The idea of the absolutely First must be entirely…
““The idea of the absolutely First must be entirely separated from all conception of or reference to anything else; for what involves a second is itself a second to that second. The First must therefore be present and immediate, so as not to be second to a representation. It must be fresh and new, for if old it is second to its former state. It must be initiative, original, spontaneous, and free; otherwise it is second to a determining cause. It is also something vivid and conscious; so only it avoids being the object of some sensation. It precedes all synthesis and all differentiation; it has no unity and no parts. It cannot be articulately thought: assert it, and it has already lost its characteristic innocence; for assertion always implies a denial of something else. Stop to think of it, and it has flown! What the world was to Adam on the day he opened his eyes to it, before he had drawn any distinctions, or had become conscious of his own existence—that is first, present, immediate, fresh, new, initiative, original, spontaneous, free, vivid, conscious, and evanescent. Only, remember that every description of it must be false to it.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The “First” is a pure, immediate, unconditioned experience that cannot be captured by thought or description.
In simple terms: Pure, immediate experience cannot be described.
Key Takeaway
Seek unmediated present moments.
Themes
philosophy
existence
consciousness
Mood
reflective
abstract
Type
Existence:1
Conscious Existence:0
Distinctions Conscious:0
Assertion Implies:0
Sensation Precedes:0
When to use this quote
- meditative practice
- creative inspiration
- theoretical discussion
Key Concepts
firstness
immediacy
ineffability
Questions to Reflect On
- How can one experience the “First” without language?
- What does this suggest about the limits of thought?
A Different Perspective
Such abstract concepts may be inaccessible to many.