From Mind to Supermind: A Statement of Aurobindonian Approach :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

From intellectual to Supermind A Statement of Aurobindonian apostrophizeABSTRACT In contrast to Western theories of mind, Aurobindos theory is every-round(prenominal) and holistic. This theory derives from his ontology. With respect to mind, Aurobindo contends that evolution will non stop with valet sapien. Rather, he posits higher levels of consciousness Higher Mind, Illumined Mind, original Mind, Overmind, and Supermind. Higher Mind is an intercessor between the Truth-light above and the human mind. Illumined Mind is Spiritual light. Intuitive Mind possesses swift revelatory vision and luminous insight. Overmind acts as an intermediary between Supermind and Intuitive Mind. Supermind contains the self-determining truths of Divine Consciousness it is the Real-Idea inherent in all cosmic force and existence. The various concepts and theories of mind prevalent today get had their origin and development in the West. They stern be classified as Psycho-analytical (cf., Sigmund Freud, Karl Jung, A. Adler), Behavioural (cf., Gilbert Ryle), Gestalt (cf., Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Kohler), Physiological (cf., J. J. C. Smart, U. T. Place, Feigl), Psycho-physical (cf., Karl Popper), Evolutionary (cf., Henry Bergson, Samuel Alexander, Whitehead), functional (cf., R. Rorty, Peter Smith, O. R. Jones), and Mental or Homo Sapiens-oriented (cf., Roger Penrose). The outcome of all such discussions is that mind is mysterious and beyond all scientific explanation. According to the master(prenominal) contemporary view, in particular, there is something essential in human misgiving that is not possible to simulate by any computational meaning. This indicates that the nature of mind continues to remain a source of acute soreness to the Western thinkers. Even their new empirical findings regarding the highly complex genial acitivity is dubious. The object of this paper is to submit that in this context of the Wests indecisiveness and perplexity, Aurobindos approach to mind comes as a snorkel of fresh air. Aurobindos theory of mind is as much comprehensive of the essence of the Western schools of thinkers cited above, as it is contrastive. The pioneers in this area from William crowd together and McDougall through Freud, Jung and Adler etc, established the paradigm of the iceberg with reference to the nature of mind. This can be designated as the infra-structural theory of the entity. The views of the evolutionists (Darwin, Laplace, Bergson, S. Alexander, Whitehead, for instance,) are different but not enriching. All of them fail to recognise that any infra-structure can, and must have, logically speaking, a supra-structure as well, in order to be complete and holistic.