Rational Mysticism

Recommended books by yuiseki:

• /yuiseki/Rational Mysticism

The field of study is defined by its blind spots:

• This is why interdisciplinary approaches often fail. It leads to confronting each other’s blind spots.

“Decolonization of the soul” by giving up the pursuit of certainty:

• The connection to colonialism is not yet clear (blu3mo).

Academic focus should be on things hindering the “wonder of being alive” and “mystery”:

• This is referred to as Rational Mysticism.

• This book explains the lineage to understand this concept.

  • It may not always be an accurate description.

    • Quite refreshing.
  • It seems better to read it assuming it’s all Mr. Yasutomi’s claims.

• Starting with an extreme interpretation of Confucius and laughing (blu3mo).

  • Since I can’t judge if the Chinese interpretation is correct, I have to accept it for now.
    • Well, that should be fine (blu3mo).
    • That’s the kind of book it is.

• Buddha

  • Thoughts on Emptiness
    • “Not seeing a substance behind phenomena,” that’s true (blu3mo).
  • Good Omen
    • I don’t quite understand.

• Epicurus

  • /villagepump/Epicureanism
  • Affirming living according to pleasure through rational thinking.
    • Giving rise to consideration as a consequence of stomach-like, natural pleasure…?
  • Its underlying premise is a unique atomic theory.
    • Unifying necessity/determinism and contingency.
      • Not denying necessity but rather “mocking” it.

• Nagarjuna

  • Dependent origination.

  • Words should be used correctly along with dependent origination, without materializing them.

    • Feels a bit like Wittgenstein, but I don’t quite grasp it.
    • So, what is dependent origination?

• Shinran

  • Referred to as “expedient individualism.”
    • Indeed, the concept of “expedient means” seems to have that level of universality.
      • Finding fate in all events? Doing all interpretations of “causes” individualistically?

• What is Rational Mysticism ultimately? (Part 2)

  • Ineffable, Thoughts on Emptiness, and other things considered beyond rational treatment are labeled as “mysteries.”
  • However, it does not deny rationality.
  • Narrative of fusion:

    • Assuming the power of mystery and using rational and scientific methods to elucidate and eliminate what inhibits its manifestation.

      • Resembles Effective Altruism in logical structure.
        • The norm of “altruism” seems to fall within the realm of mystery.

• Even if this world is deterministic, it is inherently nonlinear, thus uncertainty due to deterministic chaos can inevitably arise.

  • It seems to argue that one should accept uncertain mysteries rather than pursue certainty in such a world (blu3mo).
    • It is saying, “Humans inherently possess the ability to live within this uncertainty, so they want to eliminate anything that inhibits it.”

• Childhood stories

  • Still not connected.