DIALOGUE II

Summary

R. I clearly see your meaning: one thing acts upon us, and another is consciously present to our perception. The former you call the Fact, and assert that it is spiritual or active; the latter is the phenomenon, and it is physical or inert. The spiritual truly exists, the physical exists only as an appearance. If man were in a truly living state—not defective in his being—he would have feelings correspondent to the truth; but inasmuch as he is defective, his feeling is wrong. He feels that which is only phenomenal to be, if not the sole, at least a true, reality. And then, thinking according to this false feeling, he finds himself in entire perplexity, and unable to understand the very being of anything. You would say that he needs to direct his thoughts according to a different plan.

W. If we directly know only phenomena, what is the practical inference? How should we learn, or try to learn, the Absolute from them?

R. Of course we must have regard to the state of man, and consider the things which falsify his impressions. I concede all you say on that general question. Nor indeed is it new. Only in the application of the principle do you differ from others. For the common idea of the world, as consisting essentially of matter and force, also involves a consideration of man, and how things are altered to his perception.