Begin the Begin


I was in a rather engaging conversation last week with a colleague about the creation of the Universe and many of the sub topics that such discussion will generate. We discussed creationalist theories along with evolutionary theories. We did not come to a conclusion, other than modern knowledge is a mere three or four hundred or so years old in regards to modern science, and academic theory is less than three thousand years old – a mere blink in the overall greater view of time and its infinity of years.

As I am apt to do, I began to reflect on our exchange, asking not whether we were capable of figuring out the answer to our question, but rather would we be truly be capable of understanding the answer should we stumble upon it?

Language is an amazing thing. It isn’t just a way of communicating, but rather a depiction of cultural perceptions. Certainly if you have ever attempted to learn another tongue, you will quickly find out, as I did years ago sat down with a Greek dictionary, that it’s not a matter of plugging in a word of whatever language you are trying to speak where the English word would be. I never did take Greek lessons, but did go on to learn significant amounts of French, Spanish, German and Slovak.

There are many linguistic studies out there worth your while to read if interested, as well as studies of symbols, such as those done by the psychologist Carl Jung.

Returning to my question of understanding, take something as simple as “nothing”. Nothing in itself implies “no thing”, so how can we “have” [possess] “no thing”? This is the linguistic nightmare to which I refer. Throw this in to the creation debate, whether it is scientific or theological in nature, and ask: what was there before it all began? If you say “nothing” then refer the above comment. If you say God, then where did He/She come from? To say that God is eternal…!!!

The Taoist writer, Chuangtzū said:

“There is great beauty in the silent universe. There are manifest laws governing the four seasons without words. There is an intrinsic principle in the created things which is not expressed. The Sage looks back to the beauty of the universe and penetrates into the intrinsic principle of things. Therefore the perfect man does nothing, the great Sage takes no action. The spirit of the universe is subtle and informs all life. Things live and die and change their forms, without knowing the root from which they come. Abundantly it multiplies; eternally it stands by itself.”

This statement does not tell us which came first, the chicken or the egg, but rather that in every egg lies a chicken and in every chicken, an egg; the transformation occurs and the cycle continues. Buddhists and Taoists have a wonderful way of saying that things simply are as they are. I suppose the ultimate question (as they never give “answers”) to the creation question from a Buddhist or Taoist isn’t so much the answer to creation, but rather to ask “what does it matter?”

Thoughts anyone?

This of course opens the door to the whole detachment theory espoused by the aforementioned Eastern schools of thought, so I’ll save them for another time.

Painting: "Peonies" by Oda Kazuma