"> Rituals meant to please the god of <whatever>, might well be activating the parts of the > brain associated with <whatever>. Is this a "law" of human nature?"
I agree that this is possible. In that context of physiology it might be accurate to call it a law. We are looking at it so differently here. The point of the ceremony might be to get the inlaws together after the stress of the wedding is over. That might be the "meaning" of a yagya or puja that is performed at a certain time. It might reflect a deep understanding of what a family needs at that time. Or a scripture passage about Shiva getting stoned on Bhang and falling off his ox on the way home and pissing off his wife Parvati, might be just a cautionary tale about how to get along with your wife. These stories have insights into human nature, but it is, for me, a long way off from describing them as laws of human behavior. More like perceptive insights. I understand that this view is not mutually exclusive of the possibility that they are describing something at a deeper level, but the interpretation of its social meaning is profound enough for me to see the value. --- In [email protected], "sparaig" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > I mean insights into human nature. I would not use he term "laws" in > > this context. > > > > Rituals meant to please the god of <whatever>, might well be activating the parts of the > brain associated with <whatever>. Is this a "law" of human nature? > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "sparaig" <sparaig@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > > > "I'm willing to bet that the Platonic Mysteries taught this about the > > > > Greek Gods also..." > > > > > > > > I am more of a Joseph Campbell man concerning myths from the past. > > > > Equating any set of ancient gods with the laws of nature we discover > > > > in science seems too reductionist. I believe the guys who wrote those > > > > stories were better writers than that. They weren't asking the same > > > > questions we are asking with science's discovery of laws of nature. > > > > The two systems may not be compatible except by analogy. > > > > > > > > I would much rather hear a psychologist talk about the connections > > > > with myths than a physicist. I think ancient cultures recorded a lot > > > > of wisdom about human nature and the nature of society in those myths. > > > > > > The laws of nature in Hinduism also refer to the laws of *human* > > nature. Or rather, the laws > > > of human nature are simplistically reflected in what Westerners call > > laws of nature. > > > > > > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
