“An open mind is really a mark of foolishness, like an open mouth. Mouths and minds were made to shut; they were made to open only in order to shut.” — G.K. Chesterton
In my first year of university, a professor opened class with a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s essay The Crack-Up: “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”
At the time, as a young Christian in a secular environment, I was suspicious. I wasn’t sure if this was the truth or merely “pagan propaganda.” Years later, with the benefit of maturity, I find I agree with the statement but disagree with the desired outcome. While it is essential to examine opposing views with honesty and respect, I have come to believe, with Chesterton, that minds—like mouths—were made to eventually shut on something solid.
The Intersection of Choice
Modern culture treats the “open mind” as a permanent state of grace. But in reality, all human action is based on conclusions, whether conscious or subconscious. We order our lives by the things we have decided are true. A car idling at an intersection may be “open” to any direction, but it must eventually choose a path for progress to continue.
The Search for Logos
In a recent sermon, Tim Keller explored the Greek concept of Logos. For the ancient Greeks, Logos was not just “logic”; it was the “Meaning of Life”—the central point that provided order, worth, and purpose. In the classical world, two schools of thought dominated the debate over Logos: the Epicureans and the Stoics.
| School | Modern Equivalent | Core Belief | The “Logos” |
| Epicurean | New Age Spirituality | Pleasure is the greatest good; avoid pain. | Internal Emotions |
| Stoic | New Atheism/ Scientism | Logic and self-control provide order. | External Facts |
The Epicureans argued that there was no greater good than our own emotions—to smile, to fall in love, and to help others feel good. The Stoics, conversely, believed emotions were destructive to reason. They argued we belong to the logical order of Nature and must find our place within its “creases.”
Keller refers to these as “New Age-istic” (looking inward for order) and “Scientistic” (looking to facts, but finding no truth). Though they seem opposed, they preach the same underlying message: There is no authority outside of what we feel or what we know. We are our own masters.
The Dogma of No Dogma
In our culture, “closed-minded” and “dogmatic” are used as slurs to describe the “rude ignoramus.” Yet, in my experience, it is often the “open-minded” person who is the least courteous to objections.
The truth is that we are all close-minded. We all have a Logos by which we order our lives, but only some of us are brave enough to name it. Evasiveness toward difficult questions affords a false sense of autonomy; it allows a person to avoid being nailed down to any standard. Chesterton summarized this modern blindness perfectly:
“Progress happens to be one of our dogmas, and a dogma means a thing which is not thought dogmatic.”
Conclusion: Solid Ground
What is your Logos? What drives you, and what do you hope to accomplish? Regardless of whether we admit it, we all have answers to these questions. We order our days around them.
Explore, question, and research—but eventually, let your mind clamp down on the truth. This isn’t to say it will stay closed forever regardless of new evidence, but it provides the solid ground required to actually stand.
May our minds be closed on truth, and our hearts be open to those who seek it.
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