In Times Which Seem Like Self-Psychotherapy He Says To Himself:Oh, Vienna

Novel: Times 1–4, Chapter 48 She talks about the scientific approach

I pick Hildemar up at five, we are walking through the marshes to her chalet by seven; all is quiet, I want to tell her what a bitch her little sister has been, but I don’t. I light the wood burner, Hildemar boils the kettle on the small calor-gas hob, we have bread, with cheese, with fruit; we are a proper, simple little couple.

Hildemar tells me that her thesis is nearly there; she thinks philosophy has a good future, that we are in an age when mankind wants to know more about himself. Also we are in a time where we have the wherewithal to understand how to develop the hypotheses; she says that this is unique, never before has this bridge been reached.

She talks about the ancients, where the knowledge was with the limited few, and those few were often deep in argument, or disagreement. She talks about the scientific approach, when those in the know became more certain of their basis, although, partly through their mind-boggling jargon, they almost obliterated their audience.

Finally Hildemar says that only now, when the professionals understand the need for subtlety, for engagement, only now when the audience has reached a…