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Questions about the book True and Unstable

שו”תCategory: philosophyQuestions about the book True and Unstable
asked 9 years ago

Hello Rabbi.
If I understood correctly, at the center of the synthetic approach is intuition, that is, the ability to observe or sense something not by one of the means we are accustomed to but with the help of the “mind’s eyes.”
In addition, intuition is subject to criticism and examination of the findings drawn from it, and the conclusion or understanding is not based solely on it but is reinforced by tests and criticisms.
This solution truly allows for a reasonable explanation of our generalizations and understandings of the world, such as Euclidean axioms, the force of gravity, and more.
The book explained that controlling issues such as values ​​and ideals is through discourse and trying to look at the values ​​from different angles or see their different implications,
And the explanation for people’s different perceptions on these issues is “blindness” in their ability to observe any idea.
I had difficulty understanding the difference between the synthetic approach’s explanation of the difference between values ​​and ideas and fundamentalist perceptions. In other words, the fundamentalist argument is that you don’t grasp this understanding because it is irrational and to grasp it you need to use different tools and we also don’t guarantee that you will understand it… And so it is with the synthetic approach – you don’t see this value because you are “blind” and this is the truth and it is appropriate and right for you to act this way too even if you don’t understand it.
Although synthetic allows for dialogue and does not close ears, the path of understanding is similar, and a person with a synthetic approach will not change his belief in God, for example, even if he is presented with difficult arguments and is forced to rely solely on his “intellectual” vision.
The division between concepts such as the force of gravity and values ​​stems from the fact that not everyone is privileged to observe certain ideas and many are defined as “blind” compared to the force of gravity, to which few, if any, are “blind.”
And because of the large gap in understanding and between different types of blindness in viewing ideas, an explanation of these gaps is required here, and as a result, I understand the need for analysts to define the difference in choosing values ​​as an expression of a difference in mental and educational structure.
And in fact, in this way, the synthetic approach seems to me to be a type of fundamentalism, albeit more limited and minor, but it is possible to reach conclusions with the help of both without being able to criticize them.

I apologize in advance if the question is due to a lack of understanding.


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מיכי Staff answered 9 years ago
There is no need to apologize for questions in general, even if they contain a misunderstanding. And in particular for your question, which is an excellent question and indicates a very good understanding of what I said. I will start by saying that there is indeed a similarity between syntheticism and fundamentalism (this is how I explained that according to this it is no wonder that the boy identifies the adult in front of him with the child he himself was in the previous stage. This is because there is a similarity between the third and first stages). In both cases you accept claims without proof in a dogmatic manner. And yet there are important differences. First, it is important to understand that there is no other option. Syntheticism is not mysticism or fundamentalism in contrast to reason and logic. Reason and logic themselves are based on synthetic assumptions. Hence, there is no reason to treat religious claims differently than scientific claims. Both stand up to critical tests. Hence, in the synthetic view, you are attentive to criticism, examine yourself, and are also willing to reconsider and change your position. Which is not the case with a fundamentalist position that does not subject itself to critical testing. One more thing. If I have someone in front of me who does not see the belief in God, that in itself will not convince me that I am wrong. As far as I am concerned, I will treat it as a kind of blindness (and I will also try to open his eyes, that is, to convince him). But if he makes arguments in favor of atheism, I will listen to him very attentively, and if I am convinced, I will retract (I hope I am honest enough to do so). This is the difference from fundamentalism.

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