Reality may be distorted by the personal filters (biases, prejudices, fixed ideas, etc.) being used by the observer. But then such filters shall also be part of the reality.
So, the reality is made up of what is observed by the observer, whether it is straight or distorted. But then the observer also should be included in that reality!
The filter separates what is observed from the observer, while modulating the observations.
But when the filter is gone then that which is observed and that which is observing are gone too.
In a sense, the very existence of what is observed, and the observer, depends on the existence of the filter.
Thus, reality is the filter that is observing itself.
The ultimate reality remaining after the filter is gone is something else.
I was 3 years old when this movie was released in 1949. I remember my parents taking me with other siblings to the movie theatre. The only scene that stuck to my mind from this movie was a clock tower in the night from which a huge bat was flying away. The part I got right was the sense that this movie was spooky. But when I watched this movie recently after all these years I discovered that the scene, which was stuck in my mind, was a juxtaposition of two different scenes. Well, I am glad I cleared that up.
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One of the old Hindi songs that I have always enjoyed is from this movie. Here it is,
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The lyrics of this song are as follows. They express a beautiful longing.
. Khaamosh hai zamaanaa, chup chaap hain sitaare Aaraam se hai duniyaa, bekal hain dil ke maare Aise mein koyi aahat, is tarah aa rahi hai Jaise ki chal rahaa ho, man mein koyi hamaare Yaa dil dhadak rahaa hai, ik aas ke sahaare Aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa aayegaa aanewaalaa Aayegaa, aayegaa, aanewaalaa, Aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa aanewaalaa Aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa Deepak bagair kaise, parwaane jal rahe hain Deepak bagair kaise, parwaane jal rahe hain Koyi nahin chalaataa, aur teer chal rahe hain Koyi nahin chalaataa, aur teer chal rahe hain Tadpegaa koyi kab tak, be aas be sahaare Tadpegaa koyi kab tak, be aas be sahaare Lekin ye kah rahe hain, dil ke mere ishaare Aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa aanewaalaa, Aayegaa aayegaa, aayegaa Bhatki huyi jawaani, manzil ko dhoondhti hai Bhatki huyi jawaani, manzil ko dhoondhti hai Maajhi bagair naiyaa, saahil ko dhoondhti hai Maajhi bagair naiyaa, saahil ko dhoondhti hai Kyaa jaane dil ki kashti, kab tak lage kinaare Kyaa jaane dil ki kashti, kab tak lage kinaare Lekin ye kah rahe hain, dil ke mere ishaare Aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa aanewaalaa, Aayegaa aayegaa, aayegaa, aayegaa.
“The Absolute Truth is that there is nothing absolute in the world, that everything is relative, conditioned and impermanent, and that there is no unchanging, everlasting, absolute substance like Self, Soul, or Ātman within or without.”
DEFINITION: Absolute means, “Viewed independently; not comparative or relative; ultimate; intrinsic.”
This postulate may appear self-contradictory to some, but it essentially says, “There are no absolute certainties.” This is reflected in one of the most ancient hymns, The Creation Hymn of Rig Veda.
All certainties are relative. This statement does not degrade any certainty we have. It simply means that one can always come up with a better certainty.
That is how science makes progress. Einstein declared the speed of light to be a universal constant. This is a certainty for now, but there may possibly be a wider context in which the speed of light is a special case.
Similarly, in the field of spirituality, we cannot be absolutely certain that self or soul is permanent. The phenomenon that is described as self or soul must be open to further investigation.
There is little progress possible for a person who believes his certainties are absolute.
William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910)
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William James is one of three American Philosophers highlighted in The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant. The other two American philosophers are George Santayana and John Dewey. I commented on George Santayana’s philosophy in the Comment section of the essay CREATION.
This essay intoduces William James very briefly. For full introduction please refer to this Wikipedia article.
It is interesting to note that William James’ education had a cosmopolitan background. He had an early artistic bent, but, at the age of 19, he switched to scientific studies. Later he studied medicine but never practiced it.
In his early adulthood, James suffered from a variety of physical ailments. After an extended period of philosophical searching he finally resolved in 1872 what he called his “soul-sickness.” In 1873 he joined the faculty at Harvard University where he spent almost his entire academic career. He retired from Harvard in 1907. In 1882 he also joined the Theosophical Society.
He was one of the strongest proponents of the school of functionalism in psychology and of pragmatism in philosophy. He was a founder of the American Society for Psychical Research, as well as a champion of alternative approaches to healing. He challenged his professional colleagues not to let a narrow mindset prevent an honest appraisal of those beliefs.
I shall be commenting on the philosophy of William James (as summarized in the Wikipedia and in The Story of Philosophy) in the Comment section below.
