A framework for questioning certainty by examining how we know what we claim to know, using absurdist stories to reveal the limits of rational materialism.
Nasreddin Hodja's donkey stories embody a radical epistemology that challenges dogmatic certainty. In scientific naturalism, we often assume materialist explanations exhaust reality, yet the Hodja's paradoxes reveal how our frameworks of knowing contain blind spots. This concept invites practitioners to playfully interrogate their assumptions: What do we dismiss as impossible simply because it fits no category? By treating doubt as a spiritual practice rather than a failure of faith, we develop intellectual humility. The Hodja's method—using humor and apparent nonsense to expose hidden contradictions—becomes a tool for deepening naturalistic understanding without collapsing into reductionism. This practice cultivates what might be called 'joyful skepticism': the ability to hold naturalistic worldviews lightly, remaining open to phenomena that challenge our current models while maintaining rigorous inquiry.
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