"Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari
Namaskara!!
*Whom should we trust, when we seek knowledge?*
Sri Jayateertha (Teekacharya) says - we should trust those who are honest about thier knowledge!!
Spiritual seekers generally disregard atheists and do not wish to read their books. But, if an atheist is honest about his/her knowledge, then he/she also becomes a source for our knowledge.
Vedic Tribe is happy to bring you a series on "atheist books for spiritual seekers".
Topics discussed here will help us understand the *"boundaries of human logic and reasoning"* and with this we can start our inquiry about the reality beyond these boundaries.
In the coming days, we will share topics from our first book "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari.
Om shanti shanti shantih!!
Madhwesh K
Vedic Tribe
---
Namaskara!!
*What makes humans different from other animals?*
Human's unique ability to "reconstruct past & imagine future" - sets us apart from other animals.
Yuval Noah Harari calls this "cognitive revolution".
What caused it?
He says most likely "accidental genetic mutations" caused this.
But what is the role of consciousness in this?
The book provides no answer.
This is the boundary of logic and reasoning. Vedanta on the other hand lays down reality beyond this boundary.
In vedanta, the consciousness (atman) has many inherent abilities (including the one discussed above). Depending on the physical body it acquires, these abilities are manifested.
So, study of atheist books help us understand boundaries of logic and reasoning; and study of vedanta (from appropriate Guru), helps us in seeking reality beyond boundaries of logic and reasoning.
Om shanti shanti shantih!!
Madhwesh K
Vedic Tribe
---
Namaskara!!
*Is God our imagination?*
"...none of these things exists outside the stories that people invent and tell one another. There are no gods in the universe, no nations, no money, no human rights, no laws and no justice outside the common imagination of human beings."
Yuval Noah Harari says God, is like any other human idea and this common imagination helped humans to co-operate in unprecedented ways.
But, whether "God-idea" was *deliberately imagined* OR it came from observing nature?
The book provides no answer.
This is the boundary of logic and reasoning. Vedanta on the other hand takes the question beyond this boundary.
In vedanta, simple observance of nature gives us the feeling of a grand consciousness pervading this nature. It is called "Brahman".
So, vedanta God /Brahman is not our imagination, but a fact understandable from simple observance.
Study of atheist books help us understand boundaries of logic and reasoning; and study of vedanta (from appropriate Guru), helps us in seeking reality beyond boundaries of logic and reasoning.
Om shanti shanti shantih!!
Madhwesh K
Vedic Tribe
---
Namaskara!! Happy deepawali!!
*What is real? What is not?*
Universally accepted reality is *"objective reality"* i.e., what we sense via our sensory perception.
Yuval Noah Harari says, within our minds we also have *"subjective reality"*; but it is just our imagination.
He says "...mental revolution. It involved the creation of a new inter-subjective reality that exists solely in people’s shared imagination."
But, what about our "first-person-experience"? I.e., the experience which is neither depends on sensory perception nor imagination; like experience of joy, bliss, love, NREM sleep, death...etc?
The book provides no answer.
This is the boundary of logic and reasoning. Vedanta on the other hand takes the question beyond this boundary.
In vedanta, beyond body & mind, there is a separate "experiencer". It is called "Atman" and it is capable of experiences without depending on body & mind.
So, in vedanta "subjective reality" is not just our imagination, but it is the very "first-person-experience" that we all have.
Study of atheist books help us understand boundaries of logic and reasoning; and study of vedanta (from appropriate Guru), helps us in seeking reality beyond boundaries of logic and reasoning.
Om shanti shanti shantih!!
Madhwesh K
Vedic Tribe
---
Namaskara!!
*How can we observe nature?*
Nature can be observed "objectively" and "subjectively".
Measuring *hight of a waterfall* is "emperical & objective observation". This facilitates scientific theories.
Feeling *grandeur of waterfall* is "experiential & subjective observation". This facilitates philosophical propositions.
Yuval Noah Harari says, by observing nature, "Earlier traditions usually formulated their _*theories*_ .."
Now, whether vedanta formulates any "theory"?
No!
Vedanta provides *propositions*. (Ex: intellegent design of nature indicates an intelligent designer pervading it)
The book Sapiens, fails to observe this distinction.
This is the boundary of logic and reasoning.
So, vedanta doesn't formulate theories for objective enquiry, but provides "propositions for subjective enquiry".
Om shanti shanti shantih!!
Madhwesh K
Vedic Tribe
---
Namaskara!!
*Do we know everything about this universe?*
Obviously "NO".
This is the premise on which scientific inquiry is based on.
On the otherhand, Yuval Noah Harari says,
the ancient traditions of knowledge "...asserted that everything that is important to know about the world *was already known*" and didn't promote inquiry.
But, what about our "darshana schools of thought"?
Samkhya school promoted inquiry into relationship between matter & consciousness; yoga school into "mind"; and so on. Each school not only promoted inquiry, but also provided tools for inquiry.
The book Sapiens, doesn't mention any of it.
This is the boundary of logic and reasoning. Vedanta like other vedic schools of thought, promotes enquiry into to the ways of discerning the creation and also the universal consciousness pervading it.
This has paved way for different vedantha sub schools like advaita, tatvavada, vishishtadvaita etc.
So, vedanta doesn't assert or impose certain knowledge as final; rather promotes inquiry and also provides appropriate tools (which can be learned from a pertinent Guru)
Om shanti shanti shantih!!
Madhwesh K
Vedic Tribe
No comments:
Post a Comment