What is Logos - A Symbolic Worldview

Summary

This script delves into the concept of 'logos' as the essence and purpose of existence, highlighting the interconnection of multiple 'logoi' in forming reality. It discusses the human role as a microcosm of the cosmos, where the divine logos is mirrored in our participation in creation. The script emphasizes the importance of aligning with the true nature of things, viewing sin as misuse of the world, and exploring the transcendent purpose of sexuality as an image of mystical union with God, ultimately suggesting that embracing the logos illuminates and enriches our engagement with the world.

Takeaways

• 🌟 St. Maximus posits that all things have a logos, which encompasses their reason for existence, purpose, origin, and end.
• 🔍 The concept of 'Logos' is pluralized as 'Logia', representing the various qualities or essences of things that contribute to their existence.
• 🧶 Logia are interwoven to maintain the world's existence, acting as a map of meaning and a pattern for our encounter with reality.
• 🌍 Logia do not exist independently but come together in our interactions with the world, shaping our experiences and understanding of reality.
• 🌅 The human being is viewed as a microcosm, a place where the cosmos coheres and where divine participation in creation is mirrored.
• 🛠 Human participation in the process of logos is not arbitrary but is an objective process that refines our understanding of the world and ourselves.
• 🚫 St. Maximus warns against viewing religious stories as mere encyclopedias of knowledge, similar to modern science, as they are categories of engagement with the world.
• 🛤️ The discovery of logos is a personal journey that refines our understanding and personhood, aligning us with the path of truth.
• 💔 Sin is depicted as the misuse of the world, not merely the breaking of rules, but a disconnection from the true nature and purpose of things.
• 🔗 The ultimate logos of sexuality is to be an image of the mystical union with God, transcending the physical to reflect a higher spiritual purpose.
• 🌈 The path of logos illuminates the world, allowing us to see life and meaning in all aspects of existence, transforming our perception of reality.

Q & A

What does St. Maximus suggest about the nature of existence and purpose of all things?

St. Maximus suggests that all things have a logos, which is their reason for existing, their purpose, origin, and end, all at once.

What is the term 'Logos' in the context of St. Maximus' explanation?

In the context of St. Maximus' explanation, 'Logos' refers to the underlying reason, purpose, origin, and end of all things.

What is the term 'Loki' and how does it relate to the concept of 'Logos'?

The term 'Loki' is the plural of 'Logos' and refers to the different qualities of things, such as the blueness of blue or the slowness of slow, which are woven together to sustain the existence of the world.

How does the concept of 'Logos' relate to the human experience of reality?

The concept of 'Logos' relates to the human experience of reality as it suggests that the essences of things come together in our encounters with the world, forming a pattern or map of meaning that we perceive as reality.

What is the significance of human beings in the context of St. Maximus' philosophy?

In St. Maximus' philosophy, human beings are seen as a microcosm and a condensation of the cosmos, where the world finds its cohesion and makes sense.

How does the script describe the relationship between human participation and the divine 'Logos'?

The script describes human participation as being in the image of God, participating in creation in a limited way, similar to how the divine 'Logos' is the source of everything.

What is the script's view on the misuse of the world and its relation to sin?

The script views the misuse of the world as a form of sin, where things are not aligned with their purposes, leading to untruth and separation from the intended unity.

How does the script relate the concept of 'Logos' to the understanding of sexuality?

The script relates the concept of 'Logos' to sexuality by suggesting that the various purposes of sex, such as propagation, creating families, and expressing love, need to be brought together in a pattern to align with the ultimate 'Logos' of sexuality.

What is the ultimate 'Logos' of sexuality according to the script?

The ultimate 'Logos' of sexuality, according to the script, is to be an image of the mystical union with God, symbolizing the highest union with the infinite.

How does the script suggest we should engage with the world to find light everywhere?

The script suggests that by following the path of 'Logos' and recognizing the hidden 'Logos' in creation, we can engage with the world in a way that makes it appear bright, full, and alive, rather than grey and dead.

What is the role of love in the script's explanation of the unity of different things and people?

Love, in the script's explanation, is the manner in which different things, people, and intentions can join together in communion, becoming one while preserving their multiplicity.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Logos of Existence and Human Experience

The first paragraph delves into the concept of 'logos' as introduced by St. Maximus, encompassing the reason for existence, purpose, origin, and end of all things. It discusses 'logoi' as the plural form, representing the different qualities of things, which are interwoven to sustain the world's existence. The human being is portrayed as a microcosm, a place where the cosmos makes sense, and participates in creation in the image of God. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding the true nature of things as a personal journey, which refines our understanding of the world and ourselves, and cautions against viewing religious stories as mere scientific knowledge. It concludes by discussing how sin is the misuse of the world, leading to falsehood and separation.

05:01

🔍 The Misalignment of Purpose and the Consequences

This paragraph explores the idea that sin occurs when things or people are not aligned with their intended purposes. It uses the example of treating a person as merely a tool for personal gratification, which is a misuse of their true nature. The paragraph extends this concept to actions and things, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the fullness of a person's being according to their 'logos'. It then delves into the metaphysics of sex, discussing the various purposes of sexuality, such as propagation of the species, creation of families, and expression of love. The paragraph suggests that these purposes are not wrong on their own but come alive when unified towards a transcendent purpose, ultimately leading to a mystical union with God, which gives a traditional and complete vision of sexuality.

10:02

🌈 The Path of Logos and the Unity of Life

The final paragraph summarizes the journey of discovering the hidden 'logos' in creation, which, when recognized, illuminates the world and makes it appear vibrant and full of life. It contrasts this with the common perception of the world as grey and lifeless. The paragraph concludes by suggesting that as we become more truthful, grateful, and free, we come closer to one another in love, which is the manner in which different people and intentions can join together in communion. It posits that engaging with the world in this framework allows us to find meaning and light everywhere, transforming our perception of the world from one of dead matter to one of vibrant interconnectedness.

Keywords

💡Logos

The term 'Logos' in the script refers to the reason for existence, purpose, origin, and end of all things. It is a central concept that ties together the essence of reality. In the context of the video, 'Logos' is used to describe how things come into being and how they relate to one another, forming a coherent whole. For example, the script mentions that 'each thing has a multitude of Logos,' indicating the various qualities and characteristics that define things.

💡Loqi

Derived from 'Logos,' 'Loqi' is the plural form used to denote the different qualities of things, such as 'the blueness of blue' or 'the slowness of slow.' It is a key concept in understanding how individual attributes contribute to the overall 'Logos' of an entity. The script explains that these 'Loqi' are woven together to sustain the existence of the world, emphasizing the interconnectedness of qualities in creating meaning.

💡Microcosm

'Microcosm' is used in the script to describe humans as a condensed version of the cosmos, where the world finds cohesion. This concept suggests that human beings are not just passive observers but active participants in the creation and understanding of the world around them. It is illustrated when the script states that 'human beings actually participate being in the image of God,' highlighting the human role in reflecting divine creation.

💡Phenomenological categories

The script refers to 'phenomenological categories' as a way to understand the 'Logos' or truth about things as they are experienced. These categories are not just philosophical constructs but are essential for engaging with the world. They help in framing our encounters with reality, as seen in the discussion about how 'the discovery of truth of logos is a personal journey.'

💡Sin

In the script, 'sin' is not merely the breaking of rules but represents a misuse of the world that leads to untruth. It is depicted as a separation from the proper alignment with the 'Logos' of things. For instance, treating a person as a mere tool for personal gain is described as sinful because it disregards their full humanity and their 'Logos.'

💡Sexuality

The script delves into the 'Logos' of sexuality, discussing its multiple purposes such as propagation of the species, creation of families, and expression of love and pleasure. It emphasizes that these aspects of sexuality are not ends in themselves but are part of a greater pattern that leads towards a transcendent purpose, ultimately uniting with the divine.

💡Mystical union

'Mystical union' in the script refers to the ultimate 'Logos' of sexuality, which is to be an image of the union with God. This concept is rooted in traditional religious imagery, such as the marriage of heaven and earth, and suggests that human experiences, like sexuality, can reflect and participate in the divine.

💡Transcendent purpose

The 'transcendent purpose' mentioned in the script is the idea that earthly experiences and aspects of life, such as sexuality, have a deeper meaning that connects them to the divine. It is the notion that our actions and experiences can be part of a greater, spiritual journey towards understanding and union with the infinite.

💡Communion

'Communion' in the script signifies the joining together of different elements in a harmonious and unified manner while preserving their individuality. It is used to describe the ideal state of relationships, where love allows for the union of different intentions and people, reflecting the multiplicity within the 'Logos' of creation.

💡Personal journey

The script describes the discovery of the 'Logos' as a 'personal journey,' emphasizing the individual path towards understanding and embodying truth. This journey is not just intellectual but also transformative, refining one's personhood as they engage more deeply with the world and its underlying meanings.

💡Participation

'Participation' in the script is used to describe the active involvement of humans in the divine process of creation, as beings made in the image of God. It is the idea that humans can engage with and contribute to the 'Logos' of the world, not in a relativistic or individualistic manner, but as part of a larger, objective process.

Highlights

St. Maximus' concept of logos as the reason for existence, purpose, origin, and end of all things.

Introduction of 'Logos' as a map of meaning, as described by Jordan Peterson.

The idea of 'Logia' as the plural of logos, representing different qualities of things.

Logos and Logia being woven together to sustain the existence of the world.

The human being as a microcosm and a condensation of the cosmos.

Human participation in creation as an image of God, as seen in the book of Genesis.

The caution against viewing religious stories as encyclopedic knowledge equivalent to modern science.

The discovery of logos as a personal journey and refinement of understanding.

The misuse of the world as a form of sin, leading to untruth and separation.

The concept that sin is not just breaking rules but misaligning with the true purpose of things.

The example of treating a person as a tool for personal gratification as a form of sin.

The metaphysics of sex, exploring the logos of sexuality with multiple purposes.

Sexuality's ultimate logos as an image of the mystical union with God.

The transcendent purpose of sexuality, binding multiple reasons into a unified relationship.

The idea that everything in life can follow the process of logos, from work to beauty.

The transformative vision of the world when engaging with it through the frame of logos.

The concept of love as the manner in which different people and intentions can join in communion.

The shining of hidden Logia in creation, making the world appear bright and full.

Transcripts

[Music]

and so st. Maximus explains that all

things have a logos which are which is

its reason for existin its purpose and

its origin all at once and even its end

so it's all those things at once and on

top of that each thing has a multitude

of Logie that's a word you've probably

never heard before

Loki is the plural of logos and so the

the Loki they're like the different

qualities of things so the blueness of

the blue are the slowness of the slow

and all of these slogans are brought

together they're woven together we could

say to sustain the existence of the

world it's really a map of meaning to

use Jordans words

now these Logie these essences let's say

of things they don't exist independently

in the same way that scientists believe

things exist out there rather they exist

as they come together as they are joined

together in our encounter with the world

in a pattern we could say so we could

say for example like that a sunset has a

certain amount of loci maybe even an

indefinite amount of characteristics of

a sunset but as they come together to be

the experience of this sunset that's how

we experience reality that's how we

become into contact with reality so all

these qualities that's a light-colored

vertical horizontal and the things the

Sun the sky the earth all of these

things and I could go on there's an

indefinite amount of them what's

important in making that experience real

is how all those Loki's are united so

and in a way they're they're united

within us and human beings for

accidents are seen as this laboratory

where the whole world finds its cohesion

and he expresses it in the sense that

the human being is a microcosm you could

say a condensation of the cosmos so the

place where the cosmos comes together to

make sense and a good way to see it is

is that human beings actually

participate being in the image of God

they participate in creation we see that

in the book of Genesis the book of

Genesis God tells Adam to name the

animals and so by his logos

participating in a limited way in the

same manner that the divine logos was

the source of everything and the human

participation in this process is not a

relativistic thing it's not an

individual thing I mean though it is

flexible it's nonetheless the most

objective of processes as father Ted

mentioned and so we need to be cautious

though because st. Maximus warns us that

it's not just a philosophy or it's not

just a technical description of the

world this is important because thinking

that religious stories are exactly the

same kind of encyclopedic knowledge of

modern science is the wrong way to go

with this these logos these truth about

things are are categories of our

engagement with the world so maybe today

we might call them phenomena sent

phenomenological categories and so the

discovery of truth of logos it's a

personal journey

it's simultaneously a refinement of our

understanding of the world but at the

same time it becomes a refinement of our

person so to discover the true nature of

things is to walk on a path of truth so

food is a wonderful thing and it's

useful for life but gluttony leads to

our destruction

wealth is useful to accomplish important

things but

rots the soul so you see it's not just a

description of the world it's a path

that walk as we discover the world and

so sin in this vision of the world at

horrible world that horrible word that

no one wants to hear sin isn't just the

breaking of arbitrary rule but it it's

in the misuse of the world and that

misuse of the world ends up being an

untruth ends up being a liar or

something that's false something that

separates things from each other

it's found when things are not aligned

with their purposes so for example a

person is not only a tool for my own

gratification person is not just a tool

so that it can advance myself in the

world and if I treat a person

exclusively like that then I will

inevitably sin against that person I

mean of course it doesn't mean that a

person cannot act as a tool for my

gratification if I go see the Baker and

I get bread from him he's the method by

which I get my bread but the baker is

not just a baker he he is a full person

just as myself so when we steal or rely

or vici it's because we're not

considering to pay the person facing us

to be a full-blown person to be what

they are according to their logos but we

see them only as limited things only as

tools so this is true of people of

things and of actions so I was thinking

about I was trying to think about the

best example that I could think of to to

show this in terms of action and and and

I thought of giving the example of of

sex so we did the metaphysics of peppe's

so I think we can get away with the

metaphysics of sex I hope

but it's a question that desperately

needs to be answered today in our

topsy-turvy kind let's say so what is

the logos of sexuality well it has many

loci many purposes it's for the

propagation of the species I hope at

least a few of you still think that

despite what many people would want us

to believe it creates families and

communities it brings two people

together and the type of communion in an

expression of love and it brings

pleasure those so those will be would be

some of the lobby I'm sure we could find

more but some those would be some of the

loggia that sex exists and there could

be more

but the idea in division of logos is

that all those things need to be brought

together in a pattern of some sort

for them to be a path towards logos so

if we think of the different loci and we

bring them together trying to think of

the word what does that work when we all

those things are together I think we

have a word sacking of the church I'll

let you figure it out what it is when

all those things come together and so

each of the separate purposes of sex

that I mentioned they're not wrong

they're fine but they become alive when

we bring them together if we don't then

each separate purpose appears as a kind

of falsehood it appears a kind of

lacking but that's not enough let's say

for a truly traditional or a truly

complete vision of sexuality it cannot

end there has to move towards the

infinite it has to move towards God and

so the ultimate logos of sexuality is to

be an image of the mystical union with

God I mean it's to be an image of our

union with that with with what is beyond

us I mean that image of the mystical

union of

with the soul with Christ with his

church the marriage of heaven and earth

is a completely traditional image that

we find in in in the Church Fathers or

in our tradition and so that that image

of the ultimate union the highest union

with the infinite then it comes back

down into the multiple logo all those

other reasons for sexuality that I

mentioned and it fills them it makes

them participate in a transcendent

purpose and becomes the very

relationship that binds them together

and everything in our life can follow

that process work food sleep beauty and

to engage the world in that frame is is

to find light everywhere to see life

everywhere the world is no longer made

of the dead lifeless dirt the dead

lifeless material that we used to to

make things with and as we become better

as people more truthful more grateful

more free as we come closer to one

another in love and by the way that's

what love is love is the manner in which

all different things all different

people all different intentions can join

together and exist in communion and can

become one while at the same time

preserving the multiplicity so as we

follow this path the hidden Logie in

creation they shine through the world

and today we might say that they rien

tant the world and the world appears

bright and full and not the grey and

dead shadows we often live so that would

be I hope a summary let's say of that

path of logos

you