Great minds thinking alike
In reading An Introduction to Existentialism by Robert G. Olson, I came across the following commentary by the author of the question that the French existentialist Gabriel Marcel posed of his own existence.
Why, he (Marcel) asks in extreme wonder, does he exist as an author at a particular point in the space-time of the modern world writing a book on philosophy? Why is he not rather a leper at a point of space-time in the medieval world ringing his warning bell as he approaches a walled city. (p. 41)
It reminded me that I posed the same question in my very first posting to this blog (on 1/16/06).
The biggest "Why"? The largest question for anyone is “Why was I born when I was, where I was, who I was?" For me, that is: Why was I born in 19__, in a small tobacco town in North Carolina, a white male?
Why not a black female in Senegal in the 1600's? Or a male in China in the fifth century BC?
It seems likely to me that I was born in the past as someone else, somewhere else–perhaps many times. And that it will happen again when I leave this life. Why? It’s difficult to explain a feeling, but I’ll try by saying that it doesn’t seem that the “I” that I know existed only one time in the infinite sweep of history.
Mr. Olson adds another voice to the question—that of Blaise Pascal.
When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in the eternity before and after, the little space which I fill, and even can see, engulfed in the infinite immensity of space of which I am ignorant, and which knows me not, I am frightened. I am astonished at being here rather than there. Why now rather than then!
Why, he (Marcel) asks in extreme wonder, does he exist as an author at a particular point in the space-time of the modern world writing a book on philosophy? Why is he not rather a leper at a point of space-time in the medieval world ringing his warning bell as he approaches a walled city. (p. 41)
It reminded me that I posed the same question in my very first posting to this blog (on 1/16/06).
The biggest "Why"? The largest question for anyone is “Why was I born when I was, where I was, who I was?" For me, that is: Why was I born in 19__, in a small tobacco town in North Carolina, a white male?
Why not a black female in Senegal in the 1600's? Or a male in China in the fifth century BC?
It seems likely to me that I was born in the past as someone else, somewhere else–perhaps many times. And that it will happen again when I leave this life. Why? It’s difficult to explain a feeling, but I’ll try by saying that it doesn’t seem that the “I” that I know existed only one time in the infinite sweep of history.
Mr. Olson adds another voice to the question—that of Blaise Pascal.
When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in the eternity before and after, the little space which I fill, and even can see, engulfed in the infinite immensity of space of which I am ignorant, and which knows me not, I am frightened. I am astonished at being here rather than there. Why now rather than then!
posted by Mycroft Watson at 1:42 PM
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