In Episode 132 of the Podcast I am joined by Patrik Holmqvist to discuss the most essential insight for the truth-seeker. namely that mysticism is the BIGGEST duff steer of method. It amounts to the scuppering of your mind and its ability to achieve certainty on any issue.

Mysticism is the tool of the deceiver and the spanner in the works of a functioning mind. Yet it is increasingly widespread in our culture and increasingly dominant in the minds of many who would call themselves truth seekers. Mysticism has changed its clothes and now masquerades as reasoned argument. yet it can easily be spotted by the savvy investigator with just a little bit of conscious awareness and an in-built mental alert system to any assertion without argument.

What is wrong with Mysticism?

Mysticism is the antithesis of reason. It is the belief that reasons are not necessary It is belief in things without  reasons, evidence, proof, logical demonstration or rational argument. Furthermore, it is belief in things that are contradicted by evidence reason logic and proof! These things are the tools of thinking and the method of the human mind in identifying the facts of reality. To be a mystic is to reject the mind and thus to reject life. Yes, it really is that serious!

Mysticism is demonstrated by any of the major organised religions. In fact any religion espousing a supernatural deity is mysticism. But it goes much deeper than this. Most people believe that since church attendance has been in decline for many decades that mysticism is also in decline. If only it were so. Scientism along with unquestioning belief in government (statism) are both mysticism. Scientism makes assertions in the name of science that are contradicted by the evidence and the facts of reality. Belief in government as a necessary institution enabling human life is also contradicted by the available evidence.

Once you equip yourself with a mental operating system committed to identifying the facts of objective reality your truth seeking really beings in earnest. Until you do, it cannot begin, and things you claim as knowledge can only be considered beliefs as opposed to convictions based on sound understanding of the facts.

If it is truth that you seek your only tool is reason. You must use your faculty of reason using the method of logic in the process of thinking. Emotions are not your guide to reality, they are not means of perceiving reality, they are not tools of cognition.

Resources

The base of all knowledge is necessarily philosophical in nature, and the philosophy I recommend any truth-seeker look into is Ayn Rand’s Objectivism. It is the only philosophy that explicitly recognises that reality is an objective absolute and it is the only philosophy that acknowledges man need for freedom at the fundamental level. Every other philosophy contains a morality of altruism which is fundamentally opposed to freedom, This is an important point to grasp for anyone claiming to be seeking freedom.

If you are a committed truth-seeker and wish to know more, you may wish to check out these previous posts where I explore this philosophy and its essential foundations for truth and freedom.

* The philosophy of Objectivism with Dr David Kelley – go here

* Who needs Philosophy – YOU DO! go here

* Reason is your only guide to knowledge – go here