Science and Advaita - Summary diagrams

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Appendix -- 2 diagrams

Figure 1 -- Expression and reflection

 

At any given moment, a person's mind sees something in particular. So a particular object appears, at the front tip of attention. But underneath, many other things are understood, at the background of experience. That background is the depth of our minds. It is a depth where consciousness stays present, while objects come and go at the focus of attention.

From that underlying background, attention is drawn up, so as to focus on an object that appears. This focusing is shown in figure 1 (above). As an object appears in mind, it expresses understanding, from a continued background of underlying consciousness. The expression rises up through feelings, thoughts and actions that have turned attention to this particular object; so that it gets to be perceived, in a narrow focus at the surface of the mind.

As this object is perceived, its perception is reflected back -- by observing the object's form and relationships, by naming the object and interpreting its meaning, and by judging its quality and value. The perception is thereby assimilated into a new state of understanding that is carried on in time -- by absorption into underlying consciousness.

Then, from the new state of understanding, further feelings, thoughts and actions rise; thus turning attention to further objects that come into appearance and are assimilated into understanding. This cycle of expression and reflection keeps on mediating back and forth, between the changing objects that appear and the background consciousness that carries on beneath. It's only thus that we can learn, as a variety of objects come and go, in the course of continuing experience.

If you look once again at figure 1 (above), you will see that it shows nature at five levels (in the broken triangle that is formed by the three lines). First, there is a level of objects -- where our limited attention gets focused. Second, there is a level of action and form -- where actions turn our attention towards particular objects and our experience is given shape. Third, there is a level of thought and name -- where thoughts direct our actions and names are used to describe the forms that we perceive. Fourth, there is a level of feeling and quality -- where feelings motivate our thoughts and acts, through an intuitive judgement of qualities and values. And fifth, there is a level of understanding -- which expresses knowledge and assimilates what has been learned.

These five levels form a progression, from the gross to the subtle. This is a progression that has long been conceived, somewhat metaphorically, as the old 'five elements'. An interpretation is summarized in figure 2 (below):

Figure 2 -- Five elements

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionalelement

 

Level ofappearance

 

Perceivinginstrument

 

Examiningdisciplines

 

 

'Earth'

 

Pieces ofmatter

 

Externalbody

 

Modernphysics

 

 

'Water'

 

Patterns ofenergy

 

Livingorganism

 

Biologicalsciences

 

 

'Fire'

 

Meaningfulinformation

 

Conceivingintellect

 

Culturalsciences

 

 

'Air'

 

Conditionedcharacter

 

Intuitivejudgement

 

Psychologicalsciences

 

 

'Ether'

 

Continuingexistence

 

Reflectivereason

 

Philosophicalenquiry

 

 

Unchanging ground of reality and consciousness

 

 

 

At the level of 'earth', objective structure is perceived through our external bodies, as assumed in our mechanical descriptions and technologies.

 

At the level of 'water', an activating and transforming energy is observed through our organic faculties, as cultivated and developed in biological sciences that seek to harmonize our microcosmic lives with their containing macrocosm.

 

At the level of 'fire', meaningful information is interpreted by our conceiving intellects, as educated and clarified by culture studies and the humanities.

 

At the level of 'air', a qualitative conditioning is evaluated by intuitive judgements that are exercised and expanded in psychology and meditation.

 

At the level of 'ether', continuing and common principles are investigated by the reflective reasoning of philosophical enquiry, which turns its questions back upon assumptions that have been taken for granted.

But in the end, all sciences are built on common ground, beneath the change and difference of appearances. That ground is the basis on which scientists communicate. On it depend all scientific standards, of accurate testing and of meaningful reference.