Freeman Summary - Chapter 6

Chapter Summary Of The Philosophy Of Freedom
Arnold Freeman

CHAPTER 6 THE HUMAN INDIVIDUALITY
An object indicates its existence to me through one or other of my sense-organs; I have a Percept. I think; the relevant Concept arises in me; the Percept has become located in its proper thought-nexus and is thus given validity, significance. For a moment —Percept plus Concept— the full reality is before me. Now the object disappears; but there is left in my mind what may perhaps best be called an "Idea," —a subjective representation of the object, —a concept individualized upon a particular percept. I see the same object again —or one similar to it— and with the help of the Idea in my mind, I can recognize it. The first idea now merges into the second. And so on. And so on . . . Thus flows along the quiet grey unperturbed stream of cognitional experience.

Accompanying these cognitional experiences are others of a totally dissimilar character —as if the dull grey stream were streaked with all manner of colours. I am not allowed to be indifferent to what my thinking tells me: it is as if every experience that occurs "in my head" jabbed or stabbed me "in the heart." Thinking gives me cold information: Feeling brings it vividly home to me . . . I see a little child that I love ---and my heart fills with Joy. I read in bed a tale of Edgar Allen Poe's and find myself sweating with fear. I get a letter telling me that a dear friend is dead and I am filled with sorrow. Every cognitional experience insists, in some way or other, to some degree or other, on causing pleasure or pain.

To the sense-organs, things cannot divulge their secrets. To Thinking, they disclose themselves. What we call "our Thinking" is the quintessence of things themselves. This quintessence comes from the world-reservoir. As it comes from the world-reservoir, it is virginally pure. Our Thinking, as such, is not ours; it is the World thinking in us. It is impossible for Thinking, in itself, to be at fault. In so far as we think, we express the universal.

When I think, I experience the World-whole. But when I feel, I shrink into the petty confines of my own personal existence. When I think, the mighty music of the cosmic orchestra is sounding in my ears. When I feel, I am listening only to my own peevish ill-played piping. Sufferings and rejoicings: anger, gratitude, fear, desire, self-satisfaction, envy, pride, gladness, depression, mirth —enable us, compel us, to become centrally aware of ourselves as individuals. Our feelings give to our cognitional experiences a special value to ourselves exclusively, —so colorful a special value that we are perpetually being tempted to retire completely into ourselves and to sever our connections with the Cosmic Whole.

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