March 19, 2024
The Resolution of the Opposition of Free Will and Determinism
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 1 Life Through the Eyes of the Yogin, pp. 20-21 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/03/16/the-resolution-of-the-opposition-of-free-will-and-determinism/
YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at http://www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at http://www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:05,440
As long as we remain rooted in
the external surface
2
00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,560
consciousness and ego
personality, we are firmly bound
3
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:14,400
by the determinism of nature.
Nature, whether on the physical,
4
00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:19,440
vital or mental level, operates
under its own laws of action.
5
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,520
The more dense the expression of
consciousness is, the more fixed
6
00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:29,200
those laws become.
Thus matter has what appears to
7
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,680
be fixed and unalterable laws
that govern the way that matter
8
00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:37,000
acts in the universal creation.
It should be noted that we are
9
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,400
not fully cognizant of all of
these subtle interactions, so
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:46,200
our understanding of these laws
continues to increase as our
11
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,720
base of knowledge expands.
This does not imply that the
12
00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:55,760
laws are imprecise or constantly
changing, but rather that our
13
00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,880
appreciation of those laws is
incomplete and moving towards
14
00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,440
greater knowledge as time goes
by.
15
00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,880
The vital and mental levels also
operate under their own
16
00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,840
principles, while they appear to
have more flexibility and
17
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,840
freedom.
We are beginning to understand
18
00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,680
that there are indeed laws of
action that apply to each of
19
00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,000
these levels of consciousness as
well.
20
00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:25,960
This implies that the external
reality we embrace is very much
21
00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,480
a deterministic existence.
We can trace back cause and
22
00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,640
effect to see that there is no
escape at this level from
23
00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,920
determinism.
That does not mean, however,
24
00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,720
that there is no place at all
for free will.
25
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,800
It is when we can shift our
standpoint away from the ego
26
00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:50,200
standpoint to the Divine
standpoint that we can see that
27
00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,640
at this level, the entire
creation is directed and
28
00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,440
developed by the Divine
consciousness.
29
00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:01,120
We are ourselves an expression
of this consciousness.
30
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,880
And once we shift our standpoint
to that status, we are Co
31
00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:11,080
creators and Co participants
unified with the ultimate source
32
00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:16,720
of the entire manifestation and
its laws and thus share in the
33
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,360
free will of the Divine.
Some people believe that even
34
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,640
the divine consciousness is
bound by the laws of nature.
35
00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,720
It is true that when the Divine
chooses to create a universe it
36
00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:35,000
sets forth the laws under which
operations will occur and
37
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,240
obviously chooses to abide by
those self determined rules.
38
00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:45,680
Yet it is also true that other
universes, other creations, may
39
00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:50,760
and do operate under different
principles than those we
40
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,720
recognize here.
Scientists today speak of the
41
00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,000
multiverse with a recognition
that there are virtually
42
00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,960
infinite configurations that
manifest in different universes.
43
00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,760
They are not all bound by the
very same laws of nature,
44
00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:14,000
Siorobindo writes Quote.
In reality, the freedom and the
45
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,400
determination are only two sides
of the same thing.
46
00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,840
For the fundamental truth is
self determination of the cosmos
47
00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,240
and in it a secret self
determination of the individual.
48
00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,760
The difficulty arises from the
fact that we live in the surface
49
00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,640
mind of ignorance, do not know
what is going on behind, and see
50
00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,840
only the phenomenal process of
nature there.
51
00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,960
The apparent fact is an
overwhelming determinism of
52
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,000
nature, and as our surface
consciousness is part of that
53
00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,920
process, we are unable to see
the other term of the Bayou in
54
00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,920
reality.
For practical purposes, on the
55
00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,080
surface there is an entire
determinism in matter, though
56
00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,400
this is now disputed by the
latest school of science.
57
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,200
As life emerges, a certain
plasticity sets in, so that is
58
00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:14,040
difficult to predict anything
exactly as one predicts material
59
00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,920
things that obey A rigid law.
The plasticity increases with
60
00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,000
the growth of mind, so that man
can have at least a sense of
61
00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,400
free will, of a choice of his
action, of a self movement which
62
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,080
at least helps to determine
circumstances.
63
00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:36,800
But this freedom is dubious,
because it can be declared to be
64
00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,720
an illusion, a device of nature,
part of its machinery of
65
00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:47,360
determination, only a seeming
freedom, or A at most a
66
00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,200
restricted relative and subject
independence.
67
00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,680
It is only when one goes behind,
away from Prakriti to Purusha,
68
00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:01,920
and upward away from mind to
spiritual self, that the side of
69
00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:07,240
freedom comes to be first
evident, and then by unison with
70
00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,280
the will which is above nature.
Complete.
71
00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:16,920
End Quote Reference Shriorubindo
and the Mother, The Hidden
72
00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,880
Forces of Life, Chapter One,
Life Through the Eyes of the
73
00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,880
Yogin pages, 2021.
00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:05,440
As long as we remain rooted in
the external surface
2
00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,560
consciousness and ego
personality, we are firmly bound
3
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:14,400
by the determinism of nature.
Nature, whether on the physical,
4
00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:19,440
vital or mental level, operates
under its own laws of action.
5
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,520
The more dense the expression of
consciousness is, the more fixed
6
00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:29,200
those laws become.
Thus matter has what appears to
7
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,680
be fixed and unalterable laws
that govern the way that matter
8
00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:37,000
acts in the universal creation.
It should be noted that we are
9
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,400
not fully cognizant of all of
these subtle interactions, so
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:46,200
our understanding of these laws
continues to increase as our
11
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,720
base of knowledge expands.
This does not imply that the
12
00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:55,760
laws are imprecise or constantly
changing, but rather that our
13
00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,880
appreciation of those laws is
incomplete and moving towards
14
00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,440
greater knowledge as time goes
by.
15
00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,880
The vital and mental levels also
operate under their own
16
00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,840
principles, while they appear to
have more flexibility and
17
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,840
freedom.
We are beginning to understand
18
00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,680
that there are indeed laws of
action that apply to each of
19
00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,000
these levels of consciousness as
well.
20
00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:25,960
This implies that the external
reality we embrace is very much
21
00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,480
a deterministic existence.
We can trace back cause and
22
00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,640
effect to see that there is no
escape at this level from
23
00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,920
determinism.
That does not mean, however,
24
00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,720
that there is no place at all
for free will.
25
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,800
It is when we can shift our
standpoint away from the ego
26
00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:50,200
standpoint to the Divine
standpoint that we can see that
27
00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,640
at this level, the entire
creation is directed and
28
00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,440
developed by the Divine
consciousness.
29
00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:01,120
We are ourselves an expression
of this consciousness.
30
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,880
And once we shift our standpoint
to that status, we are Co
31
00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:11,080
creators and Co participants
unified with the ultimate source
32
00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:16,720
of the entire manifestation and
its laws and thus share in the
33
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,360
free will of the Divine.
Some people believe that even
34
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,640
the divine consciousness is
bound by the laws of nature.
35
00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,720
It is true that when the Divine
chooses to create a universe it
36
00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:35,000
sets forth the laws under which
operations will occur and
37
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,240
obviously chooses to abide by
those self determined rules.
38
00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:45,680
Yet it is also true that other
universes, other creations, may
39
00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:50,760
and do operate under different
principles than those we
40
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,720
recognize here.
Scientists today speak of the
41
00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,000
multiverse with a recognition
that there are virtually
42
00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,960
infinite configurations that
manifest in different universes.
43
00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,760
They are not all bound by the
very same laws of nature,
44
00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:14,000
Siorobindo writes Quote.
In reality, the freedom and the
45
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,400
determination are only two sides
of the same thing.
46
00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,840
For the fundamental truth is
self determination of the cosmos
47
00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,240
and in it a secret self
determination of the individual.
48
00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,760
The difficulty arises from the
fact that we live in the surface
49
00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,640
mind of ignorance, do not know
what is going on behind, and see
50
00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,840
only the phenomenal process of
nature there.
51
00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,960
The apparent fact is an
overwhelming determinism of
52
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,000
nature, and as our surface
consciousness is part of that
53
00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,920
process, we are unable to see
the other term of the Bayou in
54
00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,920
reality.
For practical purposes, on the
55
00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,080
surface there is an entire
determinism in matter, though
56
00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,400
this is now disputed by the
latest school of science.
57
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,200
As life emerges, a certain
plasticity sets in, so that is
58
00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:14,040
difficult to predict anything
exactly as one predicts material
59
00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,920
things that obey A rigid law.
The plasticity increases with
60
00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,000
the growth of mind, so that man
can have at least a sense of
61
00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,400
free will, of a choice of his
action, of a self movement which
62
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,080
at least helps to determine
circumstances.
63
00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:36,800
But this freedom is dubious,
because it can be declared to be
64
00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,720
an illusion, a device of nature,
part of its machinery of
65
00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:47,360
determination, only a seeming
freedom, or A at most a
66
00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,200
restricted relative and subject
independence.
67
00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,680
It is only when one goes behind,
away from Prakriti to Purusha,
68
00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:01,920
and upward away from mind to
spiritual self, that the side of
69
00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:07,240
freedom comes to be first
evident, and then by unison with
70
00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,280
the will which is above nature.
Complete.
71
00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:16,920
End Quote Reference Shriorubindo
and the Mother, The Hidden
72
00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,880
Forces of Life, Chapter One,
Life Through the Eyes of the
73
00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,880
Yogin pages, 2021.