Writing Logically
Many years ago I studied philosophy and particularly the later works of Wittgenstein. I also read books by professors on his ideas and realised that many of these learned people did not really understand what Wittgenstein was driving at. Often they would make statements such as ‘Wittgenstein really meant …’. If he had really meant that, he would have said it. In one sense Wittgenstein has suffered the same fate as many original thinkers in that all sides want to adopt him as their own.
I'm not intending here to summarise or explain Wittgenstein's works. What is
unique about his writings, particularly his later works, is that they are not
written in a logical sequence. They are more a series of related ideas. In order
to understand the essence of what he is driving at you have to take your mind
down a similar path to that which he took in producing the works. This requires
hard work and the ability to change the way that you think.
Years after studying Wittgenstein I was introduced to the writings of Idris
Shah who wrote Sufi teaching stories. These stories work a similar way in that
they don't make logical sense, and in order to understand them you have to change
the way the mind works. The Sufis have a much clearer idea of what they are
doing than Wittgenstein did however. These stories are related to Zen Koans.
In order to answer the Koan the pupil has to put his mind into a different state.
Idris Shah also wrote about the exploits of the fabled Turk Nasrudin. Nasrudin was portrayed as a Mullah (an Islamic spiritual leader), a teacher and a fool:
The Lost Key
One night a neighbour of Mullah Nasrudin was walking home and found the Mullah squatting on the ground beside a lamppost evidently looking for something.
"What's the matter mullah?" asked the concerned neighbour.
"I have lost my keys" replied the Mullah.
"Oh! Here let me help you". The kindly neighbour got down on his knees and started searching for the Mullah's keys as well. After some time spent looking the neighbour straightened up and quite puzzled asked:
"Are you sure you dropped your key's here?"
"Oh, I didn't drop them here." replied the Mullah.
"Where did you drop them?" asked the now bewildered neighbour.
"Over there" said the Mullah, pointing to the front of his house that was in darkness.
"So why are you looking for them here?" asked the neighbour.
"Because the light is over here" replied the mullah.
The Braying Donkey
A neighbour came to Nasrudin, asking to borrow his donkey.
"It is out on loan," the teacher replied. At that moment, the donkey brayed loudly inside the stable.
"But I can hear it bray, over there."
"Whom do you believe," asked Nasrudin, "me or a donkey?"
The Pedant
Nasrudin, ferrying a pedant across a piece of rough water, said something ungrammatical to him. 'Have you never studied grammar? Asked the scholar.
'No.'
'Then half of your life has been wasted.'
A few minutes later Nasrudin turned to the passenger. 'Have you ever learned to swim?'
'No. Why?'
'Then all your life is wasted-we are sinking!'
The Shop Owner
Nasrudin walked into a shop one day, and the owner came forward to serve him. Nasrudin said, "First things first. Did you see me walk into your shop?"
"Of course."
"Have you ever seen me before?"
"Never."
"Then how do you know it was me?"
The Sun and the Moon
Nasrudin walked into a teahouse and declared:
"The moon is more useful than the sun."
"Why?" he was asked.
"Because at night we need the light more."
