The Suffering of Certainty (The Wisdom of Uncertainty)
Wisdom is the Way & Peace is the Project
Yesterday’s post discussed Three Ancient Maxims for Modern Living, which were inscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi: “know thyself, nothing to excess, and certainty brings insanity.” One reader rightly observed that the last maxim, “certainty brings insanity,” was not covered too well. So, today is an opportunity to explore this maxim a little further!
What is certainty? And how could certainty possibly cause insanity?
The question of certainty may sound straightforward. Most modern dictionaries point to a “firm conviction that something is true” or the “quality of being reliably true.” But from a philosophical perspective (not my area of expertise), certainty becomes a little more complicated (check out Stanford’s Encyclopedia of Philosophy take on certainty for a deeper dive).
What is the goal or project of wisdom traditions?
Simply put, most traditions focus on living well or becoming wiser (that is why they are called wisdom traditions). Yes, they may have slightly different approaches, but they all aim to reduce suffering and increase tranquility.
If peace is the project across traditions. Then the question is, how does certainty lead to suffering (or insanity at the extreme)? One way is that “certainty” goes against how the world works. As Seneca put it, “the whole future lies in uncertainty.” Striving for certainty in an uncertain world is similar to swimming against the current in a river (at least in my mind). At some point, you are going to tire out (or potentially go insane).
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein
There are many things that we should have a sense of certainty about. For example, if we were to walk in the rain without an umbrella, we will naturally get wet. We all know this to be true, and when it happens, we are rarely upset by it. But let’s look at a slightly more complicated example — if I decide to plant a garden and follow the necessary steps. I will feel a firm conviction (or a sense of certainty) that my vegetables will grow. However, there are also many things outside of my control — like hungry rabbits that might eat my fresh vegetables. Or, an unexpected cold front could cause issues for my new garden. I could become injured (or worse) and be unable to tend this garden. Although there are many things we should have certainty about since everything is interconnected, we often still experience a high level of uncertainty.
Take the Stoic exercise Premeditatio Malorum (or meditate in advance on what might go wrong). Seneca wrote,
“What is quite unlooked for is more crushing in its effect, and unexpectedness adds to the weight of a disaster. This is a reason for ensuring that nothing ever takes us by surprise. We should project our thoughts ahead of us at every turn and have in mind every possible eventuality instead of only the usual course of events… Rehearse them in your mind: exile, torture, war, shipwreck. All the terms of our human lot should be before our eyes.”
The purpose of the exercise is not to prevent these types of events from happening — that is not always possible. The exercise helps to reduce the suffering that arises when things do not go as expected. Similar to a vaccine, it doesn’t prevent you from catching a virus — it simply minimizes the likelihood of it causing major health problems.
The suffering of certainty arises when we cling to or grasp to how we believe life should unfold. Buddhist and Stoic teachings help us to accept life however it may unfold. As Epictetus famously said, “There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things beyond the power of our will.”
Certainty is in the category of beyond our power.
Although it is difficult and often scary to accept the notion that many things are outside our control, a previous meditation discussed Three Eternal Truths for the Art of Living, explaining that life is not permanent, personal, or perfect. Another eternal truth we can add to this long list is that life is not certain.
If you’re interested in exploring the wisdom of not knowing (or living in uncertainty) check out this short video:
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Thank you for reading; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
P.S. As always, thank you for the comments and questions! If anything is ever unclear (or confusing) it is an opportunity to explore an idea further. Also, please keep in my mind the words of Heraclitus: “Whatever I say, the opposite is also true.” There are many paradoxes in the search for wisdom…
Sorry, it’s taken me so long to get back to you on this because I am just so impressed with how you referenced the comment I had made when you originally published on this topic. You certainly clarified the issue and I am so grateful that you did. This issue of certainty goes to the heart of so many sources of anxiety in our lives today because things have gotten so complicated. And we crave certainty. We need a certain amount to keep our equilibrium, but as it is with everything else, and this goes to the heart of stoicism, too much of a good thing often becomes a problem. Thank you so much for clarifying this issue. All the best,