Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books

  • Home
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • My CV
    • Tools
    • Books
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
You are here: Home / Potpourri / What Is Ultimate Reality?

What Is Ultimate Reality?

What Is Ultimate Reality?

What is ultimate reality, in a philosophical sense, other than the ideal of what ought to be?

It’s maybe asking what is wrong with the world, what should be done to fix it, and what we should be aiming for to begin with.

From natural determinism, it is not at all plain that things like love and justice and virtue should be sought after – or even exist in the first place.

For pain is not a problem until you notice there is something better, not in a sense of comfort, but in a sense of justification and reason.

A dog may want its leg to stop hurting, but there is never a philosophical hangup over why its leg hurts.

Do you see it?

To ask whether the universe as we see it looks more like the work of a wise and good Creator or the work of chance, indifference, or malevolence, is to omit from the outset all the relevant factors in the religious problem. Christianity is not the conclusion of a philosophical debate on the origins of the universe: it is a catastrophic historical event following on the long spiritual preparation of humanity which I have described. It is not a system into which we have to fit the awkward fact of pain: it is itself one of the awkward facts which have to be fitted into any system we make. In a sense, it creates, rather than solves, the problem of pain, for pain would be no problem unless, side by side with our daily experience of this painful world, we had received what we think a good assurance that ultimate reality is righteous and loving.

-C.S. Lewis, The Problem Of Pain (Amazon)

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: PotpourriTagged With: #Philosophy, #Religion

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Free Weekly Newsletter:

Search

Recent Posts

  • The Week In Review – 250
  • Random Thoughts – 274
  • Affirm The Rightness Of Your Kids?
  • Describe Your Parental Praise?
  • $100,000,000 A Year On YouTube
  • Sugar Is What Is Hard To Kick
  • Denying Your Children Important Experiences (Stop!)
  • The Case For Less Praise
  • Create This Controversy
  • When A Child Asks A Question (Do This)
  • Hypomone – In All Things
  • With No Care Of The Nations
  • Instabooks 344
  • The Week In Review – 249
  • Maybe Stop Asking Your Kids “Did You Have Fun Today?”
  • Random Thoughts – 273
  • The Bittersweet Road Of Parenting
  • Instabooks 343
  • Waiting For That Long Black Train
  • Parenting Disposition: Improved
  • If You Want To Be A Writer Then…
  • Goes On In It’s Frozen Way
  • Protect Children From Disappointment?
  • Because You Did The Work
  • Fluffed Up Over Your Ears And

Copyright © 2021 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in