Concepts as Archetypes

It is often more straightforward to consider when we are not engaged in storytelling. What might it mean to convey unadulterated, factual truth? Concepts themselves serve as models—simplified representations that omit certain details to enhance their utility.

For instance, compare the notion of a dog with a generalized yet harmful stereotype, such as a racist perspective. A racist's view of African-Americans disregards individual merit, judging based on race and imposing a value assessment.

Unfortunately, all nonracist concepts function similarly. Upon encountering a dog for the first time, we think “dog,” a term that prompts us to generalize about its characteristics, focusing only on traits typically associated with that species. Learning the concept of "dog" teaches us that these animals are four-legged companions that bark, wag their tails, and behave in specific ways.

This pattern extends to our understanding of tables, houses, rocks, trees, clouds, and beyond. All concepts are generalizations and prejudgments. Moreover, there are no morally neutral concepts—excluding certain antisocial thought patterns. Our understanding of dogs, for example, implies a euphemism: "pet" can mean "slave." We deem tables advantageous because they serve a purpose better than trees or their raw materials.

Our mental shortcuts are indispensable for navigating the world, serving as tools that simplify complexities. Consequently, our thoughts are predominantly human-centric and self-serving.

The distinction between racism and general concepts lies in the fact that some individuals endure the consequences of racist generalizations, while most concepts apply to non-human elements. While racist assumptions can be misleading and based on erroneous information, all concepts are inherently flawed because they inevitably exclude details.

Given our limited capacity to comprehend every nuance of every phenomenon, simplification is necessary. Racists oversimplify at the expense of marginalized groups, often harming themselves through their narrow-mindedness. Likewise, our anthropocentric perspectives may adversely affect humanity by contributing to unsustainable growth and environmental degradation.

While concepts might serve our needs, they do not accurately reflect reality. No single term encapsulates the essence of a thing; instead, words form part of arbitrary systems of signs disconnected from their referents. Our concepts are human constructs, and our species is an accidental byproduct in a universe indifferent to our desires.

Although concepts themselves are not fictional narratives, they can be seen as caricatures or archetypal figures that populate the stories we tell ourselves. If true understanding requires recognizing a thing's relationship to everything else, then no absolute truth has ever been articulated.

The Triumph of Science

Simplification has always been a part of human inquiry, including scientific theorizing that relies on models and ceteris paribus laws. These generalizations assume a hypothetical scenario where a process unfolds in isolation from external influences. We say, “All things being equal, X causes Y,” meaning that if X were left to function independently, it would likely lead to Y.

In such an idealized scenario, X could not have developed in the first place, and its behavior in a vacuum remains unknown. Even the emptiness of space is filled with subatomic events, yet to understand any aspect of X, we can disregard unrelated factors.

Nevertheless, science aims to elucidate empirical facts rather than tell stories. Contrary to the once-popular postmodern skepticism, science succeeds in this endeavor more effectively than other forms of discourse. Importantly, this success is a matter of degree, not a fundamental difference.

Science conveys probabilities and necessities, not because it achieves absolute, pure factual truth, but because its generalizations are meticulously crafted to minimize human bias. When informed by experiments, scientific concepts remain human-centric and instrumental while striving for objectivity. Therefore, science serves to empower humanity at the expense of the broader world, yet its explanations are not overtly subjective or emotionally charged.

The Essence of Techniques

Perhaps the only facet of human behavior devoid of fiction lies in our application of techniques. In our professional and daily tasks—ranging from blacksmithing and farming to medicine and art—we often suppress our free will, mirroring nature's automated processes.

We refine our approaches to achieve specific goals, accumulating skills and technical knowledge. To excel, we must grasp how the relevant systems function, applying critical thinking and setting aside biases until we master the process.

However, even in these endeavors, fiction subtly infiltrates, as techniques are always geared toward achieving particular ends, which are often rooted in faith, ideals, and narratives rather than mere facts. We learn to play baseball for enjoyment, influenced by the belief that a happy life is paramount—an idea primarily conveyed through stories. Alternatively, we aspire to become professional athletes, idolizing wealth and fame, again shaped largely by cultural narratives.

As philosopher David Hume noted regarding the problem of induction, our expectations of future occurrences are seldom purely empirical; instead, they are driven by an optimistic inclination. We become accustomed to patterns in nature, leading us to assume that involved factors are consistently interconnected.

Such assumptions stem from cultural narratives, as many believe a benevolent deity designed the world to avoid confusion. Alternatively, we might trust in human reason's progressive capacity to make sense of our environment, a belief bolstered by uplifting inner dialogues that contribute to narratives of anthropocentrism or secular humanism.

The Narratives We Embrace

We share countless stories because they help us find meaning in events that, in themselves, lack significance. Science elucidates how things function but does not offer insights into their meaning or purpose. This is where fiction plays a crucial role, as the value of anything does not reside in its physical attributes or natural role. Natural occurrences unfold with discernible regularity, yet their intrinsic order is as cold and impersonal as the vastness of space.

A comprehensive understanding includes a reason to continue living amid life's inherent absurdity. Thus, we take objective explanations and weave them into broader narratives or worldviews. If an objective event resembles forgotten leftovers in the fridge, the narrative we create is the flavorful sauce that enhances any dish.

Perhaps we should be more mindful in evaluating stories based on aesthetic standards. We might choose to discard tales deemed clichéd or lacking artistic merit. This is easily accomplished with popular entertainment, yet it becomes uncomfortable when applied to the realms of religion, politics, or personal narratives, as the latter are often perceived as factual.

More specifically, these stories are captivating, blurring the line between them and our identities; we live these narratives, suspending disbelief not momentarily, as with a novel, but permanently. The distinction between a psychotic individual believing themselves to be a historical figure and a typical person identifying as a Christian or consumer lies in social affirmation; the former's delusion is isolated from societal consensus, while the latter is collectively endorsed yet detached from objective reality.

We manage to suspend disbelief in these critical, life-sustaining narratives until we engage in philosophical reflection. At that moment, we recognize that these theologies, ideologies, and selective memories are essentially constructs that have shaped our imaginations and identities.

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