ist<\/span>.<\/p>\nThis person now can turn back and show the scientist, the theologian, and everyone else their guiding assumptions, their unquestioned and unknown foundations, their flawed understandings.<\/p>\n
ME:<\/p>\n
The problem is that the philosopher, once ascending to such knowledge, runs the risk of self-alienation, of cutting him\/herself off from the way of the world, setting him\/herself up in opposition to it. Then the world becomes not a field of learning, of teaching, and of love, but a darkness into which the philosopher may plunge for \u2018lower pleasures\u2019 but no real contact. This philosopher thus is no better than the others, for he develops his own unfounded assumptions: separateness, immortality, and eternal joy in the world of knowing to which he may go if only<\/span> the world would not hinder him. Opposed to the world, the world opposes him. He develops self-righteousness, \u201cI SEE<\/span> you\u2019re flaws, oh world. You see nothing<\/span>.\u201d<\/p>\nBut the philosopher may also reenter the world, gently; in the words of one of my teachers, \u2018he becomes fully human, fully normal.\u2019 He sees the divinity\/enlightened nature of others as reflections of his own. He does not see and recoil from the flaws of the world. He acts fluidly within the world. The world\u2019s problems are his<\/span> problems and rather than point fingers he moves to fix what he can fix. For him we are all \u2018ordinary people\u2019, regardless of learning, talent, wealth, gender, etc.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/tracker\/7907151-113048019897062707?l=americanbuddhist.blogspot.com\")
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