Before going into the details ,let us first understand what me mean by subjective experience and objective phenomenon.
Subjective Experience is our personal, conscious experience of the world.
Objective Phenomena are the physical objects and events that we think exist independently of us.
The Eastern point of view has always put more focus on the subjective experience of reality and less on objective materialism. In 1930 , professor Albert Einstein met Rabindranath Tagore and their conversation centered on the nature of reality and whether it is independent of human perception. Here's a simplified summary of their discussion. It is important that we understand this conversation before we delve further into the topic.
Einstein's View (Objective Reality):
Einstein believed in an objective reality that exists independently of human perception. He thought that the physical world and its laws exist whether or not we observe them.
Tagore's View (Subjective Reality):
Tagore argued that reality is inherently tied to human consciousness. He suggested that the world is a creation of the human mind and that it cannot exist without being perceived by humans.
Core of the Discussion:
Einstein: Asserted that truth and reality are objective and exist outside of human experience. For example, the moon exists whether or not we look at it.
Tagore: Contended that what we perceive as reality is a product of the human mind. He believed that the universe is a part of human consciousness and without our perception, it has no existence.
Conclusion:
The discussion highlighted the fundamental difference between scientific realism (Einstein) and a more philosophical, idealist view (Tagore). They did not come to a consensus but rather illustrated the deep philosophical divide between understanding reality as independent of or dependent on human perception.
In essence, their debate revolved around whether the universe and its truths exist independently of us or whether they are interwoven with our conscious experience.
Now for a moment , let us shift our focus to further East in China.
The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu recognized that our perceived reality is shaped by our ego identity and its fears and desires. So Reality is not absolute but a relative function of what we want it out to be. Akira Kurosawa's famous movie Rashomon is testament of this theory.
In essence, Lao Tzu's view on reality is that it is an all-encompassing, ineffable force (the Tao) that transcends human perception and understanding. While human experiences and perceptions are important, they are ultimately limited and cannot fully capture the profound mystery of the Tao. Thus, he advocated for a humble, harmonious approach to life, recognizing the limits of human understanding and the deeper, interconnected nature of existence.
Now with this background we can take a look into the recent advances in Neuro Sciences and Cognitive Psychology to understand the true nature of reality. One such view is proposed by Donald Hoffman.
As per Donald Hoffman , Reality as we perceive it is fundamentally a construct of our consciousness. Our brains create a simplified version of reality to help us navigate and survive in the world, rather than presenting us with an objective view of it. According to this perspective, what we perceive as reality is more like a user interface designed by evolution to aid our survival, not an accurate depiction of the actual nature of the world.
To summarize,
Consciousness First: Consciousness is the primary reality. Everything we perceive as physical (objective phenomena) is actually a result of our consciousness.
Physical World as an Interface: The physical world is like a user interface that our consciousness creates to interact with reality efficiently. Just like icons on a computer screen, what we see and interact with isn't the actual reality but a simplified version created by our minds.
Reality Beyond Perception: There might be a deeper reality beyond what we perceive, but it is very different from what we see. Our brains model this deeper reality in a way that helps us survive and function, not in a way that shows us the true nature of that reality.
His MUI (Multimodal User Interface) theory suggests that our perceptions are like a simplified user interface designed for our species. This interface helps us interact with the world efficiently without showing us the actual complexity of reality. Think of it like the icons on a computer desktop: they make using the computer easier without revealing the intricate electronics and programming inside.
Hoffman argues that our conscious experiences are tailored to maximize our survival rather than give us an accurate picture of the world. This means that what we see, hear, and touch are not direct representations of reality but are simplified symbols that help us function better.
According to this theory, physical objects like quarks, brains, and stars are created by our consciousness as part of this interface. However, these objects don't have any real power on their own. This differs from panpsychism, which suggests that everything, including rocks and mountains, has some form of consciousness. Instead, MUI theory claims that these objects are just symbols within our perception, created by our conscious mind, but they themselves are not conscious.
Conscious Realism is the idea that consciousness is the basic, primary reality, and the physical world comes from that consciousness. According to this view, the objective world isn't made up of unconscious particles and fields (like atoms or electromagnetic fields). Instead, it consists of conscious beings and their experiences.
So, what exists independently of our perceptions is not a world of unconscious particles, but a world of conscious agents and their experiences.
The theory says that what we see as the physical world isn't actually real on its own. Instead, it's a result of consciousness. Think of it like this:
Physical World as a Side Effect: The physical world is a byproduct of our consciousness, not something that exists independently.
Different Reality: There might be a reality out there, but it's probably very different from what we perceive.
Consciousness is Fundamental: Consciousness is the most basic part of reality, more fundamental than space, time, or physical objects.
Hard Problem of Consciousness: This theory offers a possible solution to why we have conscious experiences and how beings with consciousness come from matter. It suggests that consciousness is fundamental, so our experiences and perceptions come from it.
In short, the theory flips things around and says consciousness creates what we think of as the physical world
Now , that we understand that recent developments in Cognitive sciences point out that Consciousness is the primary driver of reality, let us take a final look into the subject from the Vedanta perspective.
According to the Upanishads, beyond the subjective experience and objective realism , there is a transcendent state which is incomprehensible. This state represents the Ultimate Reality, the Brahman , which can not be comprehended. In this state the observer and the observed becomes one undifferentiated entity.
" nāntaḥ-prajñam, na bahiṣ-prajñam, nobhaya-taḥ-prajñam,
na prajñānaghanaṁ, na prajñaṁ, nāprajñam.
adṛṣṭam, avyavahāryam, agrāhyam, alakṣaṇam,
acintyam, avyapadeśyam,
ekātma-pratyayasāram, prapañcopaśamaṁ, śāntaṁ, śivam, advaitaṁ,
caturthaṁ manyante, sa ātmā, sa vijñeyaḥ." Māṇḍūkya Upanishad
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