Neutrality, percipience, and non-agency Most of everything we know is we know through our eyes, ears, and sometimes with our nose. That is, we observe things and events, we see doors, tables, and chairs.
But, are there other kinds of valid knowledge? We can also run and jump, think, and talk to our friends. So, we also get knowledge from experience and from others, and we can read books. [Wikipedia Commons Photo] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldorado,_Texas> Somewhere in Eldorado, Texas In Sankhya-Yoga system, according to Theos Bernard, writing in 'Foundations of Hindu Philosophy', the phenomenal universe is considered a dynamic order, "...an eternal process unfolding, without beginning or end." In order to avoid the fallacy of regressus ad infinitum, which is not consistent with rational solutions, Samkhya postulates an 'Uncaused Cause', which remains undefined, as it is beyond, or transcendental to, human intellect. "This absolute is beyond time and space, without attribute and form, and is forever removed from empirical scrutiny". True evolution, according to Samkhya, exists ONLY in the transformation of cosmic consciousness, Purusha, to the physical substance, prakriti, and that the manifestations of the physical and biological world, are only modifications of five gross elements. This sounds very reasonable since this can be confirmed by observation. Bernard notes that Samkhya "...views the evolutes of matter from its cosmic cause as a process of unfolding, a projection of potentialities according to fixed laws that can be understood by man" (68). According to the sage Kapila, creation is impossible, for something cannot come out of nothing; change implies something to change; whatever is, always is, and whatever is not, never is. As Kapila states: "And from the contrast with that which is composed of the three constituents, there follows, for the Purusha, the character of Being, a witness; freedom from misery, neutrality, percipience, and non-agency" (XVII). For the investigation of the causal process, Samkhya recognizes three means of valid knowledge, and three only. What three? Perception, inference, and personal testimony - are the valid means of knowledge; comprehended in these three, used in particular instances depending on what is to be known. For example, perception is to be used for objects which are in contact with sense organs; inference is used for knowledge of those things of which only the characteristic marks are known, and testimony is used for knowledge of those things that are beyond the logical analysis of the mind. Works cited: 'Foundations of Hindu Philosophy' by Theos Bernard, Ph.D. Author of 'Hatha Yoga', 'Penthouse of the Gods', 'Heaven Lies Within' etc., etc. Philosophical Library, 1947 'The Samkhyakarika of Isvarakrishna' Samkhyakarika, trans. and ed. by S. Sastri University of Madras, 1935
