Theos-Talk Archives (April 2000 Message tt00136)

In a message dated 4/12/00 7:17:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
bartl@sprynet.com writes:

<< One of my own prejudices is that modern science is taking us closer to 
Truth
 (although there are definite limits in what can be discovered using modern
 techniques, and even more limits in the human beings in the sciences), and if
 there are multiple interpretations of Theosophical literature, one of which 
agrees
 with modern scientific thought, then that is the interpretation one should 
use a a
 working one until new information comes that contradicts it. 
 
     Bart Lidofsky>>

Dear Bart,
First off, I want to tell you how much I have enjoyed many of your 
contributions to this on-going discussion.
The last time I heard, science (such as we know it in our "otherwise" highly 
primitive times) relies heavily -- some might say EXCLUSIVELY -- on THE 
ANALYTICAL MIND.  The analytical mind is a wonderful tool for doing what 
today's science does:  It is an extension of our own "common sense" 
experience, and does its best to give ever more sophisticated explanations 
for why things happen the way they do.  It's made possible a level of comfort 
and safety not even dreamed by humans, even a couple of hundred years ago.  
So far, so good.  This is truly a wonderful use of that wonderful TOOL, the 
analytical mind.
THEOSOPHY, on the other hand (and despite what you may have heard, if you 
haven't been keeping "good company"), does not have its source in the 
analytical mind.  The sources for theosophy, as the word itself suggests, is 
THEOSOPHICAL STATES OF AWARENESS.  In such states of awareness, the 
analytical mind has no place.  It is in this silence of the analytical mind 
that insight & compassion (which should really be written insight-compassion, 
since "they" are two aspects of a single unitary process) come from.  Let's 
look at it:  Insight is, intrinsically, not analytical.  Compassion is, 
intrinsically, not analytical.  Yes, one can analyze specific acts of 
insight-compassion.  But such analysis is not itself insight-compassion.  
Without insight-compassion, without theosophical states of awareness, it does 
not seem as if life has much meaning, much significance, much value -- if any.
So there seems to be something wrong in saying that that which is the source 
of all meaning, significance, and value (insight-compassion), should be 
subsumed under the analytical -- which can never provide meaning, 
significance, or value, in any senses of those words that truly mean 
something to humans.
So I would say that science is extremely valuable.  But in science there are 
no values.  This is partly why we see practically all living scientists 
selling their souls to the corporate dictatorship that rules our country at 
present, and is seeking to have total control over the whole planet.  
Whatever you may think of "corporate dictatorships" & such, it is a fact that 
scientists work for tobacco, chemical, & drug empires that are profoundly 
insensitive to everything that lives.  Or else, scientists work for 
universities funded by the same insensitive goliaths:  The universities that 
get their funding (& which therefore are the ones that can survive in our 
present dog-eat-dog world) are the ones where scientists are willing to fudge 
the results of "research" to reflect the wishes of their true masters.
That's where THEOSOPHY comes in.  In theosophical states of awareness -- when 
there is insight-compassion at work -- it can be seen very clearly that each 
of us is totally responsible for what happens to all living things, to the 
whole planet, & beyond.  These are only WORDS, & are merely intended to point 
to an actual engagement in this transformative way to be.  From such a 
perspective, one can choose to be a scientist.  If so, one would absolutely 
never have anything to do with anything that would imply mass destruction or 
maiming of living things.
So, while having the highest respect for science as the analytical mind's 
great tool for telling us a great deal about the world we live in, it is only 
when informed by THEOSOPHY that such science can be of deeper significance to 
all of us, & to other living things.
All the best,
Aryel

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