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Poul M. Aijian, Ph.D. Prof, of Apologetics, Talbot Theological Seminary
T he layman in philosophical mat ters is ofttimes disturbed by the fact that the technical philosopher uses a language which is “ foreign,” and that he deals.with problems in such an academic way that they ap pear to be of little practical value. Sometimes philosophers may indulge in a bit of “ word-manipulating” which is confusing to the popular reader. However, it must be borne in mind that every intellectual must develop a specialized vocabulary in order to deal adequately with that particular aspect of experience in na ture which is its province. Also the philosopher finds it necessary in ex pressing his insights to create new words to clarify the meaning of emerging notions. This is a mighty effort to fashion a “ word-picture” of life so that man may “ handle” his experiences understandingly. Laymen must not lose sight of the fact that fundamentally the official philosopher thinks about those issues which are basic to existence in such a manner as to put philosophy in life. There are three major issues con fronting mankind. (1) “Where do we come from?” (2) “Where are we go ing?” and (3) “What are we sup posed to do while we’re here?” In later columns the latter two ques tions will be presented. This issue begins the exploration of the impli cation of the first. Two notions are fundamental to an understanding of the problem of “ origins” which is raised by the question “Where do we come from?” Existence of Unity Partly because the constitution of things leads man to seek it, and partly because there is in man a need to discover it, the philosopher en deavors to formulate the concept of
the unity of all “ being.” By what ever name it may be called, and whether its essential nature be con sidered material or spiritual the sys- tematizer searches to find the irre ducible causal element—the womb in which nature comes to be. Contemporary science has estab lished the continuities of nature. Whether one examines the light from a distant star or penetrates the atomic construction in the dirt under his feet the same structures appear to be present. This suggests the existence of an underlying unity. Character of Unity Such a unity must be adequate to explain the present existence of every aspect of nature as it is discovered. Philosophers have long been aware of three principles governing experience in nature. First, the unity must establish the static or unchanging ele ment in our world. Men recognize, for example, the sameness in a hu man being even though he grows. Second, the unity must account for the dynamic or changing part of life. The way of science has confronted the thinking mind with a world of flux in the ceaseless chain of reaction within the various energy systems. Third, the unity must explain the meaning which emerges in the con text of nature. The very fact that science and philosophy are committed to the task of making sense out of the world indicates man’s concern with what he “ believes” to be, the fundamental order or character of things. It is suggested that meaning cannot be read out of the universal order unless first it was worked into that order. Perhaps here the opening note of the book of Genesis echoes in the mind: “ In the beginning God.”
The Highest Energy
learned m en are ab so lu tely In capable o f p ra y e r .—C oleridg e. Y ou know the value of p ra y e r ; It Is p reciou s b eyon d all p rice. N e v e r , n e v e r n eg lect it. — Sir Thomas Uuxton .
The act ol pra ying is the v e r y highest en erg y o f which the hu man mind is capable; praying , that is, with the tota l concen tra tion o f the facu lties. The grea t mass o f w o r ld ly m en and of
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