Monday, June 24, 2013

Limitations on Truth: Complexity of Reality

Knowing the truth is hard to do. To begin with, reality is far more complex than we can understand. Even at our rare best, our minds are too simple to comprehend the complexity of reality.

This inescapable simplicity of thought limits our understanding of our own human nature and behavior. One cannot understand how one thinks and why one behaves the way one does. One’s ways of thinking, and the reasons for one’s behavior, are too complex for one’s mind to comprehend. Faced with this insurmountable obstacle to understanding our own behavior, with which we are most familiar, we must admit that we cannot comprehend the nature and personality of other human beings in all their complexity. As human beings, we are all fragile mysteries.

This inescapable simplicity of thought limits our understanding of society, culture, and the history of both. There are too many important factors to consider. Each factor itself is too complex to comprehend. Their dynamic interrelationships in time and space are way beyond our comprehension.

This inescapable simplicity of thought limits our understanding of God’s good creation: the interdependent structures, functions, and purposes of the ecosystems upon which all life in Olympia depends.

The limitation imposed by our inescapable simplicity of thought applies most severely to our comprehension of God. Without God’s help, God’s nature, will, words, and works would remain absolutely incomprehensible to us.

So, as witnesses to the truth, we may start by admitting that our minds are too simple to comprehend reality in all its complexity. This is relatively true when we speak of human nature; society, culture, and history; or God’s good creation. It is absolutely true when we speak of God.

Second, we may work to develop the complexity of our thought. Our inner world of thought will never be complex enough to comprehend the world around us. Nonetheless, this is no excuse for remaining ignorant; or worse, confusing ignorance with wisdom. Our inner world of thought will never be absolutely comprehensive, but we may choose whether it will be adequately so.

Copyright © 2013 by Steven Farsaci.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.