Alan Watts and Ludwig Wittgenstein
Both suggest that the deepest truths are not captured by language but experienced directly
Alan Watt's religious views underwent a profound transformation after writing "Behold The Spirit" in 1947. Initially, Watt's work reflected a deep-rooted belief in Christian mysticism, particularly influenced by his time spent studying at the University of Oxford where he explored the more esoteric aspects of Christianity. "Behold The Spirit" was a testament to his belief in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the personal experience of the divine and the mystical elements within Christian tradition. However, this phase of his life was marked by a strong adherence to traditional Christian doctrines, albeit with a mystical twist.
Post-"Behold The Spirit," Watt's journey took him down a path of questioning and reevaluation. His time in India, where he spent several years studying Eastern philosophies, significantly altered his perspective. This exposure to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufism led him to see parallels between the mystical experiences described in various religious traditions. He began to develop a more universalist approach to spirituality, moving away from the exclusivity of Christian doctrine towards an understanding that spiritual truths might be found across different faiths. This shift was evident in his subsequent works, where he explored the concept of a universal spiritual tradition underlying all religions.
Watt's later writings and lectures, such as those compiled in "The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are" (1966), reflect a synthesis of Eastern and Western thought. Here, he proposed that the essence of all religions could be interpreted through the lens of non-duality, a concept heavily influenced by Advaita Vedanta. His views evolved to see Christianity not as the sole path to spiritual enlightenment but as one among many expressions of the same fundamental truth. This was a significant departure from his earlier works, where Christian mysticism was central, to a more eclectic and inclusive spirituality. The culmination of Alan Watt's religious evolution can be seen in his embrace of the mystical, a state where the individual ego dissolves into a universal awareness, transcending religious labels.
The philosopher and logician Ludwig Wittgenstein, in his "Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus," famously concludes with the proposition, "Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent." This statement, often interpreted as an acknowledgment of the limits of language in describing the mystical, aligns with Watts's exploration of the ineffable nature of spiritual experience. Both thinkers recognize a dimension of human experience that transcends logical and linguistic articulation - what Wittgenstein calls "the mystical."
Wittgenstein's notion of "the mystical" suggests that there are aspects of reality that lie beyond the scope of empirical knowledge or logical analysis. It's the realm where language fails, and this resonates with Watts's views on Zen Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. Watts often discussed how traditional Western philosophy, with its emphasis on logic and rational discourse, struggles to convey the essence of mystical experience. In his interpretations of Zen, Watts emphasized the importance of direct experience over intellectual understanding, much like Wittgenstein's idea that some truths can only be shown, not said.
Moreover, both Watts and Wittgenstein grapple with the paradox of trying to express the inexpressible. Watts, in his lectures and writings, would often use poetic and metaphorical language to hint at the nature of spiritual enlightenment, acknowledging that these experiences are inherently beyond words. This is akin to Wittgenstein's approach where he uses language to draw boundaries around what can be meaningfully discussed, thereby indirectly pointing towards the mystical. Watts's discussion of the "silence" in Zen, where true understanding occurs in the absence of verbal explanation, parallels Wittgenstein's silence about the mystical - both suggest that the deepest truths are not captured by language but experienced directly.
In summary, the connection between Alan Watts and Wittgenstein lies in their shared recognition of the limits of language in capturing the mystical or spiritual dimensions of life. While Watts approached this from a more philosophical and spiritual perspective, incorporating Eastern thought into Western philosophy, Wittgenstein approached it from a logical and linguistic standpoint. Both philosophers, in their unique ways, underline the idea that some aspects of human experience are inherently beyond the reach of conventional communication, leading to a deeper appreciation for the silent, ineffable aspects of existence.
