Book Review: Means to Message by Stanley Jaki

Means to Message: A Treatise on Truth by Stanley Jaki

Any claim to truth must be made through some medium or means that communicates that truth to others. Typically, that is accomplished with words, especially in books, so words need to be used carefully. In a topic as broad as philosophy (which seeks out a wise and deep understanding of all things), many paths can be followed to a destination as all encompassing as the truth. Those paths need to be linked to the object sought or the whole activity is just a word-game. A lot of modern philosophers and scientists have tried to mix their methods with very questionable results. In the medieval period, philosophy and science were closely intertwined. In our modern day, science has been highly mathematicized and philosophy has been marginalized. The two topics still cross over but without deliberate understanding of that crossover.

Stanley Jaki has doctorates in theology and physics and has studied the history of science in depth. Here, he works through various topics, starting with objects, and looks for a more grounded and integrated understanding of truth. Jaki explores how a lot of modern thinkers (both philosophers and scientists) have slipped here and there, leading to greater and greater errors in our knowledge of things.

The book is a little difficult to read. Jaki is so well read that he can reference the famous (like Kant or Einstein) and less famous with ease and brevity. Sometimes his brevity is a drawback if the reader isn't well read in the history of science and philosophy. I liked the book and found it valuable but had occasional rough periods.

Slightly recommended--you need a good grounding in the history of ideas to get the most out of this book.