[AdvaitaToZen] Assumed Foundations

[Guest guest]

At 11:08 AM 6/8/2004 -0400, Pedsie2 wrote:

>All thoughts, all concepts are based on assumptions.

>The assumptions may be far removed, or even hidden,

>but they are there. The most logic, most tested piece

>of reasoning is based on an act of faith. So it comes

>down to this, from the scientist to the mystic, we all

>pick the version of reality that suits our purpose, that

>fits our nature, that catch our fancy.

>

> For example, Greg, our resident philosopher, writes:

>

>N1. Start with the acceptance of the non-phenomenality of consciousness.

>N2. Add your acceptance of the no-independent-material stuff idea.

>N3. And add your acceptance of the no-independent-NON-material stuff idea.

>N1- is of course an assumption. There is no way to prove the non-phenomenality

of consciousness . It is an act of faith, which you would adopt for any of the

three reasons mentioned above: it suits your purpose, nature, or fancy.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Pn for " premise " . Cn for " consequent " . ]

 

P1. Assumptions inherently pertain to a context of *discussion*.

 

C1. Assumptions are inherently relative.

 

This is because by P1 assumptions are inherently context

bound, and any context is inherently relative.

 

C2. The most fundamental assumptions pertain to the business of

making assumptions, as " making assumptions " is the inherent

context of *any* assumption-making activity.

 

From P1. I.e. from P1 we can infer that P1 is of the

" most fundamental type " of assumptions, and more fundamental

than for example N1-N3 above.

 

The *context* of discussion here embeds a

set of assumptions, not necessarily explicitly articulated.

So regarding the business of assumption-making it seems to

me straight-forward to start with the assumptions embedded

in the context of discussion. In the current context those

would most likely be assumptions pertaining to notions

articulated on the homepage.

 

For all the discussion of " consciousness " , I find that to

be not the fundamental idea at all. As I see it, the fundamental

notion (in this context) is one of liberation from any belief in a " self that

efforts " .

 

Bill