Thoughts About The Process Of Thought Part 1: The Preamble

In a quest to better understand the human condition and behavior I am challenging myself to define what I believe to be the four elements (or pillars) of the process of thought and the quintessence that binds them together. I’ve given specific criteria for each element, criteria that would have to transcend personal feelings, bias and prejudice.

The Criteria

The criteria I’ve set is as follows:

• Each element must be co-dependent on and supportive of the others.
• Each element must have universal context; from a top level view, the element must remain true regardless of religion, gender, culture, etc.
• Each element must test absolute, and without contradiction any conditions brought against any of the other elements. Meaning if a new thought is introduced to one element, that elements perception must be in line with the perception of the remaining three.
• Each element must have the ability to change the quintessence, while at the same time allowing themselves to be changed by the quintessence.

The Elements of Thought

With this criteria set, the four pillars of thought that I have been able to come up with are: Reason, Experience, Wisdom and Knowledge, and the quintessence (or cornerstone) that binds these together is Belief.

Each of these elements requires unambiguous definitions as they could superficially appear to be synonyms of each other. For the sake of my journal, the definitions will be as follows:

Reason : Reason will refer to the power of comprehending. In it’s role here, it functions the light by which the other elements are seen.

Experience : Experience will refer to direct observation or participation in events. In it’s role here, it functions as practical application.

Wisdom : Wisdom will refer to the ability of seeing “through” a situation. In it’s role here, it functions as theoretical application.

Knowledge : Knowledge will refer to the the scope of academic and philosophical information. In it’s role here, it functions as both basis for thought, as well as the gatekeeper of new ideas.

Belief : Belief will refer to trust and confidence placed in some person or thing. Belief must both fuel the four elements, and be able to be malleable by them. Belief must be built on a foundation of knowledge, theoretically and practically applicable by wisdom and experience and lastly be strengthened or weakened by reason.

Belief that is held but does not reciprocate with the four elements of thoughts is false, or at it’s very best shallow and most likely stems from ignorance.

Why these four?

Because these four elements are the life spring of all other personal attributes. Based upon these four pillars, and the belief they cause, personal attributes such as Attitude, Compassion, Discernment, Empathy, Justice, Logic, Understanding, Sensitivity, Sympathy, and Tolerance are continuously reformed.

To take this a step further, these attributes are what shape your character as a person. As your ideals within the context of the four pillars change, so will your beliefs and interpretations of these attributes, and by such so will the character of person you are.

More to come…