Chapter 2: The Higher Mode of Intelligence Controls the Lower
“If, then, the highest work of the greatest minds consists in nothing else than the recognition of an already existing order, there is no getting away from the conclusion that a paramount intelligence must be inherent in the Life-Principle, which manifests itself as this order; and thus we see that there must be a greater cosmic intelligence underlying the totality of things.”
This second chapter of the Edinburgh Lectures touches on the what Troward believes to be the difference between human intelligence and cosmic intelligence. As is stated in the quote above, if the greatest works of Newton, Einstein, and Edison are no more than the acknowledgment of a force which already exists, then it is impossible to deny the reality of a cosmic intelligence which has set everything we know into the state of motion that defines our human existence.
Please note, Troward does not makes this distinction as someone of committed faith or religion, but as a philosopher speaking from a universal perspective. On the surface, his words appear to be a confirmation of religions everywhere, but that is not his intention. Rather, in this chapter he draws a line between our finite existence and the forces which we abide by: gravity, laws of motion, and the like. Forces and natural laws such as these cannot be broken, no matter how smart we become. They are characteristics of our lives that are immutable, set in stone by an intelligence greater than our own.
“We see therefore, that there is a marked distinction between the cosmic intelligence and the individual intelligence, and that the factor which differentiates the latter from the former is the presence of individual volition.”
Let’s consider this statement conceptually for a moment. Imagine life is a horizontal plane upon which everything we know exists. Every single aspect of our lives happens in this horizontal plane. Now imagine navigating across this two dimensional area. In this realm there is no depth. Moving from one point to the next occurs, in part, because of our individual, conscious volition. While moving from Position A to Position B, we make active efforts to transverse this plane. But Troward argues that there simultaneously exists a third dimension that governs everything that happens on our two dimensional plane. The difference between individual intelligence and cosmic intelligence is our ability to operate in this third dimension, despite physically living in a 2D world. When scientists and engineers use natural laws to send astronauts into space, they are abiding by the laws of hard science and engineering. They are aware of their finitude and work decidedly in the realm of cosmic intelligence, despite their limitations.
Troward supports this notion by saying, “It is the great maxim that Nature obey us precisely in proportion as we first obey Nature.” If we ignore the limitations of our existence, then we will never be able to transcend above that flat-plane universe where we exist, and live among the stars, as so many sci-fi movies foresee. This is the exact reason why our technological development allow us to live out tiny slices of those sci-fi fantasies. The more we understand about the laws of nature, the better we are able to embody those natural laws through new forms of technology.
“It is here that the difference between the mental scientist and the uninstructed person comes in; the former knows of this responsiveness and makes use of it, and the latter cannot use it because he does not know it.”
Modern science uses every tool at its disposal to answer as many questions as it possibly can. With every new telescope, we see deeper into the universe. With every new technological breakthrough, humanity is forever advancing. With every new STEM graduate comes the limitless possibilities of the future. There are technologies today that we weren’t even aware of in the last two decades. Now, as we sit here, hundreds of thousands of people are working to create the next big breakthrough. What separates these people from the average person is their understanding of the sciences, humanities, and life as a whole. The better one understands their own limitations, the increasing number of opportunities for growth they create.
In the twenty-first century, we are more self aware than ever before. As a consequence, two things are happening. First, anxiety and suicide rates are on the rise. And second, our technological advances create an ever-increasing number of scientific breakthroughs. These two facts are universally tied together, no matter how well we attempt to separate them. If we become entirely aware of our limitations, we either become indefinitely anxious, or choose to act upon what we know and seek to improve and grow. But the decision to choose growth comes at a cost. As science advances, we learn precisely how limited we are. In these limitations, doors are opened to build a better tomorrow, if only we choose it over our own willful blindness.
In closing, Troward says, “Intelligence manifests itself by responsiveness,”. How will you choose to respond?
Artwork by Sarah Havens