![]() His massive participation in the gravitational field is also evident to those who carry him to a place of safety after they have found him in a state of collapse. Further evidence of the physicality of the figure in the mirror is to be found in the pressure marks imprinted on chairs and cushions and other items to which he has recourse when he wishes to take the weight off the aforementioned legs. Those lower limbs sheathed in black corduroy leave depressions in the carpet just like the chairs and tables and other solid objects that surround him. There is much else that is thing-like about this humblest member of the Trinity. This object obstructs the light and bounces some of it onto the mirror, where it heads for my eyes, so that I can see what I usually call myself. Thing? There is no doubt that what I see before me, apparently as far behind the mirror as I am in front of it, is a material object. More precisely, a generic three-in-one, an Unholy Trinity, in which are united a Thing, a Beast, and (in my case) a Bloke. While my gaze has been directed at a bald-headed, grey-bearded individual, it is not a particular entity that I seek in the mirror, but a general type. This is not out of vanity on my part – which would be best served by banning all mirrors from my vicinity. I have recently spent a lot of time looking at myself in the mirror. Consider what can be unpacked about our nature with the aid of a humble mirror. This said, the rewards for mobilizing even a modest amount of equipment are disproportionate to the outlay. Philosophers worth their salt can do it standing up or while walking the dog. Even the armchair – that iconic piece of furniture invoked by those who denigrate philosophy – is dispensable. ![]() Not the least is that it doesn’t require expensive equipment. SUBSCRIBE NOW Tallis in Wonderland An Unholy Trinity Raymond Tallis reflects on the man in the mirror. ![]()
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