Metaphysical Difference Between a Line and a Circle

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At first, the symbolism and metaphysical meaning of a line and a circle seems quite obvious to us. The line symbolizes progress and direction, the circle – unnecessary repetition and introversion. Even in language, we see circles as negative (to break a vicious circle, to get out of the loop, he is going in circles, etc) and lines as positive (he finally got on a straight pass or there is so much ahead of us down this road). But as we look deeper, we can see the enormous similarity between the two. They both have one property that makes them more similar than different. This property is their endlessness. Thinking of our lives, on some metaphysical level, the line and the circle represent two alternative ways we attempt to understand the world around us, the ways we understand our cycle of life, and the ways we search for happiness. Neurologists say that our brain is divided into two separate halves. The left-side of the brain is considered to be adept at tasks that involve logic, language and analytical thinking. The right side of the brain, on the other hand, is best at expressive and creative tasks. One could say that the left part is linear while the right part is nonlinear, or circular. At the same time, Western epistemology relies on the left part of the brain while the Eastern epistemology relies on the right part of the brain. In the West, reason is obtained through mathematical logic; the universe is a machine and humans can quantify its mechanical logic. In the East, it is believed that through perfection of mind, body, and spirit, we are able to experience knowledge. There are two main views on the cycle/path of life; Western and Eastern. The Western view is linear while the Eastern view is cyclical. In Western metaphysics, one is born, lives, dies, and ends up in an afterlife where he remains for eternity. In Eastern metaphysics, one is born, lives,

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