III/ About the state of mind requested to understand the problem of values

We might imagine that, beyond its content, a discipline is defined by a particular state of mind it demands from those who wish to study it. Without adopting this psychological stance, a researcher might easily dismiss the discipline's findings by simply claiming a lack of interest.
In simpler terms, we could say that poetry invites its audience into a dreamy state of mind; physics appeals to a curious temperament inclined to organise observations; and mathematics suits a mind fascinated by the strangeness and abstraction of its subjects. History, on the other hand, rarely attracts the forward-looking man of action (unless he seeks lessons to fuel his ambitions); rather, it tends to draw those who see the past as an inexhaustible source of captivating insight.

If we accept this perspective, it seems essential that, when embarking on the study of a new discipline, we first consider not its content but the state of mind it demands to truly resonate with it. Without this attunement, the researcher might acquire knowledge of the discipline but not a deeper understanding.
For instance, one might argue that a philosopher seeking to understand Marx must, in some sense, adopt a Marxist viewpoint; likewise, someone aiming to understand Augustine might need to approach the text as a Christian would. Essentially, it involves living, on an existential level, the intuition that sparked a given thought and carried it through to its conceptual form. This requires long, patient meditation, an effort to grasp that original intuition.
While this meditative effort is personal, we can attempt, however imperfectly, to outline the conceptual foundations on which the researcher might meditate to approach this insight.

The true significance of axiology emerges only when we acknowledge that the problem of values is, indeed, a problem—one that escapes the researcher’s grasp, lacks an obvious answer, and may even defy any conceivable solution.
This realisation reveals that the problem of values constitutes a kind of scandal: the absence of any solid foundation for values, which prevails from the most ancient to the most contemporary thought. We must, therefore, allow ourselves to engage with the provocative challenges presented by radical axiological doctrines. Only then can the researcher adopt the state of mind necessary for the study of axiology—a state that requires suspending all value judgments.
This is the spiritual journey we will describe, examining each of its stages in detail.