Nature of the intellect is to divide.
Elevating “rationalism” leads to constant division.
Natural world does not operate using “reason.”
The supremacy of reason itself comes from Protestant theology. (Note to “rationalists”.)
Natural organic traditions show a better way to live.
Elevating “rationalism” leads to constant division.
Natural world does not operate using “reason.”
The supremacy of reason itself comes from Protestant theology. (Note to “rationalists”.)
Natural organic traditions show a better way to live.
Intellect has its place. But Indian traditions do not make reason Supreme. Rationalism is another dogma which does not correspond to reality.
The Catholic Church made heresy punishable. The root of heresy is literally to choose—to choose to interpret the Bible differently from Church dogma. Protestant critique said “reason” comes from God and is Supreme and one could use it for God’s Word.
To do this reason needed to be “pure”—not corrupted by the world. (since that would corrupt God’s Word) Thus reason was in opposition to empiricism.
Hence “pure mathematics” where no evidence from the world can be used to prove, just axioms (akin to God’s Word) and pure reason.
Hence “pure mathematics” where no evidence from the world can be used to prove, just axioms (akin to God’s Word) and pure reason.
This puts pratyaksha pramana—direct observation and experience below anumana (reason.) No Indic school does this.
“Pure reason” dubs the pratyaksha as subjective.
Just like God’s Word is Supreme, human experience cannot challenge it.
Rationalism is a child of religious dogma.
“Pure reason” dubs the pratyaksha as subjective.
Just like God’s Word is Supreme, human experience cannot challenge it.
Rationalism is a child of religious dogma.
So all Indian “secular rationalists” who think they’ve discovered some great new thing are simply trapped in a religious argument. Not only have they not discovered anything, they’re unaware that they are merely parroting stale theological ideas of Europe.
Rationalists are not swayed by the evidence that human beings do not live by reason. Nor that rationalism is more likely to produce a Stalin than a Buddha. Like any other religious adherent they await the Holy Dawn of Reason where all the lowly irrational humans will be Saved. 😏
Reason can be used to explain, but it is not the faculty used by the natural world to act. The Earth does not use reason to orbit the Sun, the homing pigeon does not use reason to find its way or the cat to suckle it’s young. Nor do we use it to live.
Are you making a value judgment or an observation? If the former, that is itself coming from a belief system. If the latter, I recommend you observe your life and notice what % of it you live by reason.
No friend, you are unknowingly elevating reason as part of the theological conditioning of modernity.
Shastras come from elevated consciousness, from Shiva tatva, not reason which is a lower level faculty. Else there’s be no need for dhyana and silence.
Shastras come from elevated consciousness, from Shiva tatva, not reason which is a lower level faculty. Else there’s be no need for dhyana and silence.
I am not discounting reason just putting it in its place. The jivanmukt is higher than the Pandit. Mukti is higher than shastrartha. Yes, reason can be *a* way, though it can’t take us all the way.
