Page 45 - NAMAH-Oct-2022

Namah Perspective

scientists are tracing material molecules produced nor does it use the consciousness.
responsible for subjective experiences like There are even abnormal instances which
pleasure, happiness, love, etc. Modifying go to prove that our organs are not entirely
the chemistry and physics of the body is indispensable instruments, — that the heart-
now a powerful means to alter subjective beats are not absolutely essential to life, any
experiences. more than is breathing, nor the organised brain-
cells to thought. Our physical organism no more
This can also work the other way round,that causes or explains thought and consciousness
is by inducing subjective experiences we than the construction of an engine causes or
can generate corresponding biophysics and explains the motive power of steam or electricity.
chemistry. It has also been well demonstrated The force is anterior, not the physical instrument
that with the power of will and concentration, (1).”
which is a subjective force, one can alter But what is the research method used by
biochemistry and physics. It is like physical Sri Aurobindo to arrive at this conclusion
movement producing an electric current or in which is quite opposite to the modern
reverse, an electric current producing physical scientific understanding of brain, mind and
movement. But what is more fundamental, consciousness? This is where the third method
physical movement or electric energy? In physics, of research in psychology becomes relevant
we know electrical energy is more fundamental because a research method is not only the
than physical movement, even if the physical by-product of a worldview but also limits the
movement can produce electrical energy. worldview itself by the very method.

We can study a flag objectively to know The Forces of Nature
about the wind, but the wind has its own
existence independent of the flag. Same way, The forces of Nature have woven our body,
the operations of our mind can be measured which is a physical instrument, out of the
in the neural networks of our brain, but the material elements. Within the matrix of our
mind has its own existence independent of material body emerges the psychological
the hardware in which it is reflected. It is the forces and materialism assume that the
same for body chemistry and physics. We material forces — chemical and physical
can indeed flutter a flag to produce wind and — are producing the psychological forces
imagine that we have found the mechanics or and resultant subjective experiences. It is a
secrets of the wind and in the same way we worldview with materialism as its foundation
can alter the biophysics and chemistry of the leading us to consider the study of biophysics
body to produce various psychological states and chemistry as the way forward to master
and imagine that we are touching upon the our psychological nature. It has indeed a place
mystery of consciousness. Sri Aurobindo’s in understanding the correlation between our
research in consciousness shows an opposite subjective and objective existence. However,
view, he writes: while objective methods are perfectly valid
and effective in understanding the material
“Consciousness uses the brain which its upward machinery of Nature, applying the principles
strivings have produced, brain has not of our machinery and its processes to master

45