From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!torn!utcsri!rpi!usc!sdd.hp.com!mips!mips!munnari.oz.au!metro!grivel!loki!rmurali Thu Jul  9 16:19:42 EDT 1992
Article 6362 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: rmurali@loki.une.edu.au (Murali Ramakrishnan)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.meta
Subject: Re: On Study of Human Experiences and Introduction to Raja Yoga
Message-ID: <2894@loki.une.edu.au>
Date: 24 Jun 92 02:59:02 GMT
Followup-To: comp.ai.philosophy
Organization: University of New England - Northern Rivers, (Lismore)
Lines: 64

>>ON STUDY OF HUMAN EXPERIENCES AND  INTRODUCTION TO RAJA YOGA 
 
              In response to the discussion on the above mentioned 
  topic , one of the netters had sent me the following message by 
  e-mail , which reads :-

Gods, I was afraid of this. It don't mean ah don't have a scientific
mind if ah don't want to see this dribble here. Raja yoga may have its
place, but

COMP.AI.PHILOSOPHY AIN'T IT!!!!!!!!!!!

please don't follow up, don't reply, just let it DROP!!!!

         
              It is precisely in discussions in such news groups and  
  also in Sci.psychology and *.religion etc. the discussion on Raja 
  Yoga or Spirituality would fit in.

  The reasons :-    
  -----------
              Raja Yoga or Spirituality is not about a "GOD" sitting 
  up somewhere in the sky amongst the clouds ! It deals with life in
  a much more deeper dimention. It expounds and proposes to understand
  the human mind , the intelect and the power behind this "psycho-
  physical" system of ours - and for that matter of all "living and
  non-living" entities.

              To my understanding , the function of the news groups
  that we are talking about is also the same - i.e. to better our
  understanding of ourselves - to understand our own "psycho-physical"
  system. This is one of the aims of AI , as I understand. Ofcourse
  in a study like AI , one approaches or tries to understand the 
  issue starting from external world. If that was not one of the aims
  of AI , then it would not have a place in a discipline like Cognitive
  Science.

              The human mind has understood the fact that a proper
  study to be made of the "mind" , it can no more confine itself to any
  one branch of Science - like psychology or neurology or whatever. 
  Hence a need and an attempt to explore the truth thru multi-disciplinary
  approaches. We feel there is a need to synthesise our understanding
  of ourselves as we understand through the various branches of learning.

              In all these branches of learning (for example if we consider
  those which contribute towards or which are grouped together and called
  Cognitive Science) , the approach taken is from the external world 
  and trying to reach the inner world or the "world of cognition". But
  one cannot say that , this alone is the correct approach. One cannot 
  argue that there is no other way to deal with the problem. To do so 
  would be unscientific. It is only narrowing down the available paths
  to Truth.

              Raja Yoga or Spirituality is an approach from the within
  towards the same goal. Just the approach is different. So to say that
  it is not proper to discuss such a topic in a news group like this 
  I think is misjudged opinion , without knowing much about the topic
  or having a wrong understanding of it.


-- 
Ramakrishnan Murali      	Internet:rmurali@loki.une.edu.au
Phone:	+61 (066) 203634
     University of NewEngland, Northern Rivers Lismore NSW Australia


