Welcome to the Spiral Inquiry, a blog and website dedicated to the collective journey to wisdom. We are all on this journey together, trying to understand the world we live in and searching for ways to improve our lives, the lives of others, and the world we live in together. While some might say we go one step back for every two steps forward, I like to think of this process like a spiral. We revisit each question, each challenge and each idea time and time again. But each time we come around we have learned and expanded like the successive rings of an outward spiral. This website is the story of my journey, and I am delighted that you have chosen to spend some time with me. I hope you will share what you have learned, so we can learn together. My journey involves an exploration on three fronts:
Science — the study of the physical world and how it works. The practice of science is observation and mathematics is its principle tool. Science yields understanding and, through technology, mastery of the physical world. This is not always used for good purposes.
Faith — one’s personal inquiry into what is right and good. Many of us find our roots for this inquiry to be in religion, others in the humanities, some in their community. While the sources may be different, there are universal principles on which most of us will agree.
Philosophy — the use of human reason to increase wisdom, the goal of which is to live a life that is right and good. This is the original intention and meaning of the word “philosophy.” Scientific understanding is a start, but faith provides the compass that points us towards the goal. In my view, these three approaches to knowledge are interlocking spirals, like those displayed in the head of the sunflower. Our knowledge is enhanced when we bring these three together. They are symbiotic and reciprocal. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
At the same time, we have to recognize that knowledge is empty unless it is put to a useful purpose. The pathways are many, but they all require effort and action dedicated to the goal of a life that is right and good. What motivates us along the path? The same force that flows, as cosmic intentionality, through the universe – the force of love.
“The universe has given us life, beauty, joy and self-reflective consciousness – it has loved us. In turn, it is possible for each of us to reciprocate this love.”
George Gantz, The How and The Why of Emergence and Intention. FQXi 2017 essay contest. April 2017
Congratulations on your new and exciting web site. I’m very interested in the science-theology connection, so I will look forward to following your ideas. Will you be making reference to Swedenborg’s writings?
Thank you Forrest! Yes I will be referencing Swedenborg’s work on Spiral Inquiry, but will continue to post material on the Swedenborg Center Concord site, as well as occasional articles for the Swedenborg Foundation. As you will see from the post today, this work will sometimes coordinate very nicely – a more personal and direct post on Spiral Inquiry, and a lengthier but related post on the Swedenborg Center.
I look forward to your comments!
I should include the following note with this post: Emmanuel Swedenborg, in one of his visits to the spiritual world, saw an image of a gateway, with an inscription over the top. “Nunc Licet.” He explains that this means that “now it is permitted to enter in with the understanding into the mysteries of faith.” (TCR 508) This is a key part of his teaching about the Second Coming (which has occurred). When I speak in this post and in this blog about “philosophy” I am referring to the work of sorting through one’s experience and one’s faith in order to find the path that leads to the best life. This is where empirical knowledge and religion truly come together.