Posted on July 28, 2015
Check out this interesting post by my cousin, Seth Segall, over at the Existential Buddhist. The topics Seth discusses include whether consciousness is emergent from or intrinsic to the physical world, the place of values (human or otherwise) in the universe, and the variety of God concepts available to those willing to philosophize about such matters. Seth also compares the ideas of the 13th century Zen Buddhist monk Dogen, the 17th century Jewish philosopher Spinoza, and the 20th century mathematician and cosmologist A.N. Whitehead.
I appreciate Seth’s pragmatic (in the Jamesian sense) approach to these questions. I do not pretend to any metaphysical certainty about the existence of the Whiteheadian or any other God. From my perspective, we inhabit a cosmos that is always on the edge of chaos with nothing guaranteeing continued peace, goodness, or beauty. I do believe these ideals are realized in the ongoing genesis of this universe to a degree far greater than mere chance, but I cannot go so far as to claim they are metaphysical necessities. I think the process-relational God articulated by Whitehead allows us to recognize the realization of these ideals as somewhere in-between utterly contingent and totally necessary. They are potentials freely realized by the creatures of this cosmos because of their intrinsic desirability. Nothing is to stop any particular being in some particular circumstance from desiring otherwise. On the other hand, Whitehead makes it clear that we cannot speak of a “cosmic order” without already assuming the realization of an ideal of beauty. For Whitehead, all order is aesthetic order. In other words, no beauty, no cosmos. So the fact that there is a cosmos at all is already evidence enough that the scales are tipped toward harmony. ~MS
By Hugh Colmer - Aurobindo Ghose, was an Indian nationalist, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet. He was a great influence in the Indian movement for independence from British rule, and then became a spiritual reformer, introducing his visions on human progress and spiritual evolution. Sri Aurobindo characterized the term Overmind to encapsulate the consciousness of the greatest prophets the world has ever known. However he observed that the Overmind still has the potential to become a Nietzschean superman and believes we need another Consciousness rather than a Super- consciousness. His advice is to disconnect from gods and religions.
We have lived under the influence of these gods for thousands of years as their lives have been well publicized and glamourized through the voices of our prophets, religions, and sometimes through of our poets and artists. Even Jesus advised us to be as wise as serpents. Matthew 10:16 Did we take his advice? Obviously not for he said I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves. These wolves still keep us in the Matrix as they romanticized the gods and unbeknownst to them have been their PR agents.
One of the more controversial theories, sometimes called the "copycat thesis" -- suggests that many of the miracles, other life events, and beliefs about the supernatural status of Horus, an ancient Egyptian God, were fused into stories about Jesus as recorded in the New Testament. The life of Jesus was based on the lives of 50 sun gods who were all warlords. For if we read their mythology, which is really their history, we would not worship them or the rock stars that have taken their place.
Savitri Era of those who adore, Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.
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