It is paramount that any future audience of this blog be addressed directly before we embark together on what ideally will be an enlightening journey for all involved. I wish to first capture the ethos that contributed to the naming of this series "Marking the Tabula Rasa", and expanding upon the succinct description that appears beneath it so as to clarify any potential confusion or skepticism.
The concept of the "blank slate" traces a long lineage back to the earliest thinkers. At a most general understanding, it serves as a keystone of epistemology and empiricism, offering the idea that at birth, the human mind is devoid of impressions and influences that shape both worldly perceptions and conceptualizations of our own identities. Proponents of this "field" state that through growth and observing the evidence of life around us, humanity then develops "a posteriori" comprehension of objects, events, and people. To paraphrase an old adage, a man who works with his hands knows his world. Take, for instance, a carpenter: in order to build a cabinet, he must have an understanding of wood-working. He must know what type of wood would suit the job; if he cuts down the trees he uses to work with, he must know where to find the appropriate trees; he must know how to cut either with or against the natural grain, and to incorporate knots into his product; he must utilize geometry and mathematical skills to correctly size the cabinet; he must sand the wood until it is smooth; ultimately, he must be able to see his vision as he works through each step in the process. Man is not born with the innate knowledge to build cabinets, nor is man endowed with the ability to exit the womb with infallible understanding of a vast, ever-changing world. As the carpenter learns his craft through his physical experience working with wood, so through sensory experience and subsequent processing of thoughts into cohesive ideas, humanity carves markings into its slate.
From the description and the choice of language in translating tabula rasa to "blank slate", it may appear that once the process of experiencing begins, what we decide to inscribe implies a state of permanence - that is, our thoughts and observations are set in stone. It is crucial to remember that empiricism, which this concept helps to inform, doubles as a science as well as philosophical school. Theories built upon falsifiable hypotheses are challenged daily: society has acted as witness while the most touted theories of yesterday succumb to the onslaught of today's new interpretations of facts. Therefore, it is better to think of our minds not as once-and-done stone carvings, but made of wax. If we choose to, we can choose to remold ourselves, resetting to a state of being where we are without preconception and predispositions to think one way or another. I believe this to be an essential aspect of living healthily with ourselves and within this universe.
That is the ethos of this blog - this is a place where I will attempt to share my own quest to probe my surroundings in a way that presents it as though it were the first time. In fact, there may be many instances where I face unknowns; there will also be many episodes that will fall on the familiar side.
I have no intention of limiting the scope of content that passes before my scrutiny, aside from taking all steps to dispel with harmful words. To place a boundary on what is seen, touched, or heard is an impediment against the subsequent attempt to rationalize and come to terms with such sensory exploration. Additionally, while I encourage thoughtful feedback and responses from this audience, I cannot promise that this journey, once undertaken, will produce answers of any concrete fashion - after all, the impermanence of answers was established earlier. I will do my best to guide you through these sensations, be it through providing photographs, music, or even literature to help understand me if I do a poor job of explaining myself. What I can promise, however, is the honesty and the integrity of my written word. To present myself otherwise defeats the entire purpose of what we together can accomplish.
The time has come to embark. Will you come along, whither the path may wind?
(Postscript: for additional information on the concept of the tabula rasa, please reference John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding).
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