Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 6 Contd…,
Again the emergence of consciousness out of the Inconscient is a stumbling-block in the way of this theory; for it is a phenomenon which can have no place in an all-pervading truth of inconscient mechanical Necessity. If there is a necessity which compels the emergence, it can be only this, that there is already a consciousness concealed in the Inconscient, waiting for evolution and when all is ready breaking out from its prison of apparent Nescience.
EXPLANATION
Again, the theory of mechanical necessity cannot explain the emergence of consciousness out of the Inconscient. If we insist on the truth of inconscient mechanical Necessity we are ruling out the phenomenon of emergence of consciousness.
If we say that there is a necessity which compels the emergence, it can be only this: the consciousness is already concealed in the Inconscient waiting for evolution; when all is ready it is breaking out from its prison of apparent Nescience. Therefore we can conclude that all that happens in the universe is not out of a mechanical necessity.
We may indeed get rid of the difficulty of the imperative order of things by supposing that it does not exist, that determinism in Nature is imposed on it by our thought which needs such an imperative order to enable it to deal with its surroundings, but in reality there is no such thing; there is only a Force experimenting in a random action of infinitesimals which build up in their general results different determinations by a repetitive persistence operative in the sum of their action; thus we go back from Necessity to Chance as the basis of our existence.
EXPLANATION
We have seen that there is insistence on order when possibilities manifest in the universe. We may take an opposite view that such an order does not exist in the universe; that determinism in Nature is imposed on it by our thought; our thought needs such an imperative order to enable it to deal with its surroundings. Rather, the order we perceive around us are only creations of our mind; it has no reality.
There is only a Force experimenting in a random action of infinitesimals. Such an action produces different determinations by a repetitive persistence. By taking this view, we are going back from Necessity to Chance as the basis of our existence.
But what then is this Mind, this Consciousness which differs so radically from the Energy that produced it that for its action it has to impose its idea and need of order on the world she has made and in which it is obliged to live? There would then be the double contradiction of consciousness emerging from a fundamental Inconscience and of a Mind of order and reason manifesting as the brilliant final consequence of a world created by inconscient Chance. These things may be possible, but they need a better explanation than any yet given before we can accord to them our acceptance.
EXPLANATION
If the order we find in the created things is imposed on Nature by our mind, finally we come to the question: what is this Mind, this Consciousness that differs so radically from the Energy that produced it. Because for its action it has to impose its idea and need of order on the world in which it is obliged to live. The fact is that the Mind, the consciousness cannot be different from the Energy that produced it.
For example, the characteristics of a Rose flower are not imposed by the flower. They are the expressions of the inherent quality of the rose plant of which the flower is a part.
If we accept this theory, then, there would be a double contradiction. One is consciousness emerging from a fundamental Inconscience. Another is Mind of order and reason manifesting as the brilliant final consequence of a world created by inconscient Chance. Both are not true. The truth is that it is the involved consciousness that is evolving as Mind and Consciousness.
Sri Aurobindo says these things are possible. Yet they need a better explanation before we can accord to them our acceptance. Therefore, we cannot accept the theory that the order of created things we find in this universe is a work of our Mind.
PARAGRAPH 7
This opens the way for other explanations which make Consciousness the creator of this world out of an apparent original Inconscience. A Mind, a Will seems to have imagined and organised the universe, but it has veiled itself behind its creation; its first erection has been this screen of an inconscient Energy and a material form of substance, at once a disguise of its presence and a plastic creative basis on which it could work as an artisan uses for his production of forms and patterns a dumb and obedient material.
EXPLANATION
If we accept Mind as the creator of the Universe it would open the way for other explanations. It would make Consciousness the creator of this world out of an apparent original Inconscience. We may say a Mind, a Will seems to have imagined and organised the universe. But it has veiled itself behind the creation.
First it has created this screen of an inconscient Energy and the material substance. This material form of substance is at once a disguise of its presence and the creative material on which it could work like an artisan. It could produce forms and patterns on matter similar to an artisan who shapes things out of a dumb and obedient material.
This explanation gives us the impression that there is an extra-cosmic Power – a Power outside the universe, that has created this universe from an inconscient matter.
All these things we see around us are then the thoughts of an extra-cosmic Divinity, a Being with an omnipotent and omniscient Mind and Will, who is responsible for the mathematical law of the physical universe, for its artistry of beauty, for its strange play of samenesses and variations, of concordances and discords, of combining and intermingling opposites, for the drama of consciousness struggling to exist and seeking to affirm itself in an inconscient universal order.
EXPLANATION
Logically, then we may conclude that all these things we see around are the thoughts of an extra-cosmic Divinity. We could think of a Being with an omnipotent and omniscient Mind and Will. Such a being is responsible for the mathematical law of the physical universe and for its artistry and beauty. It is also responsible for its strange play of sameness and variations, of concordances (agreements) and discords and of combining and intermingling of opposites. It creates the drama of consciousness struggling to affirm itself in an inconscient universe.
The fact that this Divinity is invisible to us, undiscoverable by our mind and senses, offers no difficulty, since self-evidence or direct sign of an extra-cosmic Creator could not be expected in a cosmos which is void of his presence: the patent signals everywhere of the works of an Intelligence, of law, design, formula, adaptation of means to end, constant and inexhaustible invention, fantasy even but restrained by an ordering Reason might be considered sufficient proof of this origin of things.
EXPLANATION
But this Divinity is invisible to our mind and senses. Yet we do not face any difficulty to accept the fact that an extra-cosmic Being is behind all cosmic phenomena. Because we can reconcile to the fact that self-evidence or direct sign of an extra-cosmic Creator could not be expected in a cosmos which is void of his presence.
We could convince ourselves of the fact that there are recognisable signs everywhere in the universe of an Intelligence, of law, design, formula, adaptation of means to end. We find in this universe a constant and inexhaustible invention. We even find fantasy in the universal phenomena but restrained by an ordering Reason.
All these things are considered sufficient proof of an extra-cosmic origin of things.
Or if this Creator is not entirely supracosmic, but is also immanent in his works, even then there need be no other sign of him,—except indeed to some consciousness evolving in this inconscient world, but only when its evolution reached a point at which it could become aware of the indwelling Presence. The intervention of this evolving consciousness would not be a difficulty, since there would be no contradiction of the basic nature of things in its appearance; an omnipotent Mind could easily infuse something of itself into its creatures.
EXPLANATION
We may take a view that this Creator is not entirely supracosmic (above the cosmos) but is also immanent (as an indwelling presence) in his works. Even then there need not be an outward sign of him except the sign of an evolving consciousness. Yet it could become aware of the indwelling Presence when its evolution reaches a point.
The evolving consciousness would not pose any contradiction to the basic nature of things in its appearance. Therefore, the intervention of this evolving consciousness would not be a difficulty. An omnipotent Mind (Supermind) could easily infuse something of itself into its creatures.
One difficulty remains; it is the arbitrary nature of the creation, the incomprehensibility of its purpose, the crude meaninglessness of its law of unnecessary ignorance, strife and suffering, its ending without a denouement or issue. A play? But why this stamp of so many undivine elements and characters in the play of One whose nature must be supposed to be divine? To the suggestion that what we see worked out in the world is the thoughts of God, the retort can be made that God could well have had better thoughts and the best thought of all would have been to refrain from the creation of an unhappy and unintelligible universe.
EXPLANATION
Yet one difficulty remains. We find in this universe the arbitrary nature of the creation. We are unable to comprehend its purpose. We find in this universe unnecessary ignorance, strife and suffering by its crude meaninglessness of its laws. We are unable to understand why a creation ends without any final outcome or result.
We can consider all these the Divine play. But why should the Divine introduce so many undivine elements and characters in His play? Afterall His nature must be supposed to be divine.
Whether whatever we see worked out in the world are thoughts of God? If that be, God could well have had better thoughts. The best thought would be refraining from creating an unhappy and unintelligible universe.
All theistic explanations of existence starting from an extra-cosmic Deity stumble over this difficulty and can only evade it; it would disappear only if the Creator were, even though exceeding the creation, yet immanent in it, himself in some sort both the player and the play, an Infinite casting infinite possibilities into the form of an evolutionary cosmic order.
EXPLANATION
All theistic explanations of existence are based on the premise that an extra-cosmic Deity had created this universe. But they stumble over the difficulty mentioned above and hence they can only evade it.
The difficulty would disappear only if we recognise the truth that the Creator is not only above the universe but also present in Its creation. He is both the player and the play. He is an Infinite throwing infinite possibilities into the form of an evolutionary cosmic order.