Jaganmohanlal Pandita Sadhuwad Granth

Author(s): Sudarshanlal Jain
Publisher: Jaganmohanlal Shastri Sadhuwad Samiti Jabalpur

Page 197

४८ पं. जगन्मोहनलाल शास्त्री साधुवाद ग्रन्थ
[ 83
If we mean by rationalism one or the other of the above, and I believe that is what it means in the Modern period in the West, then rationalism only reinforces rather than transcending or becoming an alternative to the empiricism dominating modern Western epistemology. Rationalism is simply a handmaiden to empiricism and is of no or little help in our efforts to know reality in itself, untouched or altered by us, or to determine how to morally use it. One is reminded of the Buddha's observation that, “Neither is there any room for truth in rationality. Rationality is a two-edged sword and serves the purpose of love equally as well as the purpose of hatred. Rationality is the platform on which the truth standeth. No truth is atainable without reason. Nevertheless, in mere rationality there is no room for truth, though it be the instrument that masters the things of the world."
As I indicated at the beginning, epistemology and metaphysics are inseparable and this makes it easier to describe Western metaphysical views, once some of the epistemological ones have been indicated. An obvious one to begin with is the perception of nature or reality as dualistic and dialectical, made up of entities exclusive of and antagonistic toward each other. When one adds to this the view that nature is categorizable, the evoltutionary theory or view is a natural one. We see in nature various categories of beings, conflicts between categories as well as within members of each category, and change or progress as resulting from classes between the species, or the failure or success of a species to adapt to its environment.
The metaphysical correlate of epistemological empiricism is the view that reality is material in nature, that only physical objects exist, that the material is the only reality and is known through the senses. The world is a world of objects, with attributes but without essence, existing in time and space.
In terms of relationships, the tendency in the Modern period is to attribute a mechanical, direct, cause-effect type relationship to reality. Events are explained in terms of causality, and causality is sequential or linear. Event Y is caused by a preceeding event X. The result is like the cause, and the cause is at least as great as the effect. Causality, then, exhibits the principles of identity and equivalence.
It is interesting to note that in this kind of causation there is no room for doubt or uncertainty. Absolute predictability is possible and control, therefore, is as well. This brings us again to the Western utilitarian attitude toward nature. Since nature is a fixed constant, it can be mastered, dominated or subjugated to man's ends, will, or desires. Three assumptions might be noted at this point. The first is that reality is categorizable. Nature is such that its manifold entities can be put into categories. Usually dismissed rather cursorily is the question of the validity of categories. While they may have use or instrumental value, do they have truth value as well ? Are not categories something that the mind creates when it sets about understanding reality? If so, they are artificial constructs which are useful in utilizing reality, but they are unable to tell us anything about the inherent nature of reality.