Primary Sources:
1.
Keefer’s Korollary to Schtoudt’s
“Observations on The Existential Third Man”^{1 2}
Introduction. As we know, Dr. Heinrich Friedrich Schtoudt’s (1868-1944) writings were
lost in Berlin, Germany at the conclusion of World War II. An original thinker, many of
his statements were repeated by his colleagues and we have them today. It was known
that he composed a treatise titled “Observations on The Existential Third Man”
(Observations) some time in the late 1930s. It is not an extant document today. There
were, however, snippets and whispers on the wind of what was Schtoudt’s basic
concept. My understanding of these bits and pieces put into a cohesive and coherent
explanation I have tried my best to relay in the Summary, below. I fear that I am unable
to do justice to the ideas of the great Schtoudt, and my Korollary certainly will pale in
comparison to his Observations if the document is ever discovered. This is a written
statement. It necessarily relies on terms; words and thoughts. The Existential Third
Man (hereinafter, occasionally abbreviated “ETM”), however, is at times beyond words
and thoughts. With that understanding, we can begin.
Summary. Because we are discussing the third person, the topic is necessarily about
perspective. Schtoudt conceived of a unique third-person perspective in his
Observations. It is the perspective of the potentially non-corporeal (non-finite)
universal self on everything to include the finite self. Was it the perspective of the
Atman?³ Schtoudt does not reveal, but I believe he would say it is more than that
because the perspective is from beyond the individual to the universal whole while
simultaneously maintaining its individuality. That is a difficult concept, to be sure. So
please continue.
Discussion. We need some common understandings. We accept the notion that
everything is ultimately non-dual. There is no ultimate dichotomy in existence, despite
its manifestations in our finite existence. There is also the infinite nature of, and
complete connectedness to, all reality. Our experience is in the limited and finite
governed by the laws discovered through science. We accept that the infinite all is
inclusive of the finite, and the infinite can be beyond our understanding and includes
the non-corporeal. Helpful insights were provided in David O. Russell’s important and
groundbreaking movie “i ❤ huckabees.” It is recommended as a popular examination
of this topic. Consider the characters played by Dustin Hoffman (Bernard Jaffe), Lily
Tomlin (Vivian Jaffe), Mark Wahlberg (Tommy Corn), Jason Schwartzman (Albert
Markovski), and Isabelle Huppert (Caterine Vauban), as Existential Third Men.
What are we talking about? Perspective. We live our lives in this finite existence
from the first-person perspective, our ego. This includes what we perceive and
contemplate, and also our perceptions of the perspectives of other people as they
concern us. Rarely, then, are we operating based on completely objective truth.
Furthermore, our perception is highly constrained. In this existence, we see through a
glass darkly.
The Existential Third Man’s perspective is from the infinite, and potentially noncorporeal.
It is whole, undivided, non-dual. If the perspective of ETM were limited to
the self as observer and observed, it would necessarily collapse upon itself much like
the wave function.⁴ It seems that Schtoudt foresaw this. That is why the ETM is not
limited to the non-corporeal self observing the finite self, but seeing things from that
perspective can be helpful.⁵ It offers the opportunity to be kinder and more
understanding to ourselves. It simply is not so limited though.
Importantly, the ETM perspective is likely to have an aspect that is outside of
time, which is a function of physics in the finite plane. We seem to measure time in a
straight line – a timeline⁶ – when in reality it is a spiral. It curves, has cycles, while
always moving forward. It is a physical manifestation of the finite plane. From the
perspective of the ETM, the infinite all, time is one of those curious finite artifacts, like
gravity and cheeseburgers. It’s real, but limited. The ability to perceive outside of time
(while also seeing things unfold in time) offers a perspective of a whole that is beyond
our finite comprehension.
If everything is all, then nothing matters. But we know from differentiation in
the finite world that this is not true. Things matter, otherwise life is futile. We just don’t
necessarily know why. And that’s okay despite the fact that immense time, energy, and
money are spent on the question of “Why?” even though the answer may be beyond
our time-limited finite perception or there may be no answer at all.

Person: I feel as if my life doesn’t matter. Nothing I do matters.
ETM: Of course it matters
Person: How does it matter?
ETM: How can any person possibly know that?

Some may think that the perspective of the ETM gives them an out in this finite world.
No. The finite is not separate from the infinite, so this matters. There is no easy out.
From “i ❤ huckabees”:

Wahlberg’s wife (Molly Corn): “If nothing matters, how can I matter?”
Wahlberg’s character (Tommy Corn): “I don’t know if nothingness matters or
somethingness matters. I’m trying to figure that out and I want you to help me.”⁷

If we must have an answer to “Why?” then the most important words for our existence
in this exchange are, “I want you to help me.”
How can it matter if we don’t know why? It matters because we experience this
finite plane from the first-person ego of limited nature and capacity. Our Self. It is
helpful to know that there is a universal, infinite perspective that is far beyond what we
can imagine and that it may even be a perspective of our own, though not limited to our
self. Knowing this, even if it is not fully perceived, can help us in managing our egos in
the here and now and understanding that, while this existence is important, there is so
much more, infinitely so. We see ourselves as our ego and body, but that is an
extremely limited if understandable view. Seeing that is, however, extremely difficult.
As Alan Watts once said: “Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own
teeth.”⁸ Don’t try it.
Conclusion. Rejoice! “The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so
obvious and so simple, and yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were
necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.”⁹ Even our Self is already beyond
ourself. The Existential Third Man has seen it. And, remember: When in doubt,
Schtoudt!
I remain,
Rdr. Timothy J. Keefer, Esq., ToP
1st Steward of Keeferton

1 © 2021.
2 This document was produced under the musical influence of Boston, Kansas, and Rush; it was
prepared as a discussion piece for the Fifth Philosophical Council of Keeferton.
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)
4 The infinite is not bound by the laws of physics, however. There is nothing to say that the
collapse of the observer and observed would apply outside of the logic of the finite plane.
Exploration of this is necessarily limited for us and takes us outside of our course of analysis.
5 See “The Way of Zen,” Alan Wilson Watts, at 136.
6 It is a helpful tool, but it is not based in reality.
7 Of note, Molly’s and Tommy’s egos in the finite world are on full display here.
8 Alan Wilson Watts, The Essential Alan Watts
9 Alan Wilson Watts, The Culture of Counter-Culture: Edited Transcripts
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2.
“The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff
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3.
From “The Way of Zen” by Alan Watts:

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4.

July 29, 2021

By Timothy W. Eaton

Communiqué to The Fifth Philosophical Council of Keeferton

from

The Colonial Williamsburg Preakouncil at The Unreal Windsor Castle

KNOW BY ALL YE PRESENT, that on the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth days of July, in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty One, there took place in The Unreal Windsor Castle, City of Williamsburg, Commonwealth of Virginia, the Colonial Williamsburg Preakouncil (hereinafter “Preakouncil”) consisting of Madam Jessekah Ennis, and hosted by the Wandering Prince, Timothy W. Eaton I, AE, ToP.

As of this writing, the world awaits the Fifth Philosophical Council to be held at a time to be  determined at Keeferton. It is our charge at this “Preakouncil” to discuss the topic of “The Existential Third Man”. Groundwork was prepared by Rdr. Timothy J. Keefer, Esq., ToP with his document Keefer’s Korollary to Schtoudt’s ‘Observations on the Existential Third Man’. It is to be acknowledged, and perhaps cannot be avoided, to give reverence and reference to previous and related topics of the four previous Councils conducted by the Trinity of Philosophers including, but not limited to, immortality projects and the question, “How shall we live?” in anticipation of this Preakouncil. The Work of the People is formidable, but the Williamsburg Preakouncil will arise to meet its charge.

The matter of “How shall we live?” is a question given focus and definition through the myriad lenses afforded by the Council’s various readings of literature and consideration of the Existential Third Man (ETM). Indeed, perspective prevails and impacts one’s reflection on the questions throughout. Schtoudt’s consideration of the question through the ETM, while not dismissing immortality projects, calls the importance into question, perhaps making immortality projects a distracting endeavor from the more valuable “life in the moment.” If one preoccupies oneself in the pursuit of the immortality project, one is incapable of adequately addressing the flood of notions provided by the many senses in a given moment as an ETM.

Schtoudt’s efforts into illuminating the ETM and the pros / cons of such a perspective are among his most well known studies. However, the Preakouncil finds it worthwhile to clarify its understanding of just what the ETM is. While existentialism is at the heart of this perspective, it is the “Third Man” perspective that affords the perspective. It is the perspective of the perspective, the awareness of the opportunity, to be aware of one’s agency viewed from afar – while not impacting or engaging with those taking agency, even if it is oneself.

By its intrinsic definition, this Third Man must not engage in the happenings of life. What does it mean to engage? Certainly, for an ETM to sound a warning, or even bring awareness to the happening he or she is no longer the Third Man, thereby changing the nature of the happening and his / her role. The ETM perhaps cannot even publish his or her comment on the happening at the risk of having an impact of even the perception of the happening. Perhaps intruding on others’ perception of the happening, even when the happening is passed, will impact the happening itself – but not to the truly Existential Third Man. 

How then, shall we live? If the ETM is not engaging whatsoever in the events and mere existence of the moment, is it a life at all? What does it mean to live? Let alone the matter of how? Keefer’s concluding words in his Korollary encourage his readers to “Rejoice!” reminding them of Watts’ words, “The meaning of life is just to be alive….yet, everybody rushes around…as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.” Keefer again illumines, “Even our self is already beyond ourself.” The learning of self is somewhat of a mortality project that unfolds or is revealed in the times of life.  The acceptance of the notion, “the more you do, the more there is to be done” illuminates this truth. The perspective afforded by the ETM provides the consideration of the mortality project.

If one adequately balances the perspective of life lived in the moment and yet perceives as one’s own ETM, perhaps this is the limit of how “Third Man” one is capable of being. Shall we not reflect and adjust when deemed necessary, given the benefit of perspective of our own ETM? (This is not similar to being one’s own grandpa!) The Third Man has seen, but does not announce his findings in the life lived to himself or others. It is simply knowledge of the life lived as self which is the prevailing, yet elusive, factor — this “self”. We must surrender to the moment and the happening of time, and choose to act or not, with the benefit of being one’s own ETM. Perhaps it is the possibility of being one’s own ETM that is worthy of consideration, given that existence as an ETM is either impossible or inconceivable altogether when truly lived amongst the others. To own this awareness without engaging is either selfish or making the existence impossible, and we cannot allow ourselves to live in a paradoxical situation, you know? We therefore must assume the role of our own ETM to discover the self we are not yet beyond, but will discover – and then onto the next moment to be lived.

To own and discover one’s own ETM is the opportunity to live out the life and how one chooses to live it in the moment. The more one continues to make these choices, the more choices there will need to be made with ongoing moments. Here comes one now.

Additional Business of the Colonial Williamsburg Preakouncil

    Roman Numeral ‘A’: A participant raised concern over Schtoudt himself and identified it as misleading to The People. She recommended Schtoudt be identified as a pen name for others making observations or performing acts in the name of Schtoudt.

        Resolution: The Preakouncil discussion leader attempted to illumine the participant on Schtoudt’s role and purpose in his Work of the People. No change is forthcoming.

    Roman Numeral ‘B’: A participant challenged the use of the academic lexicon throughout the various published findings and Work of the People, and stated primarily that if it is to be The Work of the People, it ought to be worded in a manner that is accessible to the People and for the People.

        Resolution: The Preakouncil discussion leader granted this observation as valid on the grounds that The People will be able to make more informed choices when instructed in a manner that is understood. They will be held more accountable when given the language, and educated as such. This concern will be communicated to the ToP at the upcoming Council. No trains will be sold after the magazines leave the depot.

    Roman Numeral ‘C’: A participant happily announced the opening of “Passport Zone 75701” upon the completion of that area’s refurbishment and amenities to include improved surfaces and curbing, as well as considerable design and construction of various apparatus for drainage.

        Resolution: The Work of the People is honored!

Conclusion and Closing of Business

The host of the Preakouncil, in observing the maxim “The more you do, the more there is to be done” stopped the meeting. It is hoped the findings and declarations of the Preakouncil adequately prepares the readers of this document to address what remains for the larger Council to undertake. The People are celebrated by the work of the Council.

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Secondary sources:

1.
The Second Philosophical Council of Keeferton: https://dispatchestk.com/2013/09/06/communique-to-the-public-from-the-second-philosophical-council-of-keeferton/
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2.
The movie: “i ❤ huckabees”
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3.
“The Book. On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Really Are” by Alan Watts.
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