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Introduction:
The Givens
Let us start with
"givens."
I take as a given the idea that there are
two orders of "reality," orders which have a hierarchical
relationship. The higher order is absolute; the lower is conditioned,
impermanent, in constant flux--it is where we live. I will refer to the higher
order as "That," and the order we in which we live and move as
"This."
Let me emphasize: I take as a given that
the "higher order" truly exists.
I also take as a given that the higher
order can be accessed by denizens of the lower.
I take as a given the idea that many
human endeavors--religious, spiritual, psychological, social, even
financial--are attempts to access the higher order, and to bring its benefits
into the lower, to join That to This, to realize the concepts of "As
above, so below" and "Thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven." The first two endeavors, the religious and the spiritual, are
obvious means of making this attempt. The third, the psychological, also
partakes of the less-material, non-daylight side of things. That social
enterprises address this issue is a harder case to make, although it becomes
clearer when we talk about "utopias," or "the just
society." But financial endeavors? These, too, are aimed at "a
better life," even if it is conceived of in strictly material terms. The
end, though, is still happiness, which is clearly one of the fruits of
successfully accessing the "higher order."
Although this paper will center on
religious, spiritual, and psychological topics, it must not be forgotten
that--as we shall soon see with Huxley's work--many of these same ideas are
applicable to the non-religious pursuit of happiness as well.
Contents
(C) 2006 James Baquet
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