Philosophy is the science of sciences. Its subject matter is the complete range of scientific phenomenon. Its aim is to connect all these into a consistently complete, to dive far into the truths underlying them and to set upon the first principles which shape the basis of scientific certainty. Hence philosophy is certainly drawn into the difficulty of ultimate realities like nature, mutual relation and origin. The word Vedanta is a combination of ‘Veda’ and ‘anta’ which means ‘Veda-end’. And also the appendix to the Vedic hymns. Vedanta can also be secondhand as a noun to explain one who has learned all four of the earliest Vedas. Four Vedas are Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. In the former writings Sanskrit Vedanta clearly mentioned to the Upanishads which is the most theoretical and philosophical of the Vedic texts. Still in the medieval age of Hindusim the word Vedanta came to close to the school of philosophy that explained the Upanishads. As the section of Vedas, Vedanta is a scripture and therefore it is identical with the Upanishads. Nevertheless the word anta in Vedanta meaning end came evenly to mean conclusion or purport. The end of all Vedic, were they thought joining with Brahman who is the absolute being. In the latter sense accordingly in the sense of purport of the Vedas it was the Upanishads another time which were called Vedanta’s. Although the word came increasingly to mean something actually different from closely connected to the Upanishads.
All the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy admit in thinking of the soul as not only immortal but also as endless. The reasoning of the materialists like Charvakas amount to this that, however consciousness is unseen in external objects, it develops i...
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... so far as its individual explanation is concerned. Although they are by no means lost in consequences of this limited disappearances and do not end to determine waking life. Now after considering all these facts we know that we have at present no recollection of any earlier state of existence does not find that it will never appear to our memory. Alike if it should so occur that such facts will never recur to us under any means it would not follow that they not at all occurred and are not deciding our present life.
In our present life we have lose and gain regularly in result of action which we have completely forgotten but which have still left lasting effects on our individuality. There can be no injustice in our taking pleasure and suffering the fruits of actions set in previous states of existence. And which though forgotten now have yet formed us what we are.
“In the West, we think of each human life as solid and discrete, beginning at conception and ending at death. The Buddhist view is of waves appearing and disappearing endlessly on a great ocean of life energy. When cause and effect combine in a certain way, a wave arises, appearing...
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." - Albert Pike
The differences of mind and soul have intrigued mankind since the dawn of time, Rene Descartes, Thomas Nagel, and Plato have addressed the differences between mind and matter. Does the soul remain despite the demise of its material extension? Is the soul immaterial? Are bodies, but a mere extension of forms in the physical world? Descartes, Nagel, and Plato agree that the immaterial soul and the physical body are distinct entities.
The 'doctrine of recollection' states that all true knowledge exists implicitly within us, and can be brought to consciousness - made explicit - by recollection. Using the Platonic concepts of 'Forms', 'particulars', 'knowledge' and 'true opinion', this essay explains what can or cannot be recollected, why all knowledge is based on recollection, and why the doctrine does not prove the soul to be immortal.
1a. “I have suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes...the memory of these evils should die with me...I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been”(Shelley 24).
In Chapter 13 of Concerning the Soul, Avicenna argues that, because the soul is incorruptible, it does not die with the death of the body. He then presents two arguments to support the conclusion that, upon death, the soul does not die. It is my intent to explain the general structure of the “absolutely incorruptible” argument that Avicenna gives for the immortality of the soul, and to give a critical assessment of that argument.
In this term paper, I have tried to tackle the metaphysical issues of consciousness by first defining consciousness and doing a thorough study about the term. Then I proceeded to the metaphysical aspects of consciousness, examining and understanding them.
It is Benatar’s belief that when people defend the notion that its better to exist than to never have come into existence, they do so using arguments that appeal to pleasures outweighing pain. For example, let us take the expression it is better to have loved and lost than to have n...
We find only one systematic work on it i.e. Jayarasi’s Tattvopalavasimha (The Lion That Devours All Categories) of the seventh century A.D., where central view of Materialists presented is - nothing can be real except what we see with our senses. In consonance with this general outlook to reality, Carvaka do not accept a permanent self-different from physical body and thus reduce personal identity in material terms to bodily continuity. Carvaka says that there is no such thing as atman as we cannot perceive it. We do not and cannot prove its existence with the help of inference, because inference is not a valid source of knowledg. However, Jainism, Mimamsa and the later Naiyayikas insist that the self as the subject is directly cognised in every experience. As quoted in different sources referring to Lokyata/Materialist’s teachings: “etãvãn eva puruso yãvãn indriyagocarah” (That much is man which is seen by senses) and “caitanya-viéistah kãyah purusah” (Body endowed with consciousness is man).
This relates to absolute reality as the supreme spirit is the abode of the eternal. The self is also known as the soul within The Bhagavad-Gita and the soul is said to be immortal as it exists in one body and reenters another so a person’s soul never actually dies. The text says, “Our bodies are known to end, but the embodied self is enduring, indestructible, and immeasurable,” (2: 18). This quotes shows that our bodies may be destroyed by death, but the inner self is eternal and cannot end. The body dies, but if consciousness occurs then the self sees absolute reality. This leads back to the idea of lucidity since the soul can never die it gives the self a divine aspect and if the self is aware of the supreme self or Brahman then there is an ultimate reality. This is considered to be unattainable since humans are not perfect, but the idea is still present. Overall, the eternal aspect of the soul gives a divine notion to an ultimate reality shown in The
The relationship of the human soul and physical body is a topic that has mystified philosophers, scholars, scientists, and mankind as a whole for centuries. Human beings, who are always concerned about their place as individuals in this world, have attempted to determine the precise nature or state of the physical form. They are concerned for their well-being in this earthly environment, as well as their spiritual well-being; and most have been perturbed by the suggestion that they cannot escape the wrongs they have committed while in their physical bodies.
Eastern enlightenment religions have been gaining popularity throughout the western world for the past few decades, with many people attracted to a "different" way of experiencing religion. As with many other enlightenment religions, Buddhism requires disciples to understand concepts that are not readily explainable: one such concept is that of no-self. In this essay I shall discuss the no-self from a number of modern perspectives; however, as no-self is difficult to describe I shall focus on both the self and no-self. Beginning with psychological aspects, and neurophysiological research on transcendental meditation, I shall discuss the impact of modern brain science on our understanding of the self and transcendence. Next I will outline the relationship between quantum physics and non-locality, as this gives a western scientific explanation for no-self. Returning to the original source of Buddhism, I will briefly outline the discussion between Siddhartha and Vaccha regarding atman, then discuss the mind and no-self and their relationship to liberation. Finally I will summarize a few issues that the western mindset may face approaching this topic.
The pursuit of knowledge has led many a philosopher to wonder what the purpose of life truly is, and how the material and immaterial are connected. The simple fact is, we can never know for certain. Arguments can be made, words can be thrown around, and rationale can be supported, but we as mere humans are not capable of arriving at the perfect understanding of life. Nonetheless, in the war against our own ignorance, we seek possible explanations to explain that which science and math cannot. Philosopher 's such as Plato and Aristotle have made notable contributions to our idea of the soul and its role in the grand scheme of life, while some, such as Descartes, have taken a more metaphysical view by pondering the impact one 's mind has on
“...For a great many people, the evening is the most enjoyable part of the day. Perhaps, then, there is something to his advice that I should cease looking back so much, that I should adopt a more positive outlook and try to make the best of what remains of my day. After all, what can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished? The hard reality is, surely, that for the likes of you and I, there is little choice other than to leave our fate, ultimately, in the hands of those great gentlemen at the hub of this world who employ our services. What is the point in worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one’s life took? Surely it is enough that the likes of you and I at least try to make our small contribution count for something true and worthy. And if some of us are prepared to sacrifice much in life in order to pursue such aspirations, surely that is in itself, whatever the outcome, cause for pride and contentment.” (Ishiguro, 244)
...have struggled with the nature of human beings, especially with the concept of “self”. What Plato called “soul, Descartes named the “mind”, while Hume used the term “self”. This self, often visible during hardships, is what one can be certain of, whose existence is undoubtable. Descartes’s “I think, therefore I am” concept of transcendental self with just the conscious mind is too simplistic to capture the whole of one’s self. Similarly, the empirical self’s idea of brain in charge of one’s self also shows a narrow perspective. Hume’s bundle theory seeks to provide the distinction by claiming that a self is merely a habitual way of discussing certain perceptions. Although the idea of self is well established, philosophical insight still sees that there is no clear presentation of essential self and thus fails to prove that the true, essential self really exists.