by Noriyuki Morimoto
Creation cannot arise from the workings of the logical intellect. Intellectual activity only reveals what already exists within the whole in an analytical manner, that is, it only brings to light what is hidden. It does not involve the outward extension of the perimeter: it does not create anything new.
What is created expands the system of knowledge, is logically explained within the system of knowledge, and acquires a logical position. However, this is a one-way development. Reversing this, even if one advances reasoning logically within the system of knowledge, it will only go inward in an analytical manner without expanding the system of knowledge. This is the limit of intelligence.
It has been the task of modern philosophy to demarcate this limit of intellect, and in so doing, philosophy has established itself as the study of all academic fields, grounding the methods of the natural and social sciences.
What, then, were the sources of creativity in modern society? It was desire. Growth of the capitalist economy is fueled by desire, and through further self-propagation of desire, the human world is expanded by leaps and bounds. Thus, when the world of man seems to have overshadowed the indwelling of the world created by God, philosophy places human reason in the place of God and ejects God out of reason. This is where the modern age ends and the post-modern age begins.
Desire is materialized through the use of rational machinations. We want what we want: there is no rationality in that, but rational calculation and tactics are essential to get what we want. Therefore, desire is fulfilled by reason, even if it does not arise from reason; in other words, reason uses desire to expand its own sphere of control.
However, desires are saturated in the contemporary world. Then the reign of reason is complete and the world becomes meaningless. Today’s society seeks meaning in meaninglessness, but meaning can only be found outside of reason. In the present age, creation is counter-rational in the sense that it is the creation of new meanings and remains outside of reason, as something that can no longer be rationalized.
Creation is madness.
[Category /Work-Style Reform]
Chief Executive Officer, HC Asset Management Co.,Ltd. Noriyuki Morimoto founded HC Asset Management in November 2002. As a pioneer investment consultant in Japan, he established the investment consulting business of Watson Wyatt K.K. (now Willis Towers Watson) in 1990.