Ddn Paper for Vu Presentation ppt

7/29/2019 Ddn Paper for Vu Presentation ppt

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The Philosophy ofRadhakrishnan

Paper presented by

Dr. Debabrata DebnathHead, Department of Education,

University of Gour Banga, Malda.

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The Philosophy of RadhakrishnanRadhakrishnan may be considered as one of the great

philosophers of the world who tried to formulate a genuine

synthesis of Eastern and Western thought, especially

philosophical and religious, and arrive at a world-view;

incorporating elements from the thought of both the worlds.

Succeeding generations will be highly indebted to himfor his pioneering work in this field. He is superbly equipped

for this task as he is thoroughly conversant with the

traditions of both the East and the West and so could

interpret the thought of the East to the West in a Western

idiom, and the thought of the West to the East in an Eastern

idiom.

Rather, he hit upon a common idiom into which both

Eastern and Western thought could be translated.2

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Radhakrishnan was more on the defensive in someof his earlier works like The Ethics of the Vedantaand TheH indu View of L ife, and more on the offensive in someother earlier works like The Reign of Religion incontemporary Phi losophywhich is almost totally negativeand destructive but for the last chapter. Both theseattitudes characterize the first and earlier phase ofRadhakrishnans thought.

In the later phase of his thought, which is to bediscerned especially in his An I dealist View of L ife, he was

more balanced, and has devoted his energies more to buildup his own thought. This work is the most important of hiscontributions, since this is claimed, but for his Fragmentsof a Confession, as the sole book which contains his ownphilosophy.

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Metaphysics ofRadhakrishnans view

Radhakrishnan located his metaphysics within the

Advaita (non-dual) Vedanta tradition (sampradaya).And like other Vedantins before him,

Radhakrishnan wrote commentaries on the

Prasthanatraya (that is, main primary texts of

Vedanta): the Upanisads (1953), Brahma Sutra

(1959), and the Bhagavadgita (1948).

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Metaphysics ofRadhakrishnans view

Radhakrishnan embraced a metaphysical idealism. But

Radhakrishnans idealism was such that it recognized the reality

and diversity of the world of experience (prakti) while at the

same time preserving the notion of a wholly transcendent

Absolute (Brahman), an Absolute that is identical to the self

(Atman). While the world of experience and of everyday things is

certainly not ultimate reality as it is subject to change and is

characterized by finitude and multiplicity, it nonetheless has its

origin and support in the Absolute (Brahman) which is free from

all limits, diversity, and distinctions (nirgua). Brahman is the

source of the world and its manifestations, but these modes do

not affect the integrity of Brahman.5

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Epistemology ofRadhakrishnans view

Intuition and the Varieties of ExperienceIntuition

Radhakrishnan associates a vast constellation of termswith intuition. At its best, intuition is an integralexperience.Radhakrishnan uses the term integral in at least three ways.First, intuition is integral in the sense that it coordinates andsynthesizes all other experiences. It integrates all otherexperiences into a more unified whole. Second, intuition is

integral as it forms the basis of all other experiences. In otherwords, Radhakrishnan holds that all experiences are at bottomintuitional. Third, intuition is integral in the sense that theresults of the experience are integrated into the life of theindividual. For Radhakrishnan, intuition finds expression in the

world of action and social relations.

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Intuition and the Varieties of Experience

Intuition

For Radhakrishnan, intuition is a distinct form of

experience. Intuition is of a self-certifying character(svatassiddha). It is sufficient and complete. It is self-established

(svatasiddha), self-evidencing (svsavedya), and self-luminous

(a svayam-praks) (IVL 92). Intuition entails pure

comprehension, entire significance, complete validity (IVL 93).

It is both truth-filled and truth-bearing (IVL 93). Intuition is its

own cause and its own explanation (IVL 92). It is sovereign (IVL

92). Intuition is a positive feeling of calm and confidence, joy

and strength (IVL 93). Intuition is profoundly satisfying (IVL

93). It is peace, power and joy (IVL 93).

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Intuition and the Varieties of ExperienceVarieties of Experience

Cognitive Experience : Radhakrishnan recognizes three

categories of cognitive experience: sense experience,discursive reasoning, and intuitive apprehension. Theseforms of experience contribute to a knowledge of the real(Brahman).

Sense Experience:Sense experience helps us to know the

outer characters of the external world. By means of it weacquire an acquaintance with the sensible qualities of theobjects (IVL 134). In this sense, sense perception may beconsidered intuitive, though Radhakrishnan does notexplicitly described it as such.

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Discursive Reasoning : Discursive reasoning, and thelogical knowledge it produces, is subsequent to sensory

experience (perception). Logical knowledge is obtained bythe processes of analysis and synthesis. He claims to becloser to direct knowledge, logical knowledge is indirectand symbolic in its character.

Intuitive Apprehension: Radhakrishnan offers a positive

argument - If the process of discovery were meresynthesis, any mechanical manipulator of prior partialconcepts would have reached the insight and it would nothave taken a genius to arrive at it (IVL 178). InRadhakrishnans view the mechanical application of logicalone is creatively empty (IVL 181).

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Psychic Experience : Psychic experiences are a state ofconsciousness beyond the understanding of the normal, and the

supernormal is traced to the supernatural (IVL 94). ForRadhakrishnan, psychic intuitions are suprasensory: We cansee objects without the medium of the senses and discernrelations spontaneously without building them up laboriously.

Aesthetic Experience : All art, Radhakrishnan declares, is

the expression of experience in some medium (IVL 182). Thesuccess of art is measured by the extent to which it is able torender experiences of one dimension into terms of another (IVL187). Radhakrishnan believes that the experience or the visionis the artists counterpart to the scientific discovery of a

principle or law (IVL 184).

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Varieties of Experience

Ethical Experience : For Radhakrishnan, an ethical transformation of the kind

brought about by intuition is akin to religious growth and heightenedrealization. The force of this view is underscored by Radhakrishnans willing

acceptance of the interchangeability of the terms intuition and religious

experience. Radhakrishnan willingly concedes that the vast majority of moral

decisions are the result of conformity to well-established moral codes.

Religious Experience :Radhakrishnan interpreted the Upaniadic mahavakya,

tat tvam asi, as a declaration of the non-duality (advaita) of Atman and

Brahman. Here we find the essence of religion, which is a synthetic

realization of life. The religious man has the knowledge that everything is

significant, the feeling that there is harmony underneath the conflicts and the

power to realize the significance and the harmony (IVL 201).

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Axiology: The Applied Ethics


Varieties of Experience

Ethical Experience : Radhakrishnans appeal to intuition underlies his

vision for an ethical Hinduism, a Hinduism free from ascetic excesses.The ethical potency of intuition affirms the validity of the world.

Asceticism, Radhakrishnan emphasizes, is an excess indulged in by

those who exaggerate the transcendent aspect of reality. Nothing is to

be rejected; everything is to be raised (IVL 115).

Radhakrishnan, is the creative promotion of social tolerance and

accommodation. Just as Radhakrishnans Hinduism rejects absolute

claims to truth and the validity of external authority, so too has

Hinduism developed an attitude of comprehensive charity instead of a

fanatic faith in an inflexible creed (HVL 37).

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Throughout his life Radhakrishnan made himself a

great ideal to us as a teacher, politician and

administrator. But his great contribution was as an

ambassador of original Indian Philosophy to the

greater world. Not only that he tried to assimilate the

Indian Philosophy to the World Philosophy. And he

achieved a grand success in this area which makes him

memorable to us. To be a man in real we must followhis sayings in years to come. The history says that he

turned to a philosophy lover by incident, but no doubt

he was a teacher by birth. The philosophical ideas

helped him to achieve more perfection in teachership.

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Thank You

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