Upon Reading the Sophists

This poem is written in the style of one of my students, it was written as a response to a poem of his that he turned in as a paper.  Not only does it apply to the Sophists of Ancient Greece, but to the modern sophists, both political and religious.  It both applies to those who see science and fact as the only way to truth, as well as those who for religious reasons stand against science.

“Nothing Exists”

         But, if it exists it must be something

                     and nothing at the same time.

         But this is impossible

         Therefore: Nothing does not exist.

Pascal:  “These empty spaces frighten me.”

         Wow!

         If nothing exists and Nothing exists, then Nothing

                     is nothing and therefore empty space.

         This frightens me!

         Consider this: The reading of an empty Newspaper.

                                 How about an empty page?

“If anything exists it is incomprehensible.”

                     Good!  If it were comprehensible then I would be

                                 frightened.

                     And I don’t like that.

         If it exists then it is nothing, because Nothing exists.

         If it is comprehensible then I can understand it.

         But it is empty space.   Therefore it frightens me.

         But I don’t like to be frightened:  therefore it is

                     better if it were incomprehensible, because then

                     I wouldn’t understand it and I wouldn’t be

frightened.

“If the concepts of the mind are not realities, reality cannot be thought.”

         True, some of reality is the concepts of my mind.

         And it is obvious that I can think.  Can’t I?

         I do think.  Don’t I?

I don’t think?   Hmm… Concepts are the only reality?

                     Hmm…. Knowledge is relative.  Hmm….

        

But:  Knowledge is relative to the thing known,

 not to the knower.

What did you say, “I don’t understand.”?

         But I do understand.  You are leading me.