4655. CONCERNING PHILOSOPHY AND FREEDOM. I spoke with angels concerning philosophy or human artificiality, whereby, as men say, one may learn to think correctly. [I said] that those things induce darkness on the mind of man and its apprehension, and take away his freedom. This was represented: when any perceivable truth was mentioned, such persons at once descend into terms, and contemplate these and their definitions, and thence fill up their idea This was represented as a thick wood, into Which they precipitate themselves, and where they no longer see anything from heaven or its light, but wander hither and thither. But [I perceived] that such wood is removed from those who are in simple good, free from the vagaries of such wisdom; and that they are in an open field, where they see a long way round about, into the distance. Wherefore, the simple have a much clearer perception as regards good and truth, than those who are learned in such wise; as, indeed, any one may know, from abundant experience, who reflects upon these matters. It was also stated that they who are in the open field, when they think without such induced obscurity, are in freedom, and that their states can be freely changed, and bent; but that they who are in such wisdom throw away all their freedom, not merely as regards apprehension, which is manifest, but also as regards affection; for affection then sinks itself, immediately, in the affection of self, from love of self, or self-glory, and thus becomes duller, so that the love of truth at once perishes. Wherefore, they cannot be in freedom, but in slavery: besides which, such persons close heaven against themselves. Thin may be sufficiently manifest from them in the other life. They who are wise in such a fashion, seem to themselves wiser than others; but they are unable to have even one perception of spiritual truth. As soon as an idea of truth occurs, they at once throw themselves into such [obscurities as have been described], and so know nothing. In a word, they have no common-sense.