2 comments
9 Apr 2008 @ 05:10 by deepwater : Help for the human mind
The diagram "Three metaphysial perspectives" does indeed help to illustrate how raw sensory data can be interpreted in various ways and helps illustrate that there is possibly more to know than we realize.
I think it would be helpful at this point however to look more closely at the means of interpretation of the perceived data, as i feel without this basic understanding it may well be difficult to interpret the diagram in a way that brings a clear understanding of that which it seeks to convey.
Looking out into the 'world' of perceived objects, one needs to realize the nature and state of the equipment through which they are able to perceive any 'thing' at all; their mind.
I believe that it's possible that many of us use our minds in a way that assumes it to be a clear and impartial faculty and based on that assumption we analyze and interpret the incoming sensory data and then assume that our interpretation is true, clear and necessarily correct.
I also believe that this unquestioned faith in the reliability of the mind to function in this way is potentially fundamentally flawed.
In order for us to fully utilize the undeniably powerful faculty of our minds in a productive manner we need to be willing to turn it first upon itself, and to fully understand the state that it is in.
When one is willing to do this, almost without exception we find that there is an intricately woven web of pre conceived ideas and conditioning that acts as a filter upon the incoming information.
Once we reach this point of realization we can begin to clear away the mist and distortions from the cognitive lens and have an improved opportunity to utilize the faculty of mind in a manner which does provide reliable insight into that which we are observing.
I would like to offer an alternative description of the three points covered in the diagram in the hope that it makes the understanding of this material more accessible to those who could very well benefit from it, yet may have difficulty extracting the meaning from the phrases as they are presented.
1: The 'fact' of the body and mind existing as objects in space goes unquestioned, as does the belief that the universe as a whole is made up of myriads of separate and distinct forms. There is the assumption that the senses and the mind are infallible and give one a perfectly clear view of things so the experienced reality is accepted as being just how one perceives it. The descriptions given to things thus perceived are also accepted under the same assumption.
2: The 'fact' of the body and mind existing as objects in space goes unquestioned, as does the belief that the universe as a whole is made up of myriads of separate and distinct forms. There is some insight into possibility that the senses and the mind may be somewhat limited and that this may limit ones ability to fully comprehend the true nature of that which is observed. However it is assumed that ones perception of and description of that which is observed is relatively accurate.
3: This point has been accurately and transparently rendered by the author and needs no further interpretation, just lengthy contemplation!
I appreciate the depth and complexity of the research from which this deceptively simple diagram has been distilled.
To gain a deep comprehension of the nature of perception and the way in which this affects the reality of the individual requires a dedicated effort, and a willingness to constantly monitor and assess the mind as a an information processor.
Congratulations for making this effort on behalf of all of us, and for setting an example, that takes courage my friend.
