why egological monk?

'egological' is a term i picked up from mark sacks' Objectivity and Insight (2003). briefly, it represents the logic of perspectivism 'inherent' to the human condition of the self. "the egological conception [of the subject] regards the subject as one whose core normative structures are autonomous -- independent of contextual features -- and so attributes rational autonomy to the subject" [146]. a downfall (among many): the objective world can't be really known by the subject, nor by the world at large (thus, varying degrees of a disappointing skepticism). so, why did i pick such a drab and apparently pessimistic title?

the subject/object divide remains one of the longest-standing disputes in philosophy. it's approach seems most often irrefutable (at the very least, but modern sciences), yet it has failed for some time now to deliver any appropriate results for a developing and reconceptualizing community now coming to terms with spirituality, intimate sociality, and even quantum mechanics. yes, we westerners are cognitively different -- there's no sidestepping that -- and one of the obstacles that we have 'made for ourselves' through our memetic evolution includes this trap, a gut reaction to how the world surely must be. but it is turning up empty more often than not nowadays. fortunately, the divide has found its overlaps too many times, as brave thinkers carefully step over the gulf edge to find the distance between edges supported by a glass flooring. looking through the glass, and abandoning our rational objectives for even a moment, we can see the nature of our condition and forgive (again, for even a moment) the inequity of its calibre.

do we forgive this through ignorance? avoidance? i don't think so. one can't see the condition until after having acknowledged the metaphysical divide we've posited. those who are willing to be mindful of it and not give up can experience the effect.

the monk knows this experience, or desires to. the monk buries himself in the occupation of contemplation and surrender. were s/he already God, already the Buddha, already the Way, s/he would cease to be the monk -- s/he would disappear right there in an instant into the unbounded conscious immanence of Being. as yet, though, his logic still revolves around his isolated ego, his ideas and words still emanate from some 'self,' his thoughts are still in some way 'his.' thus, the monk continues to breathe and reflect, even without thought by some scarce moments of grace, sometimes without a goal or a desire, until...