Thought
Persons of the Dialogue
Director
Student
Worker
1
"Thought is finding your way out of the labyrinth, back to where you entered," said Student.
"Why not finding your way to the exit on the other side?" asked Worker.
"That doesn't involve any thinking."
"Why not? Isn't it just as hard to find either, entrance or exit?"
"Don't ask me why not!" said Student, sounding exasperated. "The entrance is the exit. It's just how the metaphor works."
"I don't like the metaphor," said Worker. "You know what I would do if I got lost deep inside? I'd just keep on knocking down walls until I hit daylight!"
Director laughed heartily.
"Is that thinking?" asked Student.
"Oh," said Director, "he'd still be finding his way out of the maze, so I'd say yes it is, my friend."
"What if he's not in the maze, but on the outside when he starts knocking down the walls?"
"What would be the point of that?" asked Worker.
"I don't know! I'm just saying."
Worker considered this for a moment. "I suppose I might be rescuing someone trapped inside."
"But then that person never learns how to think for himself."
"Better to be freed and unable to think than stuck inside, no?"
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Nick Pappas, pappasnick.typepad.com
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