Mystery - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Mystery, an enigma wrapped in curiosity, is that which defies immediate explanation, captivating the human mind with its inherent unknown, urging exploration and discovery. Not merely ignorance, but a tantalizing suggestion of deeper truths beneath the surface, mystery can often be conflated with the simply unknown, but true mystery often intimates a deeper philosophical consideration of epistemology, skepticism, and perhaps even existentialism.
The roots of "mystery" as a distinct concept trace back to ancient Greek mysterion, referring to secret religious rites known only to initiates. These rites, shrouded in secrecy, promised profound spiritual insights, a hidden wisdom accessible only through ritual and dedication. Plato, in his dialogues, alludes to such mysteries, hinting at truths beyond the reach of ordinary perception. Figures like Pythagoras, deeply involved in mystery cults, sought to find the underlying logical truths of the world. These early mysteries are particularly relevant to the modern debate about free will, determinism, and compatibilism, as well as the subjective vs objective morality.
Over centuries, mystery evolved, its manifestations shifting from religious rites to elements pervasive in art, literature, and science. The rise of Gothic novels in the 18th century celebrated the unknown, with authors like Ann Radcliffe mastering suspense and the evocation of inexplicable phenomena, creating an ethics game out of reading. In science, the pursuit of understanding the cosmos, black holes, or dark matter embodies the essence of mystery – a quest to unravel the universe's profoundest secrets. Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, with his rational approach to solving intricate crimes, epitomizes the shift toward solving mystery through reason, using critical thinking and the rules of validity in logic to find a valid argument. The success of Sherlock Holmes as a character speaks to the human desire to not only be confused by mystery, but to solve it, especially the moral quiz inherent in most crime mysteries.
Today, mystery persists as an intrinsic part of human experience. Whether grappling with the complexities of consciousness, the nature of time, or the ethical dilemmas posed by advanced technologies like AI, we are continually confronted with the unknown. Science and philosophy, now more than ever, are devoted to the study of the unknown. Indeed, the mystery of what it means to be alive, what our moral obligations are, and how we can create fairness in justice, represent the eternal questions that continue to inspire our pursuit of knowledge and understanding, pushing the boundaries of both cognitive science and moral philosophy. What remains to be seen is what further enigmas lie on the ever-expanding horizon of human inquiry, an exploration into logic tests that inspires both wonder and the critical thinking necessary to resolve them.