The apotheosis of groundlessness states that there are no
grounds for logic, beliefs etc. However, Shestov outlines one fundamental
aspect of our existence. The world is mysterious. Shestov argues that any
systematic worldview is an attempt to classify and impose limitations on things
when there are actually no limits, everything is possible (facticity aside). He
states that the desire to have an all-encompassing system we can live by is a
product of weakness and true mental strength is experiencing this mystery in
its entirety without all of the stabilizing assumptions we apply to it. Next
Shestov attacks formal logic and logical positivism in particular. He states
that any system of reasoning such as those proposed in Kant's critique of pure
reason are human constructs that should be regarded as tools and all truths
that are derived from them are provisional. He condemns Kant for claiming this
is all we can know and if you exceed the limits of logic your knowledge is
useless. He goes on to say that on the other end, meta-physicians are taking
logical deduction to such extremes that their metaphysics are basically myths
they have fabricated which in turn enslave them and bias their actions. However
he does say that this myth making is a good thing and that one should explore
as many possible ways of being in the universe while we live.
This idea of myth making and self-imposed limitations can
easily be applied to how we explain and clarify ideas in greater magic. In each
magic grimoire is contained a set of limitations and a mythos or metaphysics.
We should explain magic in a way that clarifies what we are doing. we are accepting
a construct (a tool like logic, math etc.) that is designed to reveal
provisional truths in the realm of a singular individual's subjective
experience or view the world through a specific philosophical lens. We accept
the forms in the working, but we are necessarily above them and capable of
dissolving, refuting or creating an antithesis to any of these forms if we
desire because a magician who practices self-deism is above these limitations.
Therefore, there is no need for any rational or empirical justification for
magic as there are no rational justifications for other useful tools. All of
these thought tools are justified pragmatically and by a particular
metaphysics.
