Written in 1976, and published shortly after E.F. Schumacher's death in 1977, A guide for the perplexed offers his compassionate insight into how we might be in the world. How we might develop better relationships with ourselves, our immediate environment and our own evolution. He created a 'map' to assist him in these investigations, constructed in recognition of four Great Truths - landmarks.
These Four Truths are:
- 'The World'
- 'Man' - his equipment, wherewith to meet 'the World'
- his way of learning about the world; and
- what it means to 'live' in this world.
"The Great Truth about the world is that it is a hierarchical structure of at least four great Levels of Being.
The Great Truth about man's equipment, wherewith to meet the world, is the principle of 'adequateness'...
The Great Truth about man's learning relates to the 'Four Fields of Knowledge'.
The Great Truth about living this life, living in this world, relates to the distinction between two types of problem, 'convergent' and 'divergent'.
A map or guidebook, let this be understood as clearly as possible, does not 'solve' problems and does not 'explain' mysteries; it merely helps to identify them. Thereafter, everybody's task is as defined by the last words spoken by the Buddha: "Work out your salvation with diligence".
To be continued...
18.09.15