Philosophical Speculations

I think that, because idealism cannot account for objective facts, or for its beginning, this suggests that it is in need of the act of being, a cause. I think that this cause is best captured by the concept of the "aeviternal." A well-known materialist recently wrote, "Materialism is...

Firstly, let me point out where I think you're correct: You write, "...ontologically speaking, in order to be aware of time passing, we must, in some sense, be outside of time." This is true. Your statement about music is also true. Your mistake, however, is the same as idealism's claim th...

I am very partial to idealism, and I agree with you that idealism is vastly better than materialism. But, I don't think that idealism goes far enough. From a personal perspective, it is most obvious that, firstly, one is having an experience and secondly that, in time, one notices that material obje...

Not sure what “the dreamt stone is a mental object, because it has so many bonds, etc. etc.” means, so can't address it. Yes, what I say about dreams is deduced after much metaphysical contemplation (not original to me, of course, but with which I agree based on evidence). The experience of the drea...

Cleric, yes you are exactly correct that the assumption that external objects are independent of mind is a huge metaphysical judgement. The reason we do this is because, in time, we realize that objects do not change based on volition alone. The baby lacks "object permanence" therefore in ...

Yes, I think we can start with the most obvious two things: 1) I am aware; 2) I then discover that objects that are outside of my mind seem to have independent existence. Then, if I want to discover more about these objects, I find that they offer what James Gibson calls, "affordances." Th...

Thank you, again. Just a quick note that, Wolfgang Smith is not a perennialist. He spells this out more in the paper, "Christianity and the Vedic Tradition." Yes, based on physics, Wolfgang deduces that corporeal objects have spatial and temporal parameters, however, based on perception we...

Satchitananda is just to illustrate that consciousness cannot be separated from Sat of ananda, as in human form mind cannot be separated from being or corporeality. It feels as though BK is offering a chit in absence of sat and ananda. BK grounds all of reality in nature, but doesn't account for its...

I couldn't agree more. Very well said. Though the wisdom and truths of thousands of years ago remains unchanged, modernity for better and worse has changed us. In the way, perhaps, are cultural barriers unprecedented, and if that is the case, then the prescription that you have given here seems esse...

Ah, yes. The next step, perhaps, is to do as Plato or Christ would advise, which is to contemplate and pray. The ancients understood this process, but knew that it didn't come on the cheap. Required was purification of the body and mind (reasoning) so that one could even begin to ask such questions....