The Nature of Truth : The Question of Innate Knowledge

[Mr.Ex_Nihilo]

Just looking at the basic statement: the idea that the brain possesses a set of algorithms for the production of language – it seems to me that there is substance here worthy or further investigation from a religious perspective.

I guess this is my inquiry into the potential nature of it.

Traditional grammar apparently classifies words based on eight parts of speech: the verb, the noun, the pronoun, the adjective, the adverb, the preposition, the conjunction, and the interjection. There are differences of opinion regarding this basic structure – but most seem to generally coincide somewhat agreeably with this list.

Now, interestingly (for me anyway), I find it fascinating that emotions themselves seem to possibly follow a basic pattern which resembles the parts of speech found within grammar. Admittedly, theorists definitely disagree on this. However, based on Plutchik’s research, we see common emotions such as acceptance, anger, anticipation, disgust, joy, fear, sadness, and surprise. I mention this list in particular because three different men (Izard and Tomkins in addition to Plutchik) have each independently come to this conclusion that there are eight basic emotions.

I’m not familiar with more recent research, so this list might be very, very outdated. But I think the thoughts expressed by Izard, Tomkins and Plutchik have had a profound effect on research into the nature of human behaviour. I’m not sure if their research can be dismissed easily.

Now, when I look to the basic structure found within the table of elements, I again see a basic pattern resurfacing. In particular I notice the following: alkali metals, alkali earth metals, transition metals, rare earth metals, other metals, noble gases, halogens and other nonmetals. This list is apparently derived by listing them so as to show their similarities and differences.

In other words, there again seems to be a basic pattern throughout the nature of the elements themselves that can be broken down – based on the behaviour and reaction of the elements – which again resembles the various parts of speech found within the rules of grammar (in addition to the basic pattern of human emotions as expressed within the theories of three different experts in the field).

 

[Mr.Ex_Nihilo]

Nobody?

 

[Della]

I, for one, haven’t clue what you are talking about, nor have I read the authors/researchers you cite, so how can I respond? Sorry.

 

[lrs]

God lovingly designed an orderly universe, the mysteries we slowly unfold day by day. There is purity of truth, we crawl inch by inch closer each day towards this knowledge revealed to us by God… There is an innate inteligence or God created intelligence accessible to each of us and is in everything, even random mutations only survive creation if they are a part of this intelligence.
I often walk along the breakwalls and look at the geese flying in perfect flight formation and I always WONDER, how do they communicate, how do they know to do that. Ahhh God is Wonderful.
You are analogizing the orderly fashion of elements on the earth, with the emotional responses we all eminate, it is a far stretch, but God did design us in perfect human form. HIS idea of perfect human form. It is a Miracle, how it all works.
Peace Lisa

 

[Al_Masetti]

All that stuff you described is physical and/or human stuff. Very finite, even if ordered, patterns.

Meditate on all the different ways that God is Infinite. In the context of Infinity (with a capital “I” … not the mathematical “infinity”), patterns are unnecessary.

Perhaps the patterns you described were created by God deliberately for us pea-brained humans who need primitive structures like that to be able to contemplate most anything.

God created structure because us humans NEED structure. We generally do poorly in conditions of chaos.

In her book, “The Talking Cure”, author Susan Vaughan discusses actual examples of how talking caused physical “repairs” to the brain. Fascinating. Ties in with your discussion perfectly.

amazon.com/Talking-Cure-Susan-C-Vaughan/dp/0805058273/sr=1-2/qid=1161217881/ref=sr_1_2/104-9043143-4887939?ie=UTF8&s=books

Just for the heck of it, read up on the work of Richard Bandler and John Grinder who describe the non-structured work of Milton H. Erickson and what makes language language. “The Structure of Magic” and “The Structure of Magic II” – none of which has anything to do with magic, but with language and the way the brain / mind works.

 

[lrs]

AL, you are right!

The infinity of GOd’s Creation such as infinite Love and eternal peace, do not fall under the patterns or organizations of finiteness-earthly matters.

Lis

 

[Mr.Ex_Nihilo]

I dunno guys.

Perhaps I’m misunderstanding some posts, but I don’t think I’m limiting God in any way by claiming that there are patterns within his own creation which reveals his will.

Take springtime for example. Even Paul uses the analogy of the seed having to die before it can be born to new life-- and he uses this as an analogy of the resurrection in doing so might add…

What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.

Later, among many other metaphors, Paul again illustrates this analogy as such…

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

So it is written:

“The first man Adam became a living being” ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.

The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.

As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

Our Lord himself uses a similar analogy when discussing what he must go through before he can glorify God…

Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Consequently, I don’t think that it was an accident that Jesus rose from the dead during the season of spring. In fact, I would argue that God engineered all of creation, including the seasons themselves, as a catalyst to prepare all of humanity for the coming of Glory of the Lord.

It seems to me that it is clear from both the Scriptures and Tradition that God often does communicate his will through his own creation, whether by the prophets he has chosen to speak through or by the very elements which he fashioned, such as the ‘emotions’ he expresses through his controlling of the weather for example. Consider the earthquakes, droughts, hailstorms, and other cataclysms recorded all throughout the Scriptures.

Yes.

Pray deeply about this to God and preach the Gospel to all of creation.

Now although I wouldn’t say this is always so, it yet remains clear that God has most certainly, at least at specific times in history, communicated his will through the weather-- because the weather conditions convey a metaphor of God’s will.

The great deluge itself is often viewed as a manifestation of God’s will through his creation-- more specfically either a manifestation of his wrath or else a deep and profound suffering on his parts as he weeps over his own fallen children.

It’s also true that the pagans could see this too-- even if they often mistook the creation for her creator and fell deeply into polytheisms and other deadly errors of faith.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.