21 levels of Self-Deception: THIRD EDITION by Tom Wallace - HTML preview

T W E N T Y - O N E L E V E L S

emotional connotations we may bring. That said however, our mental constructs are for the most part ‘after the event’, that is, rationalisations of feelings and actions stemming from our emotions. It is not therefore necessarily so easy to distinguish between a purely philosophical quest and one that is really a personal one. Someone has said, there is only a need for meaning when there’s a problem. We don’t seem to feel the same need to find meaning in pleasure! If instead we focus on our real life as we experience it then meaning might be derived from our interactions rather than as an abstract and transcendent ideal.

In the absence of ultimate purpose, we can only come to some sort of balanced view of what might be legitimate and worthwhile purposes for our situation. Some relative purpose can be inferred, that is, contingent, localised, small-scale purposes that relate to our planet, our society, community or just to ourselves as individuals. Whilst recognising these to be necessarily parochial, they nevertheless allow us to devise a valuing of various actions and attitudes in relation to the human economy. It is this derivation of value based on real experience rather than idealism that is a key factor in the chapters that follow.

If we accept that the universe appears to be pre-disposed towards nurturing life, then we at least have a beginning. We may call it providence, or perhaps grace. Again we do not know the real nature of this providence or grace. If we are to deal with life though — as we all must — then part of this dealing will be to try to discern reasons and meanings, even whilst

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