{Irrationality; Reason and Revelation}[2nd January 1988]

[Redbook4:278-279][19880102:2012]{Irrationality;[sic] Reason and Revelation}[2nd January 1988]

19880102.2012

It might seem a surprising result* that irrationality is seen as characteristic of A~ types (of the Outer Circle), with the implication that rationality is characteristic of +C†I~ types:** but this implication is borne out by earlier comments*** on intellect and logic at S~ (Perhaps the axis runs from somewhere on the +C†I~ – S~ (or even M~)**** arc to somewhere on the A~ – J~ (or even G~) arc.

Rationality, involving the application of reason, is after all only a method of arriving at the truth – not the truth itself.# It is an immensely powerful tool especially for reining in the flights of fantasy [sic] – but its great flaw is that {it} depends on the basic facts, or presumptions (to which it is applied and on which it builds its conclusions) being correct. This may seem startlingly obvious but in practice it is often forgotten: that to arrive at the truth, whether by reason or by revelation, you have to start with the truth.

Given that all external perception is potentially flawed, #*whereas some inner awareness (i.e. the direct awareness of certain Qualities which can only be what one is aware of) is not, this conclusion of Circles Analysis is more comprehensible. It is a happy conclusion, too, since rationalism has often been used in attempts to deny the truth not only of Revelation, but also of Christ, or even of God. In truth, Reason and Revelation should work in harness; which suggests that for Reason, at least, the arc does include M~.

(The problem is that Irrationality implies something more than simply the opposite of Reason: it is a characteristic type of behaviour, in everyday language, not simply a method or lack of method of arriving at a conclusion.)

*[See [Redbook4:275-276][19880101:2330b]{Low Finance}[1st January 1988].]

**{This suggests that (in the light of Fusion Child [[Redbook1:265A,297A-I;2:1A-1G][19730501:0000][The Wind, the Edge of the Sea, and Fusion Child][To 1st May 1973]], where it is suggested Creation = […)....]} [This later marginal note is evidently unfinished: there is no clue as to what either the subsidiary (bracketed) or main (unbracketed) suggestions were to be here; but the implication of Fusion Child may be that the Child creation (capitalisation is significant in the context, the lower case initial distinguishing creation there from Creation meaning presumably everything created) is perhaps on the arc +C†I~ - R~ - G~ and maybe describes what is most nearly created of the One – by contrast with, but also perhaps referring to, Creation later placed at J~ on the Inner Circle describing both the process of creation and the faculty of creativity. On the other hand, Reason, Awareness and the Child creation in Fusion Child have also been tentatively identified with Body-Brain, Soul and Spirit. These interpretations are not necessarily mutually exclusive; and note the early descriptions of Awareness in Fusion Child as (the) fool. <20170815>]

***[[Redbook4:234-235][19871216:2211b]{Prophecy and Intellection, Wisdom and Intuition}[16th December 1987], presumably]

****{↑? ?} [Arrowed to ** above]

#I still think rationality is +M~ rather than +C†I~. Perhaps A~ moves towards it? <880806>

#*(cf. III. {[[Redbook3:118-131][19870405:1057](BELIEF AND KNOWLEDGE{1})[5th April 1987],] 118[ff],

[[Redbook3:184-193][19870414:1003](BELIEF AND KNOWLEDGE (2))[14th April 1987],] 184[ff]})

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