“How does Hamlet think?” Or Ratiocination Goodish

Last updated on: October 13, 2019 at 9:31 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

“How does Hamlet think?” Or Ratiocination Goodish 2019-10-13T21:31:45-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

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The Beauty of Ratiocination

Ratiocination, precise thinking, is rare, too rare. As a result of a mother who gloried in precision and then the revelation of logic (language given a mathematical precision), ratiocination was always a good in our house. This can be taken too far as there are moments when a request to clarify just what one means by “doing the dishes” may be, just might be, an attempt to dodge the chore and not precision.

A kid can confuse “ratiocination” (good in its time) with pettifoggery. . .an endless fascination on foolish detail. This is an academic disease where the text and beauty can be lost in endless (and unsolvable in facts) discussions of sources of lines. Still, many of us dislike precision, because we prefer the fog of a lack of clarity to live with our contradictions. For example, we follow a Christ who told us to love our enemies, but we hate our enemies in some polite, civilized, political way. Clarity, ratiocination, would expose us. In fact, the pettifoggery of academics can help us avoid clarity by dealing with endless, useless things that allow us to miss our needs. Pettifoggery avoids the clear light of ratiocination by worshipping the devils of the details.

God help us.

Ratiocination with a Mind in a Body

We try pettifoggery, but there is a more subtle way to avoid the necessary clarity, the True Light, that comes from the Logos. We think with our minds using our bodies.* Shakespeare’s Hamlet, thinks, looks for clarity, but is often strangely detached from his body.

He forgets that words and deeds must connect. Reason should be a prelude to action (or a refraining from action), not an excuse to postpone action. Hamlet’s uncle, the murderous King, says: “My words fly my thoughts remain below; words without thoughts never to heaven go.” The King will not act, so his words are useless.

Hamlet talks a lot, but his actions are often spasmodic, the result of emotion. He means to kill the King, but in a hot passion kills the father of the woman he loves instead. This error, and the evils it causes, may wake Hamlet up. Ratiocination,

When all has gone badly, Polonius dead, Ophelia gone, then Hamlet stands in a grave and says: “This is I, Hamlet the Dane.”** Hamlet sees his full self at the very end of the play and so can die with a degree of dignity. He is a man with a body. “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince. . .”

God help us to think with our minds and recognize our bodies.

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*I am thankful for Dr. Timothy Bartel, poet and professor, for the initial question that inspired a College day of discussion on Hamlet (the famed Keystone Day on Hamlet), that inspired these initial mediations. Thank God for the college students who guided us. If you want debt-free, classical, Christian college, check out this school.

**Insight from Professor David Gilbert. Hamlet 5.1 237.

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