The Great Philosophical Debate

 

Currently, I am becoming aware of the Great Debate and the Great Conversation between these four philosophic masters:

 

Socrates the agnostic: Socrates "knew that he didn't know," and so became the foundational philosophic master of Western philosophy.  He considered it his mission to convince others that they, too, do not know very much, and this realization of "not knowing" is the beginning of the quest for wisdom and knowledge.  The Oracle at Delphi declared that Socrates was the wisest of all men.  Socrates responded by declaring that true wisdom is found when one realizes that they "know that I know that I do not know."

 

Plato the enlightened philosopher: Plato believed that the foundational essence of reality is non-essence; that the foundational essence of materialism is non-materialism, and the foundational essence of knowledge is the knowledge of eternal Mind.  In short, Plato believed that enlightened philosopher is one that has discovered one's inner wisdom, a wisdom that is found "within" rather that taught from "without."  In short, he believed that enlightenment and true wisdom is found when one is "reborn" to the truth that knowledge and wisdom is found in eternal mind-prints, self-existent blueprints of thought known as "Forms" and "Ideas."  These "Ideas" of Goodness, Truth, Justice and Beauty are eternal thought-patterns that are self-existent and known only to those who are illuminated to truth.

 

Aristotle the practical philosopher:  Aristotle opposed his philosophic master teacher Plato and believed/taught that the foundational essence of reality is materiality, not immateriality.  He taught that empiricism (that is, observation of materiality through the five senses) is the foundational wisdom of philosophy.  Aristotle is the father of Western logic (syllogistic thinking) and laid the foundation for the scientific method (which is defined as observation, inquiry, hypothesis, experiment, collection of data and conclusion).

 

Jesus the Jewish Mystic and Wise Healer:  Jesus is the inheritor of Jewish thought and of Hellenism.  His words, for instance, are recorded in ancient Greek.  Jesus, according to John, his disciple, is the eternal Logos--a Greek Word which the Greek philosophers used to describe the eternal, invisible Divine Mind that created, sustains and fills the cosmos.  Jesus was a mystic: he emphasized a personal, experiential relationship with God rather than the authoritative teachings of the religion of his day (namely, the Pharisees and Sadducees).  He was, in short, a philosophical rebel because he openly defied the religious hierarchy of his day and emphasized personal spirituality.  In short, he could not "put God in a box."    He was also a wise teacher: he taught in Parables, which are short stories that teach timeless truths.  These Parables are, perhaps, the most powerful wisdom teachings that have ever been taught--and yet they are extremely practical.  Jesus was also a master healer: he was able to harness Einstein's theory of Relativity, Heisenberg's principles of Quantum Mechanics, Neuro-Linguistic Programing, Freudian Psychology and Jungian Psychotherapeutic Archetypes to heal the individual person.  Each healing was different, unique and specifically geared toward the individual.  No two healings were the same because no two people are the same.  Jesus was able to engage his patient to the point where Synchronicity and Psychokinetic Energy came together to produce dramatic cures.

 

I believe that we are, today, engaged in a Great Conversation, a Great Debate between these four eminent teachers.  Each teacher had a different perspective.  Most of these four teachers contradicted each other.  And yet profound truths are to be found in each of these Master Teachers of Philosophy.

 

And so the Great Debate continues!