How an Increasing Dependence on Relative Knowledge Affects Our Worldview

“In An Introduction to Metaphysics (1903) Henri Bergson approached the subject of the fluid nature of time by distinguishing two ways of knowing: relative and absolute. The former, impoverished kind is achieved by moving around an object or by coming to know it through symbols or words that fail to render its true nature. Absolute knowledge is achieved by experiencing something as it is from within. This absolute knowledge can only give by intuition, which he defined as “the kind of intellectual sympathy by which one place oneself within an object in order to coincide with what is unique in it and consequently inexpressible.”

The world is becoming increasingly dependent on technology. As we draw closer to complete dependency on technology, we begin to adjust our outlook to match that of the objective observation required of scientific progress. Modern science has greatly affected our view and understanding of the world. It’s a relatively new thing to base our perspective of the world solely on science. With this perspective, we’ve been able to make advances in technology. As Bergson says, relative knowledge is obtained through observation and analysis. Science is really good at utilizing relative knowledge. Science is great for answering the how’s: how is it moving, how does it work, etc. That is why we have the technology that we use today. This viewpoint of relativity presents a problem, however.  When we try to use this method for answering the ‘how’s’ in life in order to find answers to our ‘why’s,’ we find that it cannot be done. There is something inexpressible about what we are trying to learn. Bergson uses the term “intuition” to explain how we achieve the absolute knowledge that is associated with the inexpressible.

Our dependency on relative knowledge and truth has crippled our understanding of reality. We begin to think that everything can be defined the way that science defines things. The problem is that absolute knowledge does not come from observation, but from inner, essentially inexpressible experience. Bergson describes this process as an “intellectual sympathy”, an intuition, which is no less true than observable facts, just more difficult to articulate. However, since this process is not necessarily repeatable by scientific standards or universal in every circumstance, it is difficult to "prove.”

The scientific community and thus the world has grown fond of dismissing everything that is indescribable, unrepresentable, or unprovable as farce. It is because we want to be in control. We want to know every bit of something so that we can dominate it. With technology we have learned to dominate that which can be defined. We have perfected the art of manipulation. This leads to the desire to manipulate our reality. Reality, however, is not defined by metaphors or variables. Reality is only something that can be experienced. Since we are departing from this view of life and entering into one where we can define and control and describe reality, we can alter our reality to whatever standards that we deem suitable. We have become so caught up in believing in the altered reality that we do not fully exist in the true one. We are not fully present. We are chasing day-dreams to make us feel like we are in control, but our lives end up being empty of real purpose or meaning.

Postmodernism is defined in Noebel’s Understanding the Times as “The “anti-worldview” worldview characterized by skepticism of absolute truth and morality.” It is essentially based on relativism. We become so caught up in the belief of “what you see is what you get” that we start to get so that other people will see and so that we will hopefully become. We become focused on appearing rather than being and that is what separates us from absolute truth and reality.

Kern, Stephen. "The Nature of Time." The Culture of Time and Space 1880-1918. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1983. Print.

Noebel, David A. "Glossary." Understanding the times. Manitou Springs, CO: Summit, 2006. Print.