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Page 1 of 11909 · PDF PAGE 6
…nce—all these I include in the connotation of “sceptic.” Such questioning as has been called “vital scepticism” is but a device to avoid true questioning, and therefore its very antithesis, the devil disguised as an angel of light. [Or vice versd, friend, if you are a Satanist; ’tis a matter of words—words—words. You may write x for y in your equations, so long as you consistently write y for x. They remain unchanged—and unsolved. Is not all our “knowledge” an example of this fallacy of writing one unknown for another, and then crowing like Pet…
1909 · PDF PAGE 5
…stigating. One must pass by contemptuously the Christian liar’s gloss which interprets “ sceptic” as “ mocker” ; though in a sense it is true for him, since to inquire into Christianity is assuredly to mock at it ; but I am concerned to intensify the etymological connotation in several respects. First, I do not regard mere incredulity as necessary to the idea, though credulity is incompatible with it. Incredulity implies a pre- judice in favour of a negative conclusion; and the true sceptic should be perfectly unbiassed. Second, I exclude “vita…
1909 · PDF PAGE 22
…s ! We must climb up the shaft to reach that point—but— wait one moment! How obscure and subtle has our simile become! Can we attach any true meaning to the phrase? I doubt it, seeing what we have taken for the limits of the swing. True, it may be that at the end the swing is always 360° so that the !-point and the ?-point coincide; but that is not the same thing as having no swing at all, unless we make kinematics identical with statics. What is to be done? How shall such mysteries be uttered? Is this how it is that the true Path of the Wise i…
1909 · PDF PAGE 15
…ng accepted as an essential part of his (more usually her) system; I, on the contrary, ask for facts, for observation. Under Scepticism, true, one is just as much a house of cards as the other; but only in the philosophical sense. Practically, Science is true; and Faith is foolish. Practically, 3 x 1 = 3 is the truth; and 3x 1 =1 isa lie; though, sceptically, both statements may be false or unintelli- gible. Practically, Franklin’s method of obtaining fire from heaven is better than that of Prometheus or Elijah. I am now writing by the light th…
1909 · PDF PAGE 8
…know more about his mind before I gave a final opinion. But apart from purely formal objections, we may still inquire: Is this Cogétatur true? Yes; reply the sages; for to deny it implies thought; Negatur is only a sub-section of Cogitatur. This involves, however, an axiom that the part is of the same nature as the whole; or (at the very least) an axiom that Ais A. Now, I do not wish to deny that 4 is 4, or may occa- sionally be 4. But certainly 4 7s A is a very different statement to our original Cogitatur. The proof of Cogitatur, in short, re…
1909 · PDF PAGE 26
…sides; one to face the world with, One to show a woman when he loves her.” We must pardon Browning his bawdy jest; for his truth is ower true! But it is your own fault if you are the world instead of the beloved; and only see of me what Moses saw of God! It is disgusting to have to spend one’s life jetting dirt in the face of the British publicin the hope that in washing it they may wash off the acrid grease of their commercialism, the saline streaks of their hypocritical tears, the putrid perspi- ration of their morality, the dribbling slobber…
1909 · PDF PAGE 23
…fourth, because you want to get on, and even to seem to progress is better than standing still. A treadmill is admittedly good exercise. True, the question, “Why become an Arahat?” should precede, “‘ How become an Arahat ?” but an unbiassed man will easily cancel the first question with “ Why not?”—the How is not so easy to get rid of. Then, from the standpoint of the Arahat himself, perhaps this “Why did I become an Arahat ?” and “ How did I become an Arahat?” have but a single solution! In any case, we are wasting our time—we are as ridiculou…
1909 · PDF PAGE 25
THE SOLDIER AND THE HUNCHBACK fear was the passing spasm of an hour; the magnetism of the path itself was the true lure. It is as foolish to ask me “ Why do you adep ?” as to ask God “‘ Why do you pardon?” Crest son métier. I am not so foolish as to think that my doctrine can ever gain the ear of the world. I expect that ten centuries hence the “nominal Crowleians” will be as pestilent and numerous a body as the “nominal Christians” are to-day; for (at present)I have been able to devise no mechanism for excluding them. Rather, perhaps, should I…