THE CONSCIENCE, THE MIND AND THE INNOVATION ARENA

“We hold these truths to be self-evident……………………….” Thomas Jefferson in the United States declaration of Independence

When Thomas Jefferson made the above statement, America and indeed the greater part of the world were ushered into a dimension of living based on the mental awareness and agreement with an unwritten code of ethics based solely on a man’s conscience.

“………….we hold these “truths” to be self-evident,” Many years down the line, some new generation of Americans have unwittingly disagreed on the existence of “truths” (the concept of “no absolute truth” which has given birth to the pleasure-without-limits scenes and lyrics we get in the media) not to mention that they are self-evident.

I would like to explore a little on the distance between “truth” and “The Mind”, Obviously by Thomas Jefferson thinking some things are just the right thing to do (conscience) and his mind agreed with it (self-evident). When we talk of evidence, we imply reason (the mind). The declaration of Independence and the self-evidencing truths proclaimed therein for centuries created a moral framework for life in America as it brought God to the equation (“…………….endowed by the creator to certain inalienable rights”). Thus with regard to morals, individuals can mentally assent to and appreciate certain virtues simply because they are right (a qualitative term qualified by the conscience).

Note that “we” hold it to be self-evident, truths are not self evident by themselves till we hold it!

NOT LIMITED BUT INEXTRICABLY LINKED

However it is not only morals that are self-evident, to appreciate this I would like to emphasize that there is an interval between a man’s awareness of truth (conscience) and the period it becomes self evident. Today it is a self-evident truth that metals can fly in the air faster than the speed of sound, but at a certain time it existed as“awareness” in the mind of the Wright brothers and some other folks. Microsoft is an evidenced truth which initially was just an “awareness” till someone evidenced it. I know that innovations comes first as an “awareness” akin to moral awareness of truth without rational or scientific backing, the individual interacts with this “awareness” of which he is inept at explaining but convinced none the less. That interval is the arena of faith.

To mentally conceptualize and bring about a practical demonstration of a man’s awareness, his mind must be involved. For centuries America demonstrated that the moral values embedded in the “self-evidencing truths” can make a nation great. Businesses were built based on those truths and before our very eyes we are seeing the destruction that has arisen because those truths have begun to appear “non-evident”.

I must say then that the conscience is not limited to morals alone but also includes innovation and both can be brought to practical demonstration in a mind that has retained the knowledge of God without which the truths would be hard to evidence!

AFRICA

In Africa, as the Agent of Change intercedes for a Nation’s plight in prayers. He or She invariably would become exposed to certain “awareness of truth”, by this I mean of certain things which have to be and are right. My responsibility and our leader’s failings are to evidence these truths, a failing largely due to the inability to retain God in a man’s knowledge.

The reason why we are yet to eradicate HIV/AIDS and Malaria is simply because we are expecting folks who have lost the essential ingredient to produce the results. Note that one can exercise faith without knowing God (this has been the domain of science) but then the ones that has a claim on God ought to bring about more practical demonstration of his faith.

In conclusion, as we become “aware” (conscience not limited to morals) of certain things that ought to be, let us not separate the mind from it. The question “How shall these things be” in my own opinion is one of the most scientific questions and it was made by Mary the mother of Jesus, she got an answer that a mind could relate to and you and I today provide evidence to her awareness and response.

“…………..now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience and from sincere faith”

Nigeria, Africa is waiting for you to make certain truths self-evident.

Thanks

Okwonna Nelson

nnamdiokwonna@yahoo.com