249.当今的自然科学，或自然现象的科学就像仍将真理扭曲为虚假的最末层天堂。今天我与周围的灵人并天使谈论了各样话题，后来又谈到科学，或说现代智慧。因为现代智慧不能作为一个基础层面服务于属灵真理，更不能服务于属天真理，而是像最末层的天堂，该天堂将天上降下来的真理扭曲为反面。因为当今，凡科学关于现象的属世原因，如人体事物的原因，关于感官和类似事物所教导的，以及凡关于灵魂知识所推论的等等，都充满错误的假设，其中连一个真理也看不见。事实上，这些假设将道路封闭到不让它延伸到最粗糙的自然界之上的地步。因此，属灵和属天的事物被视为虚无。由于属灵真理所进入的基础层面具有这种性质，所以有必要停止它们，防止渗透。因为没有属世真理去接受、联系并确认它们，而是要么完全逐出它们，要么把它们扭曲到反面。由此可断定科学真理或出土于科学的知识有什么用处。（1747年11月14日）
249. Natural sciences, or the sciences of natural phenomena, at this day are still like the last heaven, which distorts truths into falsities
I conversed today with the spirits and angels around me on a variety of topics, and afterwards about the sciences, or the wisdom of this age. It is incapable of serving as a basis for spiritual truths, much less for heavenly truths, but is like the last heaven, which distorts the truths coming down to it from heaven into the opposite. For today, whatever is taught by the sciences about the natural causes of observable things, like those in the human body, such as the senses, or whatever they contribute to a knowledge of the soul and related matters, is full of false hypotheses, in which not even one truth comes to view - in fact, the way is even closed by them to the point where it is not allowable to reach out the thoughts beyond grossest Nature. Therefore spiritual and heavenly things are considered to be nothing.
Since this is the kind of basis into which spiritual truths are coming down, they are necessarily stopped and prevented from entering, for there is no natural truth there to receive, connect with, and confirm them, but it either completely repels them, or distorts them into the opposite.
Hence one may conclude of what use scientific truths, or truths unearthed through the sciences, could be. 1747, 14 November (old calendar).
249. THE NATURAL SCIENCES, OR THE SCIENCES OF NATURAL THINGS, ARE AT THE PRESENT DAY LIKE THE ULTIMATE HEAVEN WHICH STILL PERVERTS VERITIES INTO FALSITIES
Today I spoke with the spirits and angels around me concerning various matters, and afterwards about the sciences, or modern wisdom, which is such that it cannot serve as a plane for spiritual, still less for celestial, verities, but it is such as is the ultimate heaven which perverts the verities that have descended thither from heaven into things contrary. For at this day, whatever is taught by the sciences concerning the natural causes of phenomena - such as the causes of those things that are in the human body, concerning the senses and similar things, also whatever is deduced concerning a knowledge of the soul, and the like - is full of false hypotheses in which not a single verity is laid open to the sight: further, the way [to interior things] is also closed by these hypotheses, so that the thoughts are not allowed to extend beyond grossest Nature; therefore spiritual and celestial things are considered as nothing. Since the plane into which spiritual verities fall is of such a nature, it is necessary that they should be kept back and not penetrate, for no natural verity receives, continues, and thus confirms them, but it either entirely repels them or perverts them into what is contrary. From this it can be concluded what use scientific verities, or those which are brought forth by means of the sciences, can serve. 1747, Nov. 14, o.s.
249. Loquutus sum hodie cum spiritibus et angelis circum me de variis, et postea de scientiis seu sapientia hodierna, quae talis est, ut ea non possit inservire tanquam pro plano veritatum spiritualium, minus coelestium, sed est sicut ultimum coelum, quod veritates illuc a coelo lapsas pervertit in contraria, nam hodie quicquid per scientias docetur de causis naturalibus phaenomenorum, sicut eorum quae sunt in corpore humano, de sensibus et similibus, tum quicquid deducitur ad animae cognitionem et similia, plena sunt hypothesibus falsis, in quibus ne quidem una veritas ad conspectum patet, imo etiam clauditur per ea, via, ut non ultra crassissimam naturam extendere cogitationes liceat, ideo 1
spiritualia et coelestia considerantur tanquam nihil; cum tale planum sit, in quod cadunt veritates spirituales, necessum est, ut sistantur, nec penetrent, nam nulla veritas naturalis excipit et continuat, ita confirmat, sed vel prorsus repellit, vel pervertit in contrarium, exinde concludi potest, quem usum veritates 2
, scientificae, seu per scientias exclusae possint sistere. 1747, 14 Nov. st. v.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has ido
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has veritate