What would it be like to live in a universe where time ran backwards? It seems like it would be like something, and even like something understandable to us.

If Teleological causality did obtain, would time appear to run the other direction?

Time is the arrow of change. Eternity is the whole of time. Change is eternal.

Persuasion

One can expect to successfully persuade those who accept his premises and understand his reasoning. Unfortunately, those are rarely the people one is trying to persuade.

The difficulty one encounters simply(?) trying to control his own thoughts casts considerable doubt on the possibility of freewill.

epiphanies

We expect to have epiphanies, because we presume that life follows a causally-determined narrative; It doesn't, so we don't.

ideal

The term "ideal" can be used by the same mind as a derison and a laudable endpoint. Perhaps this reflects the human mind's ability simultaneously know its limitations but desire to escape them.

If contradiction does not reside in the heart of men then I don't know what does.