2313. How human Philosophy blinds minds
I was prompted to explain in front of spirits how human philosophy blinds minds, so that finally the truth is so overshadowed and covered up that nothing at all of it appears. This was done by a series of symbolic spiritual mental images, showing how humanity is given by the Lord the light for discerning truths, and how the faculties given to grasp them turn into modes of reasoning, and at length into mere terms, and how controversies about terms and controversies of controversies arise, so that finally all reasoning is plunged into such disputes, and not the least bit of light is able to shine through. Therefore certain ones admitted that they did not see anything at all
2313. CONCERNING THE PHILOSOPHY OF MAN, HOW IT BLINDS THE MIND.
It was given to explain in presence of spirits how the philosophy of man blinds the mind, so that at last the truth is shaded and hidden so that it cannot at all appear; and it [was shown] by continued representative spiritual ideas, to wit, how the light for perceiving truths is given man by the Lord and how such things as constitute the faculties of perception pass into artificial modes of reasoning, and at last into mere terms and controversies about terms, and how controversies of controversies arise, so that at last all reasoning is, as it were, covered over by such things, so that not the least light can shine through; therefore that some confessed that they see not the least.
2313. De Philosophia hominis quomodo occoecat mentes
Dabatur exponere coram spiritibus, quomodo philosophia hominis occoecat mentes, sic ut tandem ita umbretur et obtegatur veritas, ut ne hilum appareat, et quidem per continuas ideas spirituales repraesentativas, quomodo nempe homini lux percipiendi veritates a Domino data sit, et quomodo ea quae sunt facultates percipiendi in artificiales modos ratiocinandi, et tandem in meros terminos, et de terminis lites [transeant] 1
, et litium lites oriantur, ut tandem omnis ratiocinatio in similibus quasi immergatur, ut ne minimum lucis translucere possit; sic ut quidam fassi sint,
(2314.) quod ne minimum videant, cum talia per ideas repraesentativas spirituales exhibebantur, et tamen cum iis remotis lux appareat; sic quod impossibile sit veritatem aliquam videre ei, qui talibus immersus, cum tamen pueris, mulieribus, et iis qui non docti audiunt, lux pateat; haec ita per ideas repraesentativas spirituales demonstrata sunt, et mihi inde in clara 2
luce, quod ita res se habeat, ut nusquam negari possit. Quomodo autem spirituales veritates non solum occoecentur, ut sint sicut nullae, tum quod {a} pervertantur, alibi, dignante Domino. 1748, 12 Junius.
Footnotes:
1. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition
2. The Manuscript has clare