tman_and_moksa

Author(s): G N Joshi
Publisher: Gujarat University

Page 11

Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
M
of its capacity for verification. The Reductionists are trying to reduce and explain the gher entities and experiences in terms of lower ones (e.g. the spiritual is reduced to the moral, the moral to the intellectual, the intellectual to the psychological, the psychological to the physiological, and the physiological to the biological) to prove the worthlessness of the spiritual experiences and values,
The Positivist, Empirical and Scientific methods are being applied to the concept of Self'. The modern Psychologists, and Philosophers are trying to explain 'Self' in terms of 'unselfish' entities. Thus, the old metaphysical 'self' is studied according to the new objective, positivist and scientific methods by Psychologists; but so far these psychologists have revealed no final view about the nature of the 'Self'. However, it is a fact that the present age acutely lacks inner satisfaction and peace of mind.
On account of such attempts to reduce the 'self' to some lower entity and to its externally observable functions, man is ceasing to give to the self its former native dignity and look upon it with reverence. As the self has lost its former dignity and grandeur, man is now little interested in preserving its native diguity, with the result that the present man has no right notion of 'self-respect' and worth of human life. Consequently, man is fast losing regard for and faith in the higher levels of life and consciousness, and he scarcely cares to look upon the values of life as noble, pious and holy. Nowadays, every value of life is supposed to be justifiable and desirable on utilitarian and pragmatic grounds, and thus man has ceased to regard that there is a higher, noble, sublime and supramundane plane of life and consciousness. As the pragmatic and utilitarian values are conducive to narrow individual interests and selfishness, I think that they can be held responsible for fostering a sense of disintegration and anarchy in social life. And unless its native dign'ty and grandeur are restored to the 'Self' and it is raised to its rightfully high position human beings are not likely to honour the higher values of life, and disregard for
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