Chapter 4Chapter 4

The Inner World: The Inner World:

The Fantastic JourneyThe Fantastic Journey

Nikos Kazantzakis writes:Nikos Kazantzakis writes:

““With clarity and quiet, I look upon the With clarity and quiet, I look upon the world and say: All that I see, hear, taste, world and say: All that I see, hear, taste, smell, and touch are the creations of my smell, and touch are the creations of my mind….I create phenomena in swarms, mind….I create phenomena in swarms, and paint with a full palette a gigantic and paint with a full palette a gigantic and gaudy curtain before the abyss. Do and gaudy curtain before the abyss. Do not say, ‘Draw the curtain that I may see not say, ‘Draw the curtain that I may see the painting.’ The curtain IS the the painting.’ The curtain IS the painting.”painting.”

PsychePsyche

• Western philosophy has been occupied Western philosophy has been occupied almost exclusively with rational almost exclusively with rational thinking and the symbolic nature of thinking and the symbolic nature of thought. But a few philosophers have thought. But a few philosophers have sought to move beyond symbols, and sought to move beyond symbols, and Eastern thinkers have long been aware Eastern thinkers have long been aware that, beyond the symbols and below that, beyond the symbols and below the rational mind, there exist capacities the rational mind, there exist capacities for quite different and valuable kinds of for quite different and valuable kinds of experiencing.experiencing.

The Exploration of Inner The Exploration of Inner SpaceSpace

• There are other modes of conscious There are other modes of conscious and subconscious experience that and subconscious experience that can enrich our lives; and on the can enrich our lives; and on the condition that they do not rob us of condition that they do not rob us of our sanity or endanger others, there our sanity or endanger others, there is no valid reason why they should is no valid reason why they should not be known.not be known.

Huxley’s Deep ReflectionHuxley’s Deep Reflection

• One of the great minds of the 20One of the great minds of the 20thth century century• Huxley developed, through discipline, a Huxley developed, through discipline, a

technique for using a high degree of his technique for using a high degree of his considerable mental powerconsiderable mental power

• At will, he could withdraw into what he At will, he could withdraw into what he called his state of “Deep Reflection” (DR called his state of “Deep Reflection” (DR state)state)

• A profound progressive psychological A profound progressive psychological withdrawal from externalities…and then a withdrawal from externalities…and then a state of complete mental absorbtionstate of complete mental absorbtion

Mystical UnityMystical Unity

• One of the most valuable but One of the most valuable but ineffable mystical experiences in ineffable mystical experiences in both the East and the West is the both the East and the West is the experience of unityexperience of unity

• Historically, some have sought after Historically, some have sought after the “event” in which all experience is the “event” in which all experience is somehow seen togethersomehow seen together

Zen SatoriZen Satori

• Satori – “flash of enlightenment”Satori – “flash of enlightenment”

• A mind-state of sharp alertness and wide A mind-state of sharp alertness and wide awareness accompanied, at the same awareness accompanied, at the same time, by a deep sense of inner calmtime, by a deep sense of inner calm

• Stage 1 – alpha waves with eyes open; Stage 1 – alpha waves with eyes open; Stage 2 – a sharp increase of the alpha; Stage 2 – a sharp increase of the alpha; Stage 3 – gradual decrease of alpha; Stage Stage 3 – gradual decrease of alpha; Stage 4 – sustained period of rhythmic theta 4 – sustained period of rhythmic theta waveswaves

Religious EcstasyReligious Ecstasy

• EkEk (“out of”) and (“out of”) and stasisstasis (“standing”), (“standing”), implying that the “ecstatic” implying that the “ecstatic” individual is “standing outside” his individual is “standing outside” his bodybody

• Glossolalia – “speaking in tongues”Glossolalia – “speaking in tongues”

• A state of consciousness highly A state of consciousness highly prized by Western religious prized by Western religious minoritiesminorities

The Fantastic JourneyThe Fantastic Journey

• In the Indian religions, the state of nirvana In the Indian religions, the state of nirvana is a trance-state outwardly resembling a is a trance-state outwardly resembling a deep sleepdeep sleep

• It is marked by a progressive deepening of It is marked by a progressive deepening of the trance through religious disciplines that the trance through religious disciplines that are similar to techniques of self-hypnosisare similar to techniques of self-hypnosis

• Samadhi Samadhi – “concentration”– “concentration”

• Self-essence (Self-essence (atmanatman) = Ultimate Reality ) = Ultimate Reality ((BrahmanBrahman))

The BuddhaThe BuddhaOne Who AwakenedOne Who Awakened

The Eightfold Path:The Eightfold Path:1)1) Right PerspectiveRight Perspective2)2) Right IntentionRight Intention3)3) Right SpeechRight Speech4)4) Right BehaviorRight Behavior5)5) Right LivingRight Living6)6) Right EffortRight Effort7)7) Right MindfulnessRight Mindfulness8)8) Right MeditationRight Meditation

Reflections…Reflections…

• The text makes the opening statement The text makes the opening statement that “there is no obvious reason why one that “there is no obvious reason why one should spend his lifetime solely in the should spend his lifetime solely in the two traditional mind-states: the problem-two traditional mind-states: the problem-solving conscious state and the solving conscious state and the ‘recovery’ sleep state’”. Do you agree? ‘recovery’ sleep state’”. Do you agree? Or, in your opinion, are these the only Or, in your opinion, are these the only normal and natural modes of normal and natural modes of consciousness?consciousness?

TimeTime

• The essence of conscious life is time. The essence of conscious life is time. A philosophy of time is important. A philosophy of time is important. The mystery arises partly because The mystery arises partly because the word “time” is maddeningly the word “time” is maddeningly ambiguous – we force it to carry a ambiguous – we force it to carry a wide range of meanings – and partly wide range of meanings – and partly because of faulty introspection.because of faulty introspection.

A Philosophy of TimeA Philosophy of Time

1)1) What is time? How do we experience it? What is time? How do we experience it? Can we understand it?Can we understand it?

2)2) What is meant exactly by “past,” What is meant exactly by “past,” “present,” and “future”? In what sense “present,” and “future”? In what sense can each of them be said to exist?can each of them be said to exist?

3)3) Where in time do we live? What does Where in time do we live? What does time have to do with personal existence?time have to do with personal existence?

Clock TimeClock Time

• ChronosChronos – “time” – “time”

• Clock time probably has nothing to Clock time probably has nothing to do with timedo with time

• Clocks measure spaceClocks measure space

• Clocks are used to correlate events Clocks are used to correlate events and not to synchronize timeand not to synchronize time

Psychological TimePsychological Time

• Subjective or experiential timeSubjective or experiential time• The only temporal phenomenon of The only temporal phenomenon of

which we have any clear conception, which we have any clear conception, and many philosophers are of the and many philosophers are of the conviction that experiential time is conviction that experiential time is the only true timethe only true time

• Psychological time is our individual Psychological time is our individual experience of the continuum of our experience of the continuum of our consciousnessconsciousness

Real TimeReal Time

• Matter-in-motionMatter-in-motion

• Sequences of events occurring in the Sequences of events occurring in the real worldreal world

Saint Augustine: God’s Time & Saint Augustine: God’s Time & OursOurs

• God created time when he created God created time when he created everything elseeverything else

• Since God created time, he existed before Since God created time, he existed before time, he will exist after time, and therefore time, he will exist after time, and therefore he exists outside time.he exists outside time.

• There was no time before he created it. There was no time before he created it. • Ex nihiloEx nihilo – “out of nothing” – “out of nothing”• In the mind of God there is no “before” or In the mind of God there is no “before” or

“after”; there is only a “now”“after”; there is only a “now”

Newton: Absolute TimeNewton: Absolute Time

• Absolute time is a universal medium Absolute time is a universal medium that flows smoothly and evenly, that flows smoothly and evenly, unaffected by all the events that unaffected by all the events that occur inside itoccur inside it

Yesterday, Today…Yesterday, Today…TomorrowTomorrow

• Time PastTime Past

• Time FutureTime Future

• Time PresentTime Present

• Time & Personal ExistenceTime & Personal Existence

Immanuel KantImmanuel KantStarry Heavens & the Moral Starry Heavens & the Moral

LawLaw• Critique of Pure ReasonCritique of Pure Reason (1781) (1781)

• Critique of Practical ReasonCritique of Practical Reason (1788) (1788)

• Critique of JudgmentCritique of Judgment (1790) (1790)

• The esthetic experienceThe esthetic experience

Reflections…Reflections…

• Summarize in your mind the three Summarize in your mind the three “kinds of time” dealt with in this “kinds of time” dealt with in this chapter. Can you get a good grasp of chapter. Can you get a good grasp of each kind of time, and do the each kind of time, and do the concepts sound right to you?concepts sound right to you?

FreedomFreedom

• Are we humans free (undetermined) Are we humans free (undetermined) in our willing and choosing, or are we in our willing and choosing, or are we predetermined to be and to do what predetermined to be and to do what antecedent “programming” dictates?antecedent “programming” dictates?

The Feeling of FreedomThe Feeling of Freedom

• Does the experience of freedom, in Does the experience of freedom, in fact, exist? fact, exist?

• Does the feeling of freedom mask an Does the feeling of freedom mask an illusion?illusion?

The Dilemma of The Dilemma of DeterminismDeterminism• If there is no freedom, then there can be If there is no freedom, then there can be

no moral, legal, or any other kind of no moral, legal, or any other kind of responsibilityresponsibility

• If we are not free, then all our striving is If we are not free, then all our striving is meaninglessmeaningless

• The question of freedom has to do with The question of freedom has to do with what we are – or aren’twhat we are – or aren’t

• We are the chessmen and something or We are the chessmen and something or someone else is playing the gamesomeone else is playing the game

The Case for DeterminismThe Case for Determinism

• Dr. Bruno Bettelheim and the case of Dr. Bruno Bettelheim and the case of JoeyJoey

• Skinner and “freedom as myth”Skinner and “freedom as myth”

• Carl Rogers says “freedom exists”Carl Rogers says “freedom exists”

The Case for Freedom of The Case for Freedom of ChoiceChoice

• For human freedom, as Sartre sees For human freedom, as Sartre sees it, is not always a blessing; it is more it, is not always a blessing; it is more often a tragedyoften a tragedy

• Whether we like it or not, man is Whether we like it or not, man is condemned to be freecondemned to be free

• We must try to do what we already We must try to do what we already know we cannot doknow we cannot do

Reflections…Reflections…

• After reading this chapter, jot down After reading this chapter, jot down your thoughts regarding the following: your thoughts regarding the following: (1) Is the question of (1) Is the question of freedom/determinism an authentic freedom/determinism an authentic question or does it need to be question or does it need to be rephrased in the light of modern rephrased in the light of modern knowledge? (2) To what degree can we knowledge? (2) To what degree can we be where “we cause ourselves endless be where “we cause ourselves endless troubles by confusing primal freedom troubles by confusing primal freedom with various secondary freedoms”?with various secondary freedoms”?

SymbolsSymbols

• Finding ourselves trapped in the Finding ourselves trapped in the egocentric predicament, we humans egocentric predicament, we humans are isolated and lonelyare isolated and lonely

• To minimize our loneliness we touch To minimize our loneliness we touch and we gesture (“body language”), and we gesture (“body language”), but mostly we resort to symbolic but mostly we resort to symbolic languagelanguage

The Functions of LanguageThe Functions of Language

• Is our transmittal of experience all Is our transmittal of experience all that successful? that successful?

• Do we listen to and hear others more Do we listen to and hear others more empathetically and sensitively than, empathetically and sensitively than, say, a mother fox calming her say, a mother fox calming her young? Or a whale guiding her calf? young? Or a whale guiding her calf?

• Are we, as a matter of fact, less Are we, as a matter of fact, less lonely?lonely?

The Many Roles of The Many Roles of LanguageLanguage• To express emotionTo express emotion• To drown out silenceTo drown out silence• To enjoy the sounds of languageTo enjoy the sounds of language• To establish a feeling of belongingTo establish a feeling of belonging• To establish relationshipsTo establish relationships• To affect or manipulate others’ emotionsTo affect or manipulate others’ emotions• To affect others’ behaviorTo affect others’ behavior• To suggest insightsTo suggest insights• To communicate facts and ideasTo communicate facts and ideas• To effect word-magicTo effect word-magic

Communications AnalysisCommunications Analysis

• But we don’t want others to hear our But we don’t want others to hear our paltry symbols: we want them to paltry symbols: we want them to hear our experience. And others hear our experience. And others want the same from us.want the same from us.

• Charlie Brown and friendsCharlie Brown and friends• Adversary vs. supportive dialogueAdversary vs. supportive dialogue• Word-oriented rather than meaning-Word-oriented rather than meaning-

orientedoriented

Definitions & ContextsDefinitions & Contexts

• Semanticists remind us that symbols Semanticists remind us that symbols can be understood intelligibly only can be understood intelligibly only within the context of actual usagewithin the context of actual usage

• Semanticists keep reminding us that Semanticists keep reminding us that words mean nothing at all until we words mean nothing at all until we give meanings to themgive meanings to them

Ludwig WittgensteinLudwig WittgensteinDissolving the Riddles of LifeDissolving the Riddles of Life

• ““Everything that can be thought of at Everything that can be thought of at all can be thought of clearly”all can be thought of clearly”

• A man in a room who wants to get A man in a room who wants to get outout

• Tractatus Logico-PhilosophicusTractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1922)(1922)

• Philosophical InvestigationsPhilosophical Investigations (1948) (1948)

Reflections…Reflections…

• Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by words? What sort of by words? What sort of communicative techniques do you communicative techniques do you think would resort to or develop or think would resort to or develop or invent if, suddenly, we found invent if, suddenly, we found ourselves without words?ourselves without words?