Diversity and unity
Wilson is skillful in identifying an ironic aspect of life, that where there seems to be diversity, there is often meta-physical consistency between the governing principles of any two diverse things. This can even cross the lines of discipline. By learning from a master painter, one becomes a better physicist, for example, because the elements of mastery and creativity translate, regardless of their seemingly disparate nature. The book is essentially about how unifying principles govern every aspect of reality.
Transcendental order
This implies another philosophical axiom that, if true, is restricted from normal waking consciousness by dramatic irony. Transcendental order is in some ways the ultimate dramatic irony, because by appearing to have a random nature, life is secretly orderly in a fashion that gives human life a narrative or dramatic aspect. The drama of it is like this: Picture a smart person walking along one day, and suddenly, they notice that the bees swarming are naturally charming, and that the calculations of birds in flight are essentially consistent with the order of music theory or physics. What a dramatic moment such a breakthrough would mean in a student's life!
The compatibility of art and science
This situational irony arises from what Wilson might call a misconception. The misconception is just that art and science are different from one another. Wilson says that the order of craftsmanship in any art approximates science, so that science can be seen as essentially consistent with artwork. The two are ironically suitable pairs, in fact, because by learning in both ways simultaneously, the universe often brings problem-solvers and inventors to new breakthroughs in science and technology. By being "artistic" about science and being "scientific" about art, both are improved.
The ethical nature of life
By applying the universalizing principles of Consilience to life, a science arises. The ethical question is about maximizing one's relationship to reality for an enjoyable and powerful existence. That question is ironic, because it is part of the dramatic fabric of human experience. Wilson says that by being creative in both scientific and artistic ways, one can learn meta-physical axioms that will be useful tools in an ethical life, because a person will be able to relate better to a reality whose order they understand.
The limitations of philosophy
Finally, there arise this contrary irony to the ethical question. When seeking to maximize one's relationship to order, one discovers the unimaginable complexity of order and the way it shapes reality, from the mind-bending principles of modern physics to the most true expressions of artistic genius. In all cases, each human mind has a certain capacity for truth which is surprisingly ill-equipped for the task. As animals, we each basically have a choice whether to be ethical and scientific at all, and even in best case scenarios, truth is infinitely complex, and humans have limited minds.
