Time of Debate, Discernment, and Patience
Paul Ricoeur rejected as an illusion the idea that all the various levels of truth can be harmoniously situated into a singular philosophical system. In History and Truth, he wrote, “The ultimate meaning of man’s perilous adventures and the values which they unfold is condemned to remain ambiguous: time remains the time of debate, discernment, and patience.” John Paul II said something similar in Fides et Ratio: “No historical form of philosophy can legitimately claim to embrace the totality of truth, nor to be the complete explanation of the human being, of the world and of the human being’s relationship to God.”
Time is the time of the other, of fragments, and of hope for the unity of truth. Time will not see the construction of the final, totalizing philosophy nor the fragments of truth neatly fitted together. It will not see the end of inquiry and debate. Time will not see the pursuit of truth turn into a possession. Time, then, is a time for hospitality, a time to welcome the other, to listen to her stories and to share her perilous adventures.
Our time is becoming more and more pluralistic. Postmodern, it is sometimes called. This pluralistic character of our society and culture presents certain ordeals in the pursuit of truth. We hear more and more voices, more and more disagreements, and, with the Internet, more and more “talk.” Hospitality has become more pressing virtue for us to practice. Of course, not all those who “talk” or debate are interested in pursuing the truth. Not all who engage us deserve a warm welcome. Without the virtue of hospitality, though, we won’t have the opportunity to discern those who seek the truth from those who could care less for it, and so without hospitality we may miss hearing words that would call us closer to our goal.
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Very nice post!
Thanks, Mark.
I especially like the last line you wrote, “…without hospitality we may miss hearing words that call us closer to our goal.” Hospitality is welcoming and it feels good to the person who receives it. I set the tone for someone who comes into my office as to whether it is safe or threatening. In being hospitable I attempt to discern what this “stranger” needs or wants from me. However, now that I am thinking about this, I must be hospitable in all of my interactions. Crap, being human is hard! Anyway, I digress.
I get the sense from reading the posts on VN that every contributor is a highly sensitive human being. In my life and vocation(no longer work)I have learned that human beings range from highly sensitive to highly insensitive. The highly sensitive human beings seem to possess an innate knowledge of what human beings need to live at peace with one another, however, they are born into a world of violence whether physical or emotional. They may be told that they are too sensitive or too emotional and as a consequence either go into hiding or attempt to develop skills to look as though they fit in. The truth of who they are and their place in this world seems to evolve over a long period of time as they begin to sort out what is them and what has been imposed on them from the world.
Anyway, when the highly sensitive person begins to discern their true nature they may have to sort out a lot of rage and fear resulting from trying to be something they are not. Patience then becomes the virtue with self and others in this process.
It has come to me that this minority of human beings exists at every level of human existence. They are not created to fit into this world. Instead, they are created to create what God has put into their soul and body which is a world that invites others to a dialogue and search for truth.
“And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.”–Beatles
This is not, however, to embrace philosophical pragmatism. Realism in metaphysics and epistemology is a consistent thread in Catholic-Orthodox philosophy. There are fights about the degree and kind of realism, to be sure, but realism remains constant.
Ronald,
Interesting. People usually say I’m more on the insensitive side. I agree with being hospitable in all my interactions, but I continue to wonder how I one can be hospitable unconditionally – how one can return hostility with hospitality. I also wonder at the similarity of those two words.
Liam,
If by realism you mean the idea that there is a reality outside the mind, then I would agree that realism is a pretty constant theme or assumption in Catholic philosophy. I wouldn’t say that Catholic philosophy always has to be doing metaphysical or epistemological realism.
Kyle, You said that people describe you as more on the insensitive side. I wonder what is meant by that? Hostile relates to an enemy and also to resistance to new ideas. Hospitable would mean welcoming to strangers or even a sense of being open in the midst of conflict in spite of the impulse to defend and attack.
I know people who have been diagnosed(labelled) autistic. They are identified as lacking empathy. However, upon knowing them for some time I have come to realize that they are so sensitive that they retreat from the chaos of human relationships as a defense against being overwhelmed with conflicting stimulation coming from their immediate environment. They describe “neurotypical” interpersonal relationships as chaotic and harmful due to the underlying rules of engagement that operate to defend and control the inner and external environment of our interactions in order to gain some sort of perceived need. They seem to experience a general lack of self-awareness in the general population and they feel the tension and potential for harm.
Highly sensitive people seem not to have a filter or primitive defense mechanisms that assist in the development of social skills for “normal” human interactions. Consequently, they may be labelled as insensitive because of their direct way of expressing themselves without anticipating social correctness.
Hospitality in the encounter with potential hostility may involve expression from the vulnerable protected self that may need to learn the vocabulary of vulnerability in a culture devoted to being defended.