Epoché: "to postpone judgement"

The logical part of our mind would like to categorise everything. But sometimes it lacks the crucial information to do so. As human beings, we must therefore always be prepared to question our categories. The Greeks called this "Epoché": delaying judgment, and thus keeping an open mind. This does not mean that we should not have firm convictions, but that we should always keep the door ajar for the possibility that we are wrong, despite (and often thanks to) our firm conviction. 

It is Brecht Arnaert's conviction that the organisation of society should follow a classic recipe: a distribution of power between Church, King and Capital, but at the same time we should take into account that this is perhaps not the best way. The aim of the conversations he has with his guests is therefore not to postulate final truths, but to be able to deepen his understanding of reality in a calm, serene, but incisive manner, together with experts in their field.



Epoché wants to be a platform for thinkers who realise that everything is cyclical, and by abandoning classical thinking - a process called modernity - we have brought about our own downfall. More specifically, the Enlightenment philosophy, which was once a legitimate criticism of an excessively dogmatic perception of faith, has now itself degenerated into a belief in the total social engineering of man. Although we do not deny that man has unsuspected abilities, we find it hubris to pretend that we can ever completely transcend our 'condition humaine'.

It takes courage to make this sound, in an age that is so steeped in the belief in science that criticism of that belief is considered heresy. It is a struggle that every thinking individual feels with himself: do I tell the truth, risking my own well-being? Or do I remain silent, for fear of adverse consequences? To reinforce the idea that speaking ALWAYS entails danger, but that those who speak are protected, we have chosen as the logo of our podcast not just a drawing, but a real coat of arms, in which the symbols that we consider important are placed.

Read the more detailed analysis by Brecht Arnaert here

Coat of arms

Nowadays, everything is a right. But who will take on the duties of a free society? Our politicians? Who still defends free speech, at the risk of their own well-being? Or have we all become afraid? That is why I chose a lion as the first symbol in the coat of arms, an animal that is a heraldic symbol of courage.

The lion

The lion climbing to the right stands for courage, and is also a reference to the county of Flanders, where I was born. I myself feel more like a bear these days - that must be because I visit Bruges a lot - but good: even those animals can claw when they have to.

The feather

The pen climbing to the right symbolises the search for Truth, a process in which postponing judgement is of the utmost importance (Epoché). The longer you can postpone judgment - perhaps indefinitely - the closer you come to that other infinity.

That's right: God

The horseshoes

Our feather is accompanied by a horseshoe in the top left and bottom right. This is a reference to what should be the focal point in any society: FAMILY. For generations, the Arnaert family has been known for their art of forging. I myself have two left hands, but I want to honour my father in this way.

The trinity

The trinity at the bottom of the coat of arms represents the political structure that has been lost since 1535, and in my opinion should be reinstated. We keep the Church in the middle (ha ha), the King on the right (conservative) and Capital on the left (progressive).

The colours

The colour bordeaux stands for trust, internal stability, entrepreneurship, love of order and good organisational skills. The colour gold symbolises prosperity, but also insight, passion, magic and wisdom. I thought it would be nice to have all that in my coat of arms.

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