After these introductory chapters, the reader might now legitimately expect me to lay the foundation stone of my theory of consciousness. Instead I propose to show him that there are no foundation stones. Laying foundation stones represents a hardening of the consciousness, whereas my argument from start to finish is that the proper state of the consciousness in repose is relaxed equilibrium. So I hope instead to convince the reader, firstly that there are no foundation stones, and secondly, if that is right, that the greatest safety in this rather dangerous world is to venture forward. Adventuring into the unknown is always an element in a man's actions; so actions depend on a man's beliefs as well as on his knowledge. Indeed what a man believes either whole-heartedly or half-heartedly, or the fact that he does not believe in anything at all, is probably in the long run the most important single factor determining a man's behaviour in the various situations in which he finds himself. And the most obvious beliefs to analyse are religious beliefs; not because they are for most people the most important, but because they are the easiest to analyse.

When a man or woman goes to church, and in the middle of the service starts to recite (more or less in unison with other people) the words, “I believe…