Theos-Talk Archives (August 1997 Message tt00039)

Dear Bart:

I wrote a good more than the first 7 paragraphs of my memo on the
Neanderthals as samples of the PHYSICAL record of a limited
section of mankind. Why should one assume that there is a
uniform, round-the-world period when all humans were identical in
general structure? Look around us today at the many diverse human
forms that can come together at any one time. Why not in the
past also ?

To this I might add that the amount of fossils so far excavated,
and dated by one method or the other, is extremely small when
contrasted with the large population of the Earth by humans
contempraneous with those fossils, as well as those who lived
before and after.

I agree that one has to use what evidence one finds, but, BUT, to
engarft a whole theory ( or, a working hypothesis ) which will
captivate the minds of most of the children being educated
thereafter is a truly a monstrous thing, for they, being young
and ignorant, have no alternative at that time to consider the
possibility of different alternatives. The "theory," or "working
hypothesis," is for them the TRUTH. Later on in life they find
that this is not totally correct. [ I have been through this
revelatory condition, and have resented the fact that I was not
taught much earlier that the "laws" and "theosries" were only
PARTIAL EXPRESSIONS of the thoughts of advancing investigators in
the sciences.]

As I see it, what Theosophy endeavors to do is two things.

1. It directs thinking persons to examine with care the premises
and bases selected for any theory or hypothesis. [ In the
process of self-education, which is the only process that we,
each one of us, follow; the ability to demand facts and to
criticize opinions is entirely free. ]

2. It tries to present to thoughtful minds everyehwere
cumulative evidence [starting with ISIS, and then to the SD] of
the record of HISTORY (see definition of this process as given in
SD I p. 272-3 ). I do not mean the kind of history that is
accepted today in our academies, where, if critically examined it
will be found to constantly change, as new evidence is accessed
and accepted, I mean the record that a group of scientists and
historians would record for each other and for the educated of
all races so that a review of mankind's evolution, physically,
psycho-intellectually, and "spiritually-morally," would be
available.

Such a record does not necessarliy follow the patterns currently
set by the academies, but rather they have their own methods, and
modern scholars seek to unravel the puzzles of time and language
so that the UNDERLYING MEANING of expressions, myths, and other
records is seen to gradually form a mosaic (admitttedly many
pieces are missing) outling our past.

What modern Theosophy has tried to present are some of the key
missing peices and links, which, when used, will serve to make
the pattern of the puzzles much clearer. We are dealing with the
World as a shole, and the various pieces have to be seen, if
accuracy is required, as part of the whole, each in its own place
in terms of the ladder of time.

If one does not want to undertake the task of this kind of study
then the prejudices of our modern day mind-sets will prevail, and
we will adopt the attitude that modern academies know all that
can be known. If we do that then it saves a lot of thinking for
us, and others, but for the true investigator, that is
insufficient. it is for such a serious investigator that I
speak.

Ask any true, honest scientist or researcher, I mean a person at
the height of his profession, in any one of the departments of
academia, and you will find that they tell you that they are
seeking for confirmation of those theories which they have
accepted as a "working basis" for learning. { I write this
because for many years I did this kind of work, seeking for
University level texts and reference material for publication.]

In regerd to the general populace who may not be interested in
such work, it is not very helpful to saddle them with ideas that
may be inaccurate. Let us agree to call a spade a spade and a
theory a theory. There is no special need that I see to hoodwink
others simply because they have not achieved the level of
education that any one else has.

You do not say what you think of the rest of my essay !

Best wishes, Dallas