The axiom of relativism is that “one can never escape from human subjectivity.” It posits that there is no objective reality, and thus no Truth or Sovereign Good. Schuon exposes the absurdity of this attitude from a multitude of angles in this essay. In the course of the discussion, the author examines the nature of human intelligence, several fundamental errors of modern psychology, the "rebellious spirit" of latter times, and our true human vocation.

None Specified

An act of contrition attributed to revered Sufi practitioner Abu Madyan with a brief historical introduction by R. W. Austin.

Hindu society prescribes a standard of purity for women that requires rigorous dedication and sacrifice. Likening the story of Sita to the Crucifixion of Christ, Iengar explains how her banishment by Rama served not only to purify the generations of women before and after her, but also to reveal the incessant pride and skepticism of man.

Between Platonic philosophy and Christian theology there exists a contrast regarding the role of logic in understanding divine Reality. According to Platonist thought, there is nothing within the structure of divine Reality which does not conform to logical analysis. This led the Platonists to dismiss such doctrines as the Trinity as absurd. Christian theology, while not denying the validity and significance of logic, maintain that metaphysicial Reality is beyond the reach of logic, and as such can only be express in paradoxical terms.

The modern age is one in which error and evil are regarded as having equal standing to that of truth and goodness, and beauty is seen as a frivolous luxury that must be sacrificed for the purposes of economic growth. Lord Northbourne refutes these ideas by demonstrating the metaphysicial link between truth, goodness, and beauty, showing that goodness cannot be found in error or illusion, and that beauty is not a "subjective impression or pleasurable accident," but an "essential aspect of reality itself."

The actions and beliefs leading to the modern environmental crisis can be traced to a commonly held misunderstanding of human nature. Ignorance of the Absolute, as well as the "Self which resides at the Centre of man's being," has led to the development of materialistic ideals and the degradation of the humanities in the West. Worse still, civilizations in the East have begun to adopt the modern Western notion of progress, furthering man's isolation from the Centre. Nasr urges modern societies to shift their focus inward, challenge their conceptions of scientific "objectivity," and recall Centre which is the origin of all things.