Beyond Transcendence

Reading Arnold’s description of the more active, non-rational, emotional basis of human behavior was great fun. It was difficult though, because I read his description holding the assumption that it was a criticism. I read it thinking that Arnold’s ideal was for the Thinking Man to cease to be a fiction, and for his readership to assume the vacancy that the Thinking Man pretends to fill. I read it assuming Arnold was calling for humanity to wake up and become emotionally detached Thinking Men.