Many Routes to Naturalism

Hi R--,

I'm quite sure I'm there too. I feel it in my bones - so to speak. It feels right, and has consistently done so now for some time. I'm "home".

But where am I in relation to the "person in the street", that is, how do I report my position on a grid that could be understood by mostly anyone? I've not followed a particularly simple and straight path to "here". I've looked in over fences and side roads as I passed by. I've traveled, and taken in the landscape, collected and discarded things here and there - I've not gone by a route that's simple, nor perhaps even possible to describe to anyone asking directions. I'm not sure it's a simple thing to describe the route to take to "here" for anyone as everyone starts out differently, and they certainly shall have different encounters along the way. A rigorous study of philosophy perhaps could be one route description, but that's neither simple, nor is it possible for most. It may be that I should just describe to others where I am at, what I see from here, how good it feels, and then should they so wish they may be more able to find this outstanding place. How to do that succinctly, as non-technically as possible?

"As neurally instantiated cybernetic processes, we do control our own behavior in service to our needs and desires. It's just that we don't have ultimate contra-causal control to choose ourselves or our desires ex nihilo. Rather, we've been 'designed' by biology and culture to be loci of proximate control that have considerable recursive influence over themselves."

This quote particularly, and the rest of the post above commenting on  Joseph Heller's stated "place" in his 75th year, I think describes the place well. I do have to read it carefully yet, unpacking some words and phrases as I go, however I feel in time that I'll assimilate these few sentences just as they are. And then as required may be better able to describe this "place".

– Graeme