From an outsider’s perspective, it is clearly understandable, as their analytic, and diagnostic skill functioned perfectly when directed to matters outside of themselves. They were incomparable in their ability to analyze things of which they could be sensually aware. A distinction which clearly did not include their own internally based, ability to analyze except, ‘twas ne’er obvious to them – it couldn’t be!
They had no backup analytic operation to analyze their main one. In this regard, they were like a man in the dark whose neck wouldn’t turn to allow him to look over his shoulder, and thus he could only guess at the nature of his backside.
Upon hearing this allegorical picturization, someone immediately suggested that the problem would have been solved if only they had developed mirrors, but right there IS the problem. When these astounding beings used their analytic power on matters outside themselves, it performed flawlessly, but – when they turned it inward ON themselves, it became nothing BUT a mirror, and a mirror never has anything of its own TO reflect.
That is why, no matter how brilliant, and sincere they were, they could never “see,” and diagnosis themselves.
Okay, everyone who’s finally beginning to get even a whiff of what’s going on, raise your hand and you can go on out for recess early.
J.