The image of an early explorer encountering a beautiful vision in an unknown and uncharted space was what inspired me to write my first novel. I wondered if he was hallucinating. I wondered if pure reason could tell us the truth by using logic, science, and rational analysis. I wanted to ask this question because in the West, faith in reason to explain reality is so strong that anything that cannot be proven by the scientific method or rationalized by logical and intelligent inquiry risks being dismissed. To my mind, the human experience is far too rich, mysterious, and deep to be reduced to the limited methods of logic, science, and rationalism. Surely whether something cannot be proven by reason does not mean that it does not exist. Reason takes away an entire dimension of human existence because it ignores our spirituality. That is why pure reason is no better than religious dogma. It alienates us.