I do not mean a theoretical power. A theory is always about it, and
about it only. I mean an inner view, a vision whereby the seeing mind as
it were identifies itself with the thing seen. Not the tree of
knowledge, but of the inner and vital sap which builds up the tree of
knowledge.
And if this point is settled, it will be of some use in answering the
question: What are we? Are we then bodies only? This question has been
answered in the negative by our instincts. Why should we despair of a
rational answer? Let us adopt our space thought and develop it.
The supposition which we must make is the following. Let us imagine a
smooth surface--like the surface of a table; but let the solid body at
which we are looking be very thin, so that our surface is more like the
surface of a thin sheet of metal than the top of a table.
And let us imagine small particles, like particles of dust, to lie on
this surface, and to be attracted downwards so that they keep on the
surface. But let us suppose them to move freely over the surface. Let
them never in their movements rise one over the other; let them all
singly and collectively be close to the surface. And let us suppose all
sorts of attractions and repulsions between these atoms, and let them
have all kinds of movements like the atoms of our matter have.
Then there may be conceived a whole world, and various kinds of beings
as formed out of this matter. The peculiarity about this world and these
beings would be, that neither the inanimate nor the animate members of
it would move away from the surface. Their movements would all lie in
one plane, a plane parallel to and very near the surface on which they
are.
And if we suppose a vast mass to be formed out of these atoms, and to
lie like a great round disk on the surface, compact and cohering closely
together, then this great disk would afford a support for the smaller
shapes, which we may suppose to be animate beings. The smaller shapes
would be attracted to the great disk, but would be arrested at its rim.
They would tend to the centre of the disk, but be unable to get nearer
to the centre than its rim.
Thus, as we are attracted to the centre of the earth, but walk on its
surface, the beings on this disk would be attracted to its centre, but
walk on its rim. The force of attraction which they would feel would be
the attraction of the disk. The other force of attraction, acting
perpendicularly to the plane which keeps them and all the matter of
their world to the surface, they would know nothing about. For they
cannot move either towards this force or away from it; and the surface
is quite smooth, so that they feel no friction in their movement over
it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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