Archive for the ‘ Philosophy ’ Category
Unlike Shankara, Vallabhacharya’s system of suddhadvaita (pure nondualism) does not admit of a notion of Maya distinct from Brahman. For this reason, it affirms a true formulation of the Upanashadic ‘one without a second.’ For Vallabha, there is no conflict whatsoever between the diverse appearances of nature and their ultimate nonduality as modes of the [ READ MORE ]
Some people say that we should “fully feel our emotions instead of thinking about them.” There is truth in this, but it must be qualified. Deeply feeling our emotions is part of an awake and mindful life. However, thinking about our emotions is also valuable. We might ask “What underlies this emotion? Is there clinging there, [ READ MORE ]
Someone asked me why I smile all the time. The reason is that after 15 years of deep exploration of the world’s key religious and philosophical traditions, I was finally able to find the inner peace and joy that I sought for so long. And the marvelous thing about this joy and peace is that [ READ MORE ]
Adam Pearson: “I believe that agnosticism is far more reasonable than either theism or atheism in the absence of definitive, authoritative, evidentially-supported, decisive, reasonable, and persuasive arguments for one position or the other. The arguments and evidence for there being a ‘God’ as defined by Judaeo-Christian-Islamic tradition are not terribly convincing, but nor do the [ READ MORE ]
Peter Singer points out in his marvelous book How Are We to Live? that in our society–in which materialist, consumeristic, individualistic self-interest is paramount–self-interest and an ethical life are seen as being in conflict. However, I would argue that this apparent conflict comes from the contradictory character of our notion of self-interest as well [ READ MORE ]
While history has done a superb job charting linear temporal sequences, I believe that literature and film have succeeded equally spectacularly in exploring how time might imaginatively be given form. Most notable, perhaps, are the forays into narrative methods that complicate linear time sequences altogether (as in the TV series Lost), or force the reader [ READ MORE ]
Symbols sometimes meet needs that realities cannot. Whether there is a heaven or not, the symbol of “heaven” motivates people to do good, evokes hope, inspires determination. Whether there is a god or not, the symbol of “God” meets people’s emotional needs, makes people feel loved, hopeful, cared for, connected to the universe. On the [ READ MORE ]
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