued. The purpose is to document what I am learning about the truth and why it matters. If there be anyone with the same struggles of understanding that I have had, I hope this work will prove a resource to him or her in experiencing the freedom and joy that the truth brings to those who learn it and love it. Those who read it for the truth, searching and learning for themselves, will make its purpose and meaning their own.