I read a book called Scaling the Secular City, A Defense of Christianity by J.P. Moreland. It left me scratching my head. I would get it when I read it but could not put it all together. For instance he wrote about the difference in mathematics between the definitions of potential and actual infinities. When you start thinking you are pretty smart you read something that makes you say, “What?” I read it. I kind of understood it, but I don’t get what it all means.
I was able to dress myself and do my job in spite of the confusion.
Every once in awhile it does us good to read something that sits on the verge of understanding but refuses to cross the line. It stretches us. But be careful. Just because you don’t understand does not mean it is deeper than you are. Much of what masquerades for intellectual depth is really silly sophistry. I run into stuff that liberals want me to read. When I give it a try I realize after a few pages that it is nothing but phoney charades. It is nonsense. It is based on smoke and mirrors.
Keep in mind that much that is written is not just beyond your grasp, it was beyond the author’s grasp first.
homo unius libri
Thank you. It's good to know that others have that experience. I've gotten to the point where I just throw the offending book across the room. I feel that in most cases it's a matter of poor writing and illustration, rather than the subject being so difficult.
ReplyDeleteOne reason I like libraries is that I don't have to waste my money on nonsense. Of course that means that I cannot throw the books as hard.
DeleteGrace and peace.