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| 'Two Humeans Preaching Causality to Nature' by Steven Campbell (Scottish, 1984) |
Theoretical thought cannot penetrate to empirical reality as it really is.
By Herman Dooyeweerd
(Excerpt from ‘In the Twilight of Western Thought’, pp 7, 8)
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| Chart of experiential Aspects (Modalities/ Law-spheres) in temporal order, with the Logical/ Analytical Aspect highlighted in pale blue. N.B. Everything which exists in Time always functions in all Aspects. Theoretical abstraction or dissociation of Aspects happens only in our heads and necessarily involves a mental suspension of Time. Encounter with actual Time-continuous Reality therefore eludes theory and requires the intuitive engagement of one's core concrete self. It is thus of the utmost consequence for us to grasp that Herman Dooyeweerd is no abstractionist but a revolutionary champion of CONCRETE REALITY. (Above chart & note by FMF) |
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Dooyeweerd writes:
The antithetical structure of the theoretical attitude of thought gives rise to the question: Does this antithetical relation between the logical [analytical] aspect and the non-logical aspects of our temporal experience correspond with the internal structure of the latter? The answer must be negative.
This theoretical antithesis originates only in our intention to conceive the non-logical aspects of our experience by means of an analytical dissociation whereby they are set apart. In this way we oppose them to the logical aspect of our thought and to each other in order to conceive them in a logical concept.
But this analytical dissociation of the aspects presupposes their theoretical abstraction from the continuous bond of their coherence in the order of time. That is to say, we cannot get them in the grip of a logical concept without separating them from all the other aspects in an abstract logical discontinuity.
But this does not mean a real elimination of their continuous bond of coherence, which, on the contrary, remains the necessary condition and presupposition of their theoretical dissociation and opposition. It merely proves the impossibility of conceiving the continuity of this coherence in an analytical way by theoretical thought.
Thus the first basic problem of our transcendental critique of theoretical thought may be more precisely formulated as follows: What is the continuous bond of coherence between the logical aspect and the non-logical aspects of our experience from which these aspects are abstracted in the theoretical attitude? And, how is the mutual relation between these aspects to be conceived?
By raising this problem we exclude in principle the false dogmatical idea that theoretical thought would be able to penetrate to empirical reality as it really is, or even to a metaphysical realm of being, which would be independent of possible human experience.
The false presupposition that the theoretical separation of the logical aspect from all the other aspects of our experience corresponds to true reality has led to very singular metaphysical conclusions. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, concluded from this presupposition that the theoretical-logical function of thought has an activity quite independent of the organic life of the body and the sense-organs.
From this he derived his thesis that the active intellect is immortal in contrast to the individual man. He knew very well that the several concepts of theoretical thought are of an abstract character; but he did not realize that the separation of the logical function of thought itself from all the other aspects of our temporal experience is only a result of theoretical abstraction and can accordingly not agree with integral reality. The dogma concerning the autonomy of theoretical thought impeded the insight into its real structure.
Herman Dooyeweerd (In the Twilight of Western Thought, Paideia Press, 2912, pp 10, 11)
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