Monthly Archives: July, 2007
Future Visions
The course of human history is instigated by many factors, perceived and unperceived, gradual and sudden, tangible and intangible too. Thus, the rise of the rishis in India, of the Buddha, the Christ, or the Prophet Mohammed were among the major perceived factors, whereas the impact of viruses and microbes on the course of human …
On West and Non-West
1. Do you envisage or foresee a fight in this century not between West and non-West but between Enlightenment and “archaic” traditionalism within various societies? I suspect the conflict between the West and non-West will arise on two fronts: (a) Economic disparities and disproportionate consumption of materials and energy by the West. (b) Conviction (right …
Reflections on The Passion of the Christ
There have been so many discussions, public and private, about this movie that I wanted to find out what was so special about it. The main points that were made by commentators included the following: First, many Christians felt that it was for them a most moving experience to see how much suffering Christ had …
Matter and Mind
What is this fleeting entity in the human body that inquires and analyzes, reflects and reasons, comprehends, calculates and creates? What is this mind that is at the root of our philosophies and literature, religions and sciences? Is it simply a consequence of the ultimate structures that grid the brain? Is it, in other words, …
On a Coleridge Quote
“Samuel Taylor Coleridge: To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but the same things in different periods of growth.” Coleridge was talking in a religious philosophical context where belief is the foundation. He was not speaking in a scientific context where understanding is more primary. He was, above all, a romantic poet, a …
On Population Growth
Would it not be really dysfunctional for cultures to compete by producing more babies than their opponents? I am not so sure. For one thing it depends on whether the culture is living in a closed system, independently of others, or is a minority in a larger culture. There are regions in the world where …
On Science-Religion Conflicts
Conflicts between the adherents of rational/naturalistic modes and those inclined to magic and mystery have existed at all times. In ancient Greece, Anaxagoras was prosecuted for his impiety. In ancient China, the works of Mo-Ti were fed to the flames because he was too much of a scientific philosopher. The materialist Carvaka was vilified in …
The Why is Existence
Here’s a question, why does the Spiritual side of reality exist? Why does the Physical side of reality exist? There must be a reason, agreed? Dear friend, you started by saying: Here’s a question, and gave three questions. The answer to the last is: NOT agreed to by everybody. Indeed, the fundamental difference between the …
God or No-God?
Suppose we allow that the US has a god/no god population belief ratio of 90% – survey suggests somewhere in the 85-95% range depending on whatever. Suppose over say a year, for reasons internal to the belief systems of the population, this ratio is smoothly and completely reversed . Is it your prediction that the …
Consciusness: A Hindu Perspective: Brahman, Purusha, and Prakriti
The capacity for awareness and experience, for logical analysis and joyful interaction constitutes the intangible component in the fleeting persistence of Homo sapience. This is the essence of what we call the human spirit. Just as there is more to a flower than soil and tree-branch, the spirit is more than neural network, heartbeat and …
