"Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind."
I find it strange that many people just want to live their life without the hassle to think too much – so they say. I find it hard to believe that people want to remain shallow in their thinking. But like what Kant said, “thoughts without content is empty.” Thoughts that are flippant, frivolous, superficial and facetious without content, without substance to it are really empty, shallow, and makes one look idiotic, senseless, and ignorant! I am not talking about “content” in terms of showing off some philosophical lingo or doing some intellectual hula-hoop with words to impress, but “content” as in the ability to present our thoughts with a certain depth to it, thoughts that has substance, has quality to it that the respondents can identify, understand, and appreciate.
In the Christian circle, we are so attuned to the senses (feelings) and the experiential that we give thoughts not even a second thought at all. We brush it aside to assure ourselves that our thinking would only be on a need to know basis - only utilitarian. There are others who would rather live on instinct or gut feelings! In a more spiritual term – to be led by the Spirit! Yet some others just want to get on with their job, their family, and making enough money to buy a house, a car, and going on regular holidays. There are very few in between who would spend significant time to think, to exercise their thought life. Their thinking is not about their next meal or how to earn more money and so forth but quality thinking about eternal issues, life issues, and so forth – with the ultimate purpose of knowing all about life, love, and beauty through the providence of the creation of God. They have the innate drive to want to know more about the world that God has placed them in. The healthy development of our mind is very important. An unexamined life is not worth living. We can’t just think without content because it would be a waste of oxygen!
Likewise, intuitions without concepts are blind. Intuition is not a blind leap of faith. The other words used for intuitions are perceptions, instinct, insight, awareness, and sensitivity. Every perception, every insight or awareness of what is around us has a kennel of idea or impression lock in it. We need to unlock the impression, the thought or idea so that our intuitions would not be aimless or blind. We need to conceptualize our perceptions, insight or awareness. Paint a picture of what we see in our mind’s eye. Translate it into simple ideas or thoughts that anyone who desires to know can understand it, who desire to feel with experience it, and who desire the transcendence will find its immanence! Let our thoughts and our insights be like a vast canvas where we can paint on it the substance of what we hope for and the concepts of eternity and the divine.
On that note, we will not be empty-headed and blind! I don’t know whether I am making any sense at all.
Just saying…..
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