Don't Be So Sure

Passing the time in COVID lockdown one afternoon, I listened to "We Might Need Some Richard Rorty" on CBC Ideas with Nahlah Ayed. I was surprised to find Richard Rorty's thinking congenial, like I was listening to an old friend with whom I agreed. But who am I to share thoughts with a professional philosopher as if I had discovered those ideas on my own? That quizzical sense of questioning one's own understanding and wondering where it came from is a key theme of Rorty's message. According to him, the way we understand the world is 'contingent' on the structure of mind, the metaphors of the narrative in which we are immersed (history), and personal experience. This leads to the 'ironical' conclusion that one should not take one's thoughts too seriously; if you think you have things figured out, you're missing something. Being aware of that keeps one open, questioning, receptive, skeptical. That contrasts with modernism from which we have been slowly emerging, which is more confident, assertive, polemical, dogmatic, as if repeating something loudly and often would make it more true.

QUITE SURE. 

NOT SO SURE, BUT QUITE CONTENT.

So the proposition "we might need some Richard Rorty" is remarkably similar to a blog piece I wrote a few years ago. I have fished it out of the basket and pasted it here, lightly edited. If you don't want to read it, you are being very sensible. It's all in the title, and by skipping the rest you can save three minutes for something useful.

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Don't Be So Sure

You will have heard of The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Or maybe not. I would explain it to you, but I'm not sure what it means. That's just fine, since the more exactly people comprehend its meaning, the less likely they are to avoid walking in front of a bus, which is a consequence of a lesser known natural law called The Profundity Principle (aka The Absentminded Principle).

The Profundity Principle may be rendered thus: the more you are absorbed in considering profound truth, the less likely you are to notice what is in front of you. You won't have heard of The Profundity Principle, but let me assure you it has profound implications. It is the reason so few people understand The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Most of those who have understood it have already caught the bus. I have missed the bus although I have spent nearly 80 years trying to catch it, so don't look for anything profound in this blog.

There is an analogous principle in linguistics. The more precisely a word is defined, the less likely you are to use it. Conversely, a word that is often used is sure to be vague and fuzzy; if you try to pin down what it means you will spend the evening writing an essay like this one. Let's call it The Prolixity Principle: fuzzy words beg definition and definitions spoil the fun. Better put on the kettle. This is going to take some time.

The most well-worn and fuzzy word I can think of is “God”, as in “O my God, not that again! Does he really think I am going to read this?” Hold on a second. I'm not selling my theology, so don't drop your iPad. This is just semantics, no worse than my usual antics, I promise. I'm just passing the time here until the Trump comedy hour comes on pre-empting the 11:00 o'clock news. [Remember those days?]

OK, I understand that one does not mention God in polite company. But then who wants to be polite? It's just a way of avoiding serious dialogue. You and I can agree to be serious for a minute.

You probably think that when I use the word "God" you know what I mean. You have no idea. I'm not even sure myself. If I try to tell you, the effort of finding an explanation will alter what I meant by that word a moment ago. That's how fuzzy it is. The fuzziness is the point. For me, contemplating God is equivalent to letting go of what I think I know to confront the mystery, over and over again. It is being empty, unknowing, receptive, curious.

There, I just got stuck in the Prolixity Principle. As soon as I define a fuzzy word (like calling God the Mystery) my emptiness gets filled up with my idea and I lose that altered state of mind which is so receptive and elusive. There are libraries full of prolixity and armies of theologians trying to make God more precise. I shouldn't be making things worse. Let's just say there is a nameless something that resists definition. That's what I'm talking about.

Religious traditions are not famous for their openness and receptiveness. We get seduced by our beautiful thoughts. Then we get busy convincing others that we have it right, just like I am doing now. That state of mind is inevitable; if we have no convictions we won't get anything done, and we get more done if we have friends who think the same way, so we try to convince them. One cannot immerse oneself in the bliss of unknowing and live a productive life. The best we can do is dip a foot into that lake at intervals to wash away the dogma. Then we dry off and get too busy to notice when we step in dogma once again.

Let's put the fuzziness back in God. Anything else you're sure about? Make it fuzzy too.

I wonder what Trump is up to. [Remember those days?]

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It's morning. I missed Trump but got to the TV in time for sports.

There is another fuzzy word. Sport.
(0) Sport: I'm not a fan.  I would rather weed the garden.
(1) Sport: ritual sacrifice to the God of war.
(2) Sport: the fiction that distinguishes our team from their team inspiring irrational loyalty.
(3) Sport: exercise of antisocial instincts in a way that avoids imprisonment.
(4) Sport: a generally accepted excuse for postponing chores.
(5) Sport: something to watch between trips to the refrigerator.
(6) Sport: a mutant.
(7) Sport: someone who gambles the week's wages on a sure thing.

Oops! Getting prolix. I was quite sure that I wasn't sure until I thought about sports. Now I'm not so sure.

Let me wrap this up.

Being engrossed in what you are sure about is being absentminded, which is being absent.

Being closed-minded is being less than one can be.

Being open-minded is being.

When I am sure, a nameless something reminds me not to be so sure.

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Forgive the rerun. This is me being too lazy to write.