14. Harris’s ethos exacerbates of the separation of consciousness from reality.
Harris’s ethos is an exacerbation, instead of alleviation, of the separation of consciousness from reality that Einstein (and religious sages) spoke of.
To the scientific pantheist the “transcendent/numinous” awareness of, and awe at, the order and mystery of reality is more important than the relatively solipsistic and hedonistic-ally prone value structure that comes from focusing on “well-being”. As Einstein said, and as Harris as a practitioner of meditation is aware, the ego’s separation from reality is a kind of angst ridden delusion. So, isn’t it appropriately Zen (or superficially paradoxical) to ask that, “Isn’t focusing ultimately on (and loving) oneness with reality as a whole spiritually/existentially better for the well-being of consciousness, then simply focusing on (and loving) the well-being of consciousness”?