The Tree of Knowledge: the Biological Roots of Human Understanding. By Maturana &Varela (1998)

The Tree of Knowledge: the Biological Roots of Human Understanding. By Maturana &Varela (1998)

P23.  In the Bronx Zoo in New York City there is a special pavilion for primates. …..Our attention is drawn, however, to a separate cage at the back of the pavilion. It is enclosed with thick bars and bears a sign that says: “The Most Dangerous Primate in the World.”            

As we look between the bars, we see with surprise our own face; the caption…

The moment of reflection before a mirror is always a peculiar moment: it is the moment when we become aware of that part of ourselves which we cannot see in any other way – as when we reveal the blind spot that shows us our own structure; as when we suppress the blindness that it entails, filling the blank space.  Reflection is a process of knowing how we know.  It is an act of turning back upon ourselves.  It is the only chance we have to discover our blindness and to recognise that the certainties and knowledge of others are, respectively, as overwhelming and tenuous as our own.