I loved this piece, Hadden. So, so beautiful. This reflection reminds me of how the Bible says that Jesus is like a seed planted in the earth; he rises to life and brings with him life for his people.
I likewise love to turn over old wood, rocks, and rotten logs with my little boys and show them the creatures underneath—as a child, I was terrified of such bugs, but I'm striving to teach my children to see God's good creation in them rather than fearing them as I did.
There were so many rich bible analogies I could chose from. Death and then resurrection (life triumphing over death) is such a recurrent theme. And it is a beautiful truth.
“But beauty can still be found among the ashes. And these creatures, though shunned, overlooked, and perhaps even killed by us out of acts of revulsion are essential in bringing forth life that is beautiful for without these scavengers and decomposers, there would be no life that we find truly beautiful. They are food for the robins on our Christmas cards, and they provide the raw material in the soil that delicate orchids in the meadows need to grow. Although death remains a tragedy it is not the final say. Beauty can still come forth - and it will.”
Hadden, your powers are getting stronger my friend. What a beautifully written message here on such and “uncomfortable” topic. Thank you for taking us along this walk with you.
It has become increasingly clear in the past few years that our Western culture as a whole has been too saturated by science and parched of meaning. And it seems to be at tipping point.
It seems that many of us know we can’t go on like this. It may be high time we let the science “die” only to use its edifying qualities in a life of more abundant of meaning.
Another powerful essay, Hadden, thank you! I was especially struck by something you said at the beginning about the limitations of science, and I had a (somewhat ill-formed) question for you about it. Here’s the part of what you said that first grabbed me:
“But who made me think like this - that there is no underlying reason why things are the way there are and that the only answers are the reasons found in scientific textbooks with their peer-reviewed pronouncements? If we live in a spiritual world (which I believed back then and much as I do now) then there are spiritual and deeper reasons that underpin the way things are. Everything we observe is not all just down to chance operating within the bounds of the Laws of Physics. There are deeper reasons. Everything has meaning.”
What I’m interested in here (and please forgive me if it doesn’t make much sense) is whether finding the “meaning” or the “message” in things is best understood as finding the “underlying reason why things are the way they are.” I’m working on a project now about how explanations work in general, and I’ve arrived at the tentative conclusion that the fundamental limitation of science as a mode of engagement with the things in the world around us lies precisely in the fact that it always encourages us to look for some reason why they are the way they are -- instead of just communicating with them, resonating with them, letting them be. This latter mode of engagement, rather than the former, is the one I associate more closely with finding the “meaning” in things, assuming that “meaning” is something these things actually do, and not just something they bear.
As I write this I can see that the idea I’m groping for is still at most half-baked.. but in any event I’d be very curious to hear your reactions to it, if you have any.
Thanks Matthew for your kind words - they mean a lot to a fledgling writer!
As yo your thoughts, I think science strives to find order and reason - that is its 'why' goal. E.g. The flower exists here because the soil is this pH etc.
I think the spiritual "why" is also looking for order but as Kimmerer would say in Braiding Sweetgrass, the reason why this flower is found here is because is colour complements the flowers it is next to. Science would dismiss this as pure speculation, while a spiritual reason would say God, the designer knew that these two colours together complemented each other and communicated beauty- that's why they are there. The spiritual viewpoint does not dismiss the scientific explanation - that is also true, but it suggests there are deeper reasons that science cannot understand or prove.
However, I think you are on to something when you say "science as a mode of engagement with the things in the world around us lies precisely in the fact that it always encourages us to look for some reason why they are the way they are -- instead of just communicating with them, resonating with them, letting them be"
- certainly we have striven far too much for why answers (like child always asking why - tangent - perhaps we never lose this childlike curiosity, but transfer it to scientific exploration and perhaps let science dim some of the awe and wonder that once was attached to the "why" question). There is wisdom indeed in letting things be - something western man needs to learn.
I am curious to see where your thoughts take you on this.
How many times did we hear that from our parents when we were small!
Yet, frustrating as it was at the time, they were on to something. Sometimes in life you just have to accept that thing are the way the way they are "because that's just the way it is".
Yes I think I agree ... but just to clarify: if you ask your dad why something is the way it is, you don’t actually get an answer from him if he says “because that’s the way it is”, do you? I mean, you’re looking for a reason why something is true, not just a restatement of the very thing that is true.
God is an especially interesting example, yes, but I’m not totally sure I would agree with how you’re interpreting it. .. no one should say that He exists because someone or something else brought him into existence, but nor should we say that he brought HIMSELF into existence -- because that doesn’t make any sense.
Hadden, this is truly brilliant and powerful writing. It is something that would fit neatly into a collection of essays by Wendell Berry himself.
The concepts of death and life are often overwhelming for the feeble human mind to comprehend. I struggle with them myself. It is no wonder why our society has tried to remove itself from confrontation of death as much as possible. And yet, it is inescapable and important whether we confront it or not. Thank you for giving voice to the difficulties, importance, and beauty of death and life.
Death is indeed a vast topic that is relatively untouched in our age which has spent so much time, energy, and money trying to push death to the back of our consciousness.
I am not finished exploring the topic though and have some thoughts on how the farmer is a steward of death as much as he is of life (e.g. the farmer decides when to send the cattle to the slaughter).
I've always pondered why it was necessary for Jesus to die in order to give us new life. This essay really brings the answer to the forefront. I loved your explanation of the two types of death: death that brings life and death that brings desolation, how the first is through self-sacrifice in order to increase life, and the second is truly the taking of life, with no life being birthed out of the death. Very smart, very cogent.
Thanks Ren. I am very glad that this essay has brought that answer to the forefront. It was exactly what i was intending to do/hoping people would make the connection.
As a forester, I loved walking in clearcuts. From a distance, a clearcut can look like devastation. But if you’re walking in it, you see the beauty; new life springing forth at every turn.
I loved this piece, Hadden. So, so beautiful. This reflection reminds me of how the Bible says that Jesus is like a seed planted in the earth; he rises to life and brings with him life for his people.
I likewise love to turn over old wood, rocks, and rotten logs with my little boys and show them the creatures underneath—as a child, I was terrified of such bugs, but I'm striving to teach my children to see God's good creation in them rather than fearing them as I did.
Thanks Lara,
There were so many rich bible analogies I could chose from. Death and then resurrection (life triumphing over death) is such a recurrent theme. And it is a beautiful truth.
“But beauty can still be found among the ashes. And these creatures, though shunned, overlooked, and perhaps even killed by us out of acts of revulsion are essential in bringing forth life that is beautiful for without these scavengers and decomposers, there would be no life that we find truly beautiful. They are food for the robins on our Christmas cards, and they provide the raw material in the soil that delicate orchids in the meadows need to grow. Although death remains a tragedy it is not the final say. Beauty can still come forth - and it will.”
Hadden, your powers are getting stronger my friend. What a beautifully written message here on such and “uncomfortable” topic. Thank you for taking us along this walk with you.
It has become increasingly clear in the past few years that our Western culture as a whole has been too saturated by science and parched of meaning. And it seems to be at tipping point.
It seems that many of us know we can’t go on like this. It may be high time we let the science “die” only to use its edifying qualities in a life of more abundant of meaning.
Much to think over here. Thanks again.
Another powerful essay, Hadden, thank you! I was especially struck by something you said at the beginning about the limitations of science, and I had a (somewhat ill-formed) question for you about it. Here’s the part of what you said that first grabbed me:
“But who made me think like this - that there is no underlying reason why things are the way there are and that the only answers are the reasons found in scientific textbooks with their peer-reviewed pronouncements? If we live in a spiritual world (which I believed back then and much as I do now) then there are spiritual and deeper reasons that underpin the way things are. Everything we observe is not all just down to chance operating within the bounds of the Laws of Physics. There are deeper reasons. Everything has meaning.”
What I’m interested in here (and please forgive me if it doesn’t make much sense) is whether finding the “meaning” or the “message” in things is best understood as finding the “underlying reason why things are the way they are.” I’m working on a project now about how explanations work in general, and I’ve arrived at the tentative conclusion that the fundamental limitation of science as a mode of engagement with the things in the world around us lies precisely in the fact that it always encourages us to look for some reason why they are the way they are -- instead of just communicating with them, resonating with them, letting them be. This latter mode of engagement, rather than the former, is the one I associate more closely with finding the “meaning” in things, assuming that “meaning” is something these things actually do, and not just something they bear.
As I write this I can see that the idea I’m groping for is still at most half-baked.. but in any event I’d be very curious to hear your reactions to it, if you have any.
Thanks again for this deeply moving essay!
Thanks Matthew for your kind words - they mean a lot to a fledgling writer!
As yo your thoughts, I think science strives to find order and reason - that is its 'why' goal. E.g. The flower exists here because the soil is this pH etc.
I think the spiritual "why" is also looking for order but as Kimmerer would say in Braiding Sweetgrass, the reason why this flower is found here is because is colour complements the flowers it is next to. Science would dismiss this as pure speculation, while a spiritual reason would say God, the designer knew that these two colours together complemented each other and communicated beauty- that's why they are there. The spiritual viewpoint does not dismiss the scientific explanation - that is also true, but it suggests there are deeper reasons that science cannot understand or prove.
However, I think you are on to something when you say "science as a mode of engagement with the things in the world around us lies precisely in the fact that it always encourages us to look for some reason why they are the way they are -- instead of just communicating with them, resonating with them, letting them be"
- certainly we have striven far too much for why answers (like child always asking why - tangent - perhaps we never lose this childlike curiosity, but transfer it to scientific exploration and perhaps let science dim some of the awe and wonder that once was attached to the "why" question). There is wisdom indeed in letting things be - something western man needs to learn.
I am curious to see where your thoughts take you on this.
"Why? Because it is!"
How many times did we hear that from our parents when we were small!
Yet, frustrating as it was at the time, they were on to something. Sometimes in life you just have to accept that thing are the way the way they are "because that's just the way it is".
God being the ultimate example.
Yes I think I agree ... but just to clarify: if you ask your dad why something is the way it is, you don’t actually get an answer from him if he says “because that’s the way it is”, do you? I mean, you’re looking for a reason why something is true, not just a restatement of the very thing that is true.
God is an especially interesting example, yes, but I’m not totally sure I would agree with how you’re interpreting it. .. no one should say that He exists because someone or something else brought him into existence, but nor should we say that he brought HIMSELF into existence -- because that doesn’t make any sense.
Hadden, this is truly brilliant and powerful writing. It is something that would fit neatly into a collection of essays by Wendell Berry himself.
The concepts of death and life are often overwhelming for the feeble human mind to comprehend. I struggle with them myself. It is no wonder why our society has tried to remove itself from confrontation of death as much as possible. And yet, it is inescapable and important whether we confront it or not. Thank you for giving voice to the difficulties, importance, and beauty of death and life.
Thanks James, I shall treasure that compliment
Death is indeed a vast topic that is relatively untouched in our age which has spent so much time, energy, and money trying to push death to the back of our consciousness.
I am not finished exploring the topic though and have some thoughts on how the farmer is a steward of death as much as he is of life (e.g. the farmer decides when to send the cattle to the slaughter).
Brilliant! So thought provoking.
I've always pondered why it was necessary for Jesus to die in order to give us new life. This essay really brings the answer to the forefront. I loved your explanation of the two types of death: death that brings life and death that brings desolation, how the first is through self-sacrifice in order to increase life, and the second is truly the taking of life, with no life being birthed out of the death. Very smart, very cogent.
A great piece.
Thanks Ren. I am very glad that this essay has brought that answer to the forefront. It was exactly what i was intending to do/hoping people would make the connection.
You succeeded!
As a forester, I loved walking in clearcuts. From a distance, a clearcut can look like devastation. But if you’re walking in it, you see the beauty; new life springing forth at every turn.