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From: Sankar Jayanarayanan <kartik>
Subject: Re: FREE-WILL AND DESIRE
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Kevin Kirchman <kirchman@fl.net.au> wrote:
>Sankar Jayanarayanan <kartik> wrote:

>>The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad on this point-
>>
>> " You are what your innermost desire is.
>>   As your desire is, so is your  will.
>>   As your will is, so is your deed.
>>   As your deed is, so is your destiny."
>>
>>-Kartik
>>
>
>The question that remains is: can we affect or change our 'innermost 
>desire'. I think yes. By visualising some end state, we forcec concepts 
>to be built up around (conceputually) the object the desire of which we
>are trying to improve. For instance, we can learn more about  an objective
>so that it occupies more of our conceptual 'space'. In so doing we build
>our desire for it little by little, by selectively viewing the aspects of
>the objective that are more appealing. By purposely influencing our 
>mental focus, we alter our interest and ultimately our emotional intensity
>toward a given objective. 
>

This 'build our desire little by little' is itself influenced by desire, is
it not? I "want" to build up my desire, which itself is a desire...
Also, I "want" to learn about the object of my desire...

>It then follows from your quote above, that to affect your destiny, encourage
>your desire.

I suppose that's what happens with any quote out of context. Essentially, the
Upanishads ask us to destroy our desire/will by the will itself(if my
understanding is right).

>For an integration of productive psychological Theories with
>academic philosophical and psychological perspectives, 
>see my book, *Aspirations: The Rational Foundations of Achievement*, 
>which also presents the applications of a new epistemological theory, the 
>Conceptual Model theory (new theories of induction, concepts, and deduction). 
>
>http://breakthrough.com.au            in about a week, or 
>kirchman@fl.net.au                    for more information. 
>
>

-Kartik

