WAYS OF KNOWING

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Priya Bhagavat Banduvullara!

 

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more about the same with enormous descriptivie matter.

http://www.kheper.net/topics/paradigms/ways_of_knowing.htm

 

Ways of Knowing

(Different Methods for Figuring Out Reality)

Compass of ways of knowing:

Gnosis

Occultism Esotericism

Mysticism Philosophy

Religion Rationalism

Science

Listed here are some different methods that can be used to arrive at

an understanding of reality.

Science(experimental approach to the physical universe)

Philosophy(the abstract mind)

Rationalism/Scepticism (not accepting realities that are not

immediately evident)

Religion (faith in divine revelation and social tradition)

Mysticism (experiences based on spiritual techniques)

Esotericism(intuitive speculation on cosmological world-views)

Occultism(using psycho-physical technigues to access hidden

realities)

Gnosis (innate wisdom and understanding)

With any one of these alternatives, there are innumerable such

possible metaphysical paradigms and world views, or ways of thinking

about or understanding the nature of Reality. And of course each

person thinks that their chosen opinion is the right one. But even

the most treasured explanations have many shortcomings and internal

contradictions. So why should one be preferred over the others?

Why be a Christian rather than a Sceptic, or vice-versa?

We can conclude that use of a method does not guarantee that the

understanding will be a correct one. Each simply constitutes a

different paradigm or meta-paradigm, some better, some worse.

Science

 

Science in itself is simply an experimental method for understanding

physical reality. It works by offering hypotheses that can be

falsified. It is a superb methodology for understanding the

physical universe, but not really very good for appreciating non-

physical things.

 

Philosophy

 

Philosophy is a way to understand reality using the rational

intellect alone. There are many different philosophical

explanations - here are only a few.

• Materialism, or Physicalism, is the opinion that only the

physical is real, and the denial of all supra-physical or spiritual

dimensions of existence. It is usually associated with Rationalism

and Scientism. [subcategories include Reductionism and

Epiphenomenalism]

• Dualism believes that both physical and spiritual are real

and distinct. {Sub-categories here are Cartesian Dualism and

Platonism (Soft Idealism)]

• Holism, a compromise between Materialism and Dualism,

asserts that both spirit and matter are real and interdependent.

• Hard Idealism (Mentalism) is the opposite of Materialism -

it denies the physical and only affirms the mental.

• Subjective Idealism goes further and denies the existence of

all otehr entities apart from oneself.

• Pluralism adheres to the belief in a multiplicity of

fundamental irriducable principles.

• Monism in contrast claims that only the one Absolute Reality

behind all phenomena (physical or spiritual) is real.

Religious (theological) explanations

 

• Monotheism is the belief in a single supreme deity or " God "

which is seperate from the world but which maintains a personel

connection to His (rarely Her) creation.

• Polytheism is the belief in a number of such personel

deities

• Kathenotheism says that there are many deities, but only

worships one

• Deism differs from Monotheism only in that the deity is

distant and unconcerned with the needs of people.

• Atheism denies the existence of any higher powers.

• Agnosticism reserves judgment on the existence or non-

existence of any higher poers.

Mystical & Yogic explanations

 

• Pantheism states that " God " is not different to the cosmos

or nature.

• Panentheism differs from Panthesim in that " God " both

includes and transcends the universe. It is more or less equivalent

to Emanationism.

• Acosmism is a form of monism that states that the universe

is unreal; only the transcendent Absolute is real.

• Theistic Monism is like panentheism except that it affirms

that the one reality is personal in nature, or at least has a

personal aspect.

• Samkhyan-style (non-theistic) Dualism asserts the existence

of two irreducable ontological principles - conscious purushas and

nonconscious nature (prakriti)

Esoteric & Occult explanations

 

• Manichaean-style Dualism asserts the existence of two

warring and irreducable spiritual principles - Light and Darkness.

• Emanationism teaches a chain of creation from an original

source (A creates B, B creates C, etc), so that all phenomena are

real, and constitute a specific sequence of manifestation from

spiritual to material (the " Great Chain of Being " ).

• Dramaturgism adds to Emanationism a dynamic temporal

dimension by envisaging the cosmos or creation as a process of

unfolding, usually proceeding from an original descent or Fall,

through the present imperfect state to an eventual spiritual

Redemption or transformation.

 

Interdisciplinary

Sometimes one or more of these techniques are used together (e.g.

philosophy and science, or science and religion, or science and

mysticism). Hence we have interdisciplinary approaches.

Triple Point - Science, Religion and Philosophy

LAWS OF WISDOM - A Holistic Synthesis of Science and Religion - by

R. C. L., J.D.- examines key laws from religions, esoteric

traditions, psychology, and science. Sources include Carl Jung,

Sigmund Freud, Richard Wilhelm, Jean Houston, Charles Tart, Arnold

Keyserling, Black Elk, Benoit Mandelbrot, and others. The author,

an experienced lawyer and researcher in these areas, applies the

insights of legal analysis and clear thinking.

The Struggle between Christian Theism, Metaphysical Naturalism and

Relativism: how to proceed in science? by Jitse M. van der Meer - a

rather celebral (abstractly intellectual) on-line essay (at least I

though so), but worth including because of the title alone ;-)