Publisher's Synopsis
We are symbols of the night. Probably it is not the 'right' way to start a dissertation with a statement that evokes emotions out of place. Calling ourselves symbols seems welcome; but not the qualifying phrase 'of the night.' Affirmatively, the word 'night' can perturb the reader, and a reader would prefer to distance oneself from such a statement. It does not sound like a very positive attribution. Such a statement can evoke in the reader varied emotions of aversion, adventure, absurdity, nonsensicality, whimsicality and the like. However, within the reader, the statement probably created a short term belief system coupled with emoted responses of affirmation or negation of what was stated: whether we can believe that we are 'symbols' and that if we belong to the 'night.' This thesis explores symbolism as its subject matter in relation to the human beings who behave as persons who hold a belief system, as persons who use symbols, and as persons who themselves are symbols. It will pertain to us human beings who not only hold beliefs but also cognize, reflect, judge, decide, set goals, and plan the course of actions to achieve all that can bring meaning. It will attempt a philosophy of religion, but with less philosophic structure and with more content of dynamics of symbolism. We human beings live as symbols and live by symbols. The reader and the author of this work, for example, are symbols. We communicate with each other using symbols. We live as believers and live with belief systems. We attempt to discover ourselves, probably
