Zara Yacob - Rationality of the Human Heart

 

Zara Yacob

Rationality of the Human Heart

By Teodros Kiros

 

This book, while using Zara Yacob as the prime mover in Ethiopian modern philosophy, makes an argument that thought comes in the form of prayer from the heart.  Kiros begins with a contrast of Yacob (1399 – 1468) and Descartes (1598 – 1650) demonstrating mind-body philosophy.  One hundred years apart in time yet they have much in common yet contrast on this fundamental point:

Zara Yacob wrote: The soul is endowed with an intelligence … God created us intelligent so that we meditate (pray) on his greatness.

Rene Descartes wrote:  thus there remains only the idea of God. I must consider whether there is anything in this idea that would not have originated from me.

The departure exists in who/what is at the center.  Descartes finds it to be man, “I think therefore I am” making man’s outer world man made.  Yacob finds God at the center of intelligence and therefore not man made.  Yacob looks at man-made as the protagonist of customs and tradition of which he despises.  According to Yacob all thought requires an inquiry through prayer to God.  It is God’s answer that bring upon each man his own intelligence for which to navigate the outer world. 

Rationality for Zara Yacob is an activity of the human heart blessed by moral intelligence that is given to all human beings, should they choose to make use of this extraordinary gift.  Having a gift and actually using it are of course two different things, but for those who would like to do the morally right thing, the heart is ready to help them perform the important task of performing in a morally worthy manner.  Such individuals do not have to go beyond consulting their heart when they agonize over their decisions, over their choices and over their dreams of seeking to be exceptional human beings.

Zara Yacob was the first of philosophers to reconfigure rationality, by reordering the relationship between the brain and the heart.  The brain for him is a processing machine and nothing more than that.  The heart is the home of thought.  The brain’s function is not the production of thought, as the rationality of Descartes assumed.  The production of thought is an activity of the heart.  However, the heart does not do this alone.  The task is too overwhelming for the heart.  There is another power which aids the heart to perform this function.  Through meditative prayer the transcendent responds to the hearts desire to communicate and defend the truth.  The heart desires, and the force inside it, discloses during intense moments of searching (Hassa) and meditating (Hatata).  The thinking heart pressured by the pangs of existence, responding to injustices in the world, cries out for help, and realizing its contingency, and the transcendent responds with generous action.

In my interpretation and blue-collar comment:  the brain is a data processer and the heart (desire) is the AI modern computer science is all excited about.  I am old enough to remember the transcendental meditation craze of the 1970’s.  Society at large lost our way once again and went back to books, the web, and science breakthroughs.  What is intelligence if it does not have a moral conscience.  I will leave you with that to think about as you decide to pick up this book and read it.  Perhaps we can discuss what is at the heart of the matter.

 

I googled  “heart home of thought” and got a hit:  The Human Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, Scientists Find - Learning Mind (learning-mind.com).  Krista Tippett, author of Einstein’s God would be happy.

Where Ever You Go There Your Are

Where Ever You Go There Your Are
By Jon Kabat-Zinn

This book has been in my library for a few years. As I was reading it and telling TJ about it he said, “yeah Dad you gave me that to read about eight years ago.” That would have made him twelve at the time. This is a great introductory book for those contemplating meditation and those who are already practiced at it. The author makes it clear that meditation does not have to be a yoga/guru art form to reap its fruit. He even makes room for active meditation in your busy life. He prescribes one ingredient and that is to focus. Begin with focusing on your breath and only that.

As the book concludes the introductory part in the mental preparation for meditation the author draws up a nice metaphor that works for me being an advocate of Emerson’s school of thought. As you begin to meditate you may have many thoughts in your head. Let them be. As you become aware of your thoughts, you become aware of what they are doing for you and how they may be working against you. This awareness is like a kettle of soup. Its not any one thought that defines you its all the ingredients simmering at one time. As you become aware of this and let each thought go, the truth of your being relaxes you. The experience is a sort of grad school for Emersonians.

The rest of the book goes into the body alignment and experience of yoga. If when taking this section light heartedly as I did, the lure is seductive. It is akin to getting into a warm lake and discovering not only is the water warm, but once fully immersed and opening your eyes you become aware of its affect on your body. It’s a great way to remove yourself from the here and now but really tune in to what here and now is doing to your body……stress relief is the outcome.

In tying this all together the author is targeting the average western bear. ME! I enjoyed the book because I felt no pressure to run to my nearest guru for yoga instruction. And at the same time I am reminded of the fruits of taking a moment each day to consciously become aware. Active meditation becomes a reality in this book where you become more thoughtful in your conversation and interaction with others. I remember when traveling to Japan, I was taught to count to five before I responded to a question. I was taught that this was out of respect towards the Japanese when really it is with respect to myself.