Reflections on the chapter of cognition

Reflections on the chapter of cognition, Zen Training Methods of Philosophy. It occurs to me as I reflect on this chapter cognition occurs in three phases.

This is cognition as viewed by a person who considers himself to be intuitive.

First, let us take the example of first sight love. Two people note they like each other upon first encounter.

They enjoy their company for a while and then they depart. This episode represents the first period, it can last for milliseconds or hours or even days.


This period whatever time it may take represents pure cognition or apprehension or what have you. It is a given thing. You say match made in heaven or what have you. It just happens and sometimes it does not.

Now, the second stage is reflection concerning whether to make this real, start relationship and then marry, or get over it. Whatever decisions one makes given relevant factors, concludes the second stage.

One may suspend judgment, in which case one remains in the second stage.

The third stage is implementation of whatever decision that has been made in the second stage.

This concludes the period and new one starts. As always the previous one influences what is present now and so it goes.


This then is the way cognition works. It is analogous to the famous thesis, antithesis and synthesis of Hegel.