“I know everything.” Obviously this is not true no matter who makes the claim. Sergeant Schultz in Hogan’s Heroes was closer to the truth when he frequently said “I know nothing.” This same thought process can be applied to Happiness. While we maintain (here on hopelesshappiness.com) that Consistent Long-lasting Happiness (CLH) is unknowable, we can make a valid argument for its existence as a limiting concept. If it did not exist, then philosophically-speaking we could not pursue it; and just as we pursue higher levels of knowledge, we will continue to pursue higher levels of Happiness.

I have recently been working on wrapping my brain around the phenomena / noumena distinction; or (very) simply defined – sensory reality (phenomena) vs. ideas or thoughts unknowable through the senses (noumena). Kant’s ‘thing-in-itself’ (ding an sich) expands upon this concept, and invites some philosophical controversy and debate, but in-depth explanations are not necessary to understand that Happiness in its perfect form, as a higher-order state, falls outside the realm of sensory reality. If you refer to The Periodic Happiness Table of Elements introduced on this site, you will see some elements that fall within this realm, and others that do not. Of those that at first glance do not, they may ultimately create (or contribute to) a sensory reality that enriches Happiness.

So …

Philosophy and Life Experience teach us that there are certain things beyond our sensory grasp; yet we can intuitively or ideologically reach them with our minds. I believe what this tells us is that we should strive for the unknowable, and as we do so the knowledge we gain will take us ever closer to that boundary between sensory reality and the realm of ultimate Truth.

To know hopelessness is to encourage hope.