ABSTRACT
AsDavidBohmpointsout.metaphysicsisasortofpoetry;andwe arealltalkingpoetryallthetime-ifyoudoubtit.lookagainatwhat RichardGregoryhastosayaboutsuchabasicactivityasperception. Aspoetry.metaphysicscanbeabsorbedthroughcommunication-channels otherthanextendedrationalexposition.So.tobeginthismetaphysicalexperimentalist'sautobiography,Iwillmentiontwo(orperhapsthree)notions whichinfiltratedintomythinkingataveryearlystage,withoutmuch
benefitofacademicdignity,andwhichhaveremainedthereeversince. WhenIwasaschoolboytherewasapeculiarperiodafteryouhadtakenyour
entranceorscholarshipexaminationstotheuniversityinDecemberofyearn. andbeforeyouactuallywenttotheuniversityinOctoberofyearn+1.This wasthetimewhenyourschoolmasterscouldreallyhavefunwithyou.Ihad beenintheclassicalsixthform.learningmainlyLatinandGreekandacertain amountofmathematics;butwhenitdawnedonmethatallmyfriendswere leavingandIhadbetterleavetooandgototheuniversity,IdecidedIhadbetter trytogetinonthebasisofchemistry.Fortunatelywehadachemistrymaster. E.J.Holmyard,whowassomethingofageniusofateacher.Duringonesummer holidayandautumnterm,hetaughtmethewholeofchemistry,atleastenough topushmeintothelowestgradeofassistedentrytotheuniversity,anExhibition. Afterthathecouldreallybreaklooseandteachmewhathewasinterestedin. Hispassionateint'eresthappenedtobethefunctionsoftheAlexandrianGnostics. andtheArabicAlchemistsderivedfromthem.intransmittingboththephilosophicalideasandthetechnicalknowhowfromtheGreekcivilizationwhich expiredaroundAD200,totheEuropeanonewhichbegantocomealiveatthe Quattrocento.SohemademelearnasmatteringofArabicandlookatalarge numberofveryoddlateHellenisticdocuments.Twoideasstuck:
~Theworldegg'Things'areessentiallyeggs-pregnantwithGod-knows-what. Youlookatthemandtheyappearsimpleenough,withablanddefiniteshape, ratherimpenetrable.Youglanceawayforabitandwhenyoulookbackwhat youfindisthattheyhaveturnedintoafluffyyellowchick,activelyrunningabout andallsettogetimprintedonyouifyouwillgiveithalfachance.Unsettling, evenperhapsabitsinister.ButonestrandofGnosticthoughtassertedthat everythingislikethat.
