Mysterious love (Mother Nature) subtlely beckons its creatures to come out from mere habit-schemes, habit-associations, habit-assumptions, social mindsets, social expectations, pump-ups, put-downs, calculated/contrived social-gaming—“Let’s learn, see, hear, quiet down, try, ponder, wonder, ask, hope anew, take a chance on love again a bit; though it may hurt/cost some.”
The alternative is a nice efficient predictable robot: “Sir Robot, Dame Robote, so nice to meet you. How’s your program? Making money, I expect, no?”
Compared to to the tao, the t’ai chi, the polarity of to be, the alternative “not-Being of fantasies” is not well-rooted, not well-proportioned, not enduring.
The so-called Father of science in the West, Francis Bacon, wrote that “Nature to be commanded must be obeyed” (-Novum Organum, 1, 1620). Ah, a polarity here, a deciisiveness of tone; I think too much lopsided commanding and obeying gets us nowhere.
I.
MAN, being the servant and interpreter of Nature, can do and understand so much and so much only as he has observed in fact or in thought of the course of nature: beyond this he neither knows anything nor can do anything.
II.
Neither the naked hand nor the understanding left to itself can effect much. It is by instruments and helps that the work is done, which are as much wanted for the understanding as for the hand. And as the instruments of the hand either give motion or guide it, so the instruments of the mind supply either suggestions for the understanding or cautions.
III.
Human knowledge and human power meet in one; for where the cause is not known the effect cannot be produced. Nature to be commanded must be obeyed; and that which in contemplation is as the cause is in operation as the rule.
IV.
Towards the effecting of works, all that man can do is to put together or put asunder natural bodies. The rest is done by nature working within.
V.
The study of nature with a view to works is engaged in by the mechanic, the mathematician, the physician, the alchemist, and the magician; but by all (as things now are) with slight endeavor and scanty success.
VI.
It would be an unsound fancy and self-contradictory to expect that things which have never yet been done can be done except by means which have never yet been tried.
VII.
The productions of the mind and hand seem very numerous in books and manufactures. But all this variety lies in an exquisite subtlety and derivations from a few things already known; not in the number of axioms.
VIII.
Moreover, the works already known are due to chance and experiment rather than to sciences; for the sciences we now possess are merely systems for the nice ordering and setting forth of things already invented; not methods of invention or directions for new works.
IX.
The cause and root of nearly all evils in the sciences is this—that while we falsely admire and extol the powers of the human mind we neglect to seek for its true helps.
X.
The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding; so that all those specious meditations, speculations, and glosses in which men indulge are quite from the purpose, only there is no one by to observe it…
CXXIX.
…And yet (to speak the whole truth), as the uses of light are infinite, in enabling us to walk, to ply our arts, to read, to recognize one another; and nevertheless the very beholding of the light is itself a more excellent and a fairer thing than all the uses of it;—so assuredly the very contemplation of things, as they are, without superstition or imposture, error or confusion, is in itself more worthy than all the fruit of inventions.
Lastly, if the debasement of arts and sciences to purposes of wickedness, luxury, and the like, be made a ground of objection, let no one be moved thereby. For the same may be said of all earthly goods; of wit, courage, strength, beauty, wealth, light itself, and the rest. Only let the human race recover that right over nature which belongs to it by divine bequest, and let power be given it; the exercise thereof will be governed by sound reason and true religion.
CXXX.
And now it is time for me to propound the art itself of interpreting nature; in which, although I conceive that I have given true and most useful precepts, yet I do not say either that it is absolutely necessary (as if nothing could be done without it) or that it is perfect. For I am of the opinion that if men had ready at hand a just history of nature and experience, and labored diligently thereon; and if they could bind themselves to two rules,—the first, to lay aside received opinions and notions; and the second, to refrain the mind for a time from the highest generalizations, and those next to them,—they would be able by the native and genuine force of the mind, without any other art, to fall into my form of interpretation. For interpretation is the true and natural work of the mind when freed from impediments. It is true however that by my precepts everything will be in more readiness, and much more sure.
Nor again do I mean to say that no improvement can be made upon these. On the contrary, I that regard the mind not only in its own faculties, but in its connection with things, must needs hold that the art of discovery may advance as discoveries advance.
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By “lopsided commanding/obeying” which one may perceive currently, I mean that essential alignment/polarity/rhythm is commonly lacking presently, or call it true perspective/clarity/integrity, both in intent and in practice---much in science is just sloppy and rather heartless. Our quest/experiment in sciences in the West has lost much of its native moorings that are essentially spiritual. Can there be spiritual or spirited science? Yes, the apparently two--spiritual/ideal and material/practical are interwoven, but there is an attendant ingredient necessary/vital here. Without caring deeply and cross-checking one’s direction and actions to a mighty standard, both intent and practice tend to go awry. -r, mt. shasta
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