Concepts of Reason and Intuition with Special Reference to Sri Aurobindo, K.C. Bhattacharyya and S. Radhakrishnan

This work is a systematic and critical study of two most important problems of philosophy — Reason and Intuition. The philosophical thought of the twentieth-century Indian thinkers articulates fresh ideas. Though they accept the metaphysical doctrines of Vedanta, one finds a good deal of originality in their world-views. The great thinkers are fully aware that unless they interpret and formulate the traditional truths in the modern framework of ideas, they would cease to inspire. There seems to be a distinct change in their views concerning man’s existence in the world.

The book embodies a fresh approach towards critical evaluation of some theories and gives valuable insights. It attempts to make relevant comparisons of the views of Indian thinkers with those of some of the eminent thinkers of the West.

In the detailed study of Sri Aurobindo, K.C. Bhattacharyya and S. Radhakrishnan, the author shows, not only a profound grasp of the concepts of Reason and Intuition, but also the admirable understanding of other important metaphysical and religious problems.

This book cannot miss the sight of students of philosophy, researchers and scholars.

Dr. R.C. Sinha, Professor and former Head, Department of Philosophy, Patna University, is currently a fellow of the Department of Indian Council of Philosophical Research. He received PhD from the Banaras Hindu University in 1969 and entered into the teaching job in 1968 at the Post- Graduate Department of Indian Philosophy and Religion, College of Indology, Banaras Hindu University. Subsequently, he joined Patna University in 1970.

He has been honoured by Loknayak Sammana (2005) and Vidwad Bhushana (2011). He is the author of Samkalina Bhartiya Chintak and Samaj Darshan evam Rajniti Darshan ki Rooprekha (1994). Dr. Sinha has edited Philosophical Deliberations (2005), essays in honour of Prof. D.M. Datta; Bhartiya Darshnik Chintan (2007); and two volumes of Dimensions of Philosophy (2012). He is the chief editor of Darshanik Traimasik as well.

THE present book proposes to make a critical and systematic study of the two most important problems of philosophy, specially of Indian philosophy — "reason" and "intuition". These problems not only engaged the minds of the foremost Indian thinkers of the past, but they have also been given a fairly important attention by the great Indian thinkers of this century. This book is an attempt to study the concepts of reason and intuition as they have been conceived and developed by the Indian philosophers of the twentieth century, specially the three philosophers — Sri Aurobindo, K.C. Bhattacharyya and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Here, I make an attempt to do relevant comparisons of the views of Indian philosophers concerning reason and intuition with some of the eminent philosophers of the West, of the past as well as of the present.

Indian philosophers of this century have mainly expounded and developed the philosophy of the Vedanta in their own ways. Though they accept the metaphysical doctrines of the Vedanta, absolutistic as well as theistic, yet one finds a good deal of originality in their world views. There seems to be a distinct change in their views concerning man’s life in the world, the secular and spiritual problems of life, his aspiration and his destiny. One finds a good deal of originality and freshness in their approach to these problems. It can be clearly perceived in the philosophies of Sri Aurobindo, Bhattacharyya, Radhakrishnan, Tagore, S.M.Iqbal and J. Krishnamurti. Even where there is no basic difference in the metaphysics of the Indian philosophers of this century with those of the classical periods, one can see a significant — difference in the application of the metaphysical or spiritual truths to the problems of life — temporal as well as non- temporal. It is this fact that gives the above-mentioned thinkers _ a place of importance and makes their study necessary and fruitful in the present situation.

The change that one perceives in their attitude and approach towards man’s life in the world, in their formulation of the dynamic ethical, religious and social values and the goal of human life and of history has been largely brought about by the tremendous advances in science and technology, and the emergence of new ideologies and the philosophies of life in the Western world. The great thinkers of this century saw it clearly that unless they interpreted and formulated the great truths of the Vedanta and the philosophy of life based on them in a language and the framework of ideas which could be appreciated and understood by the modern man, they would cease to inspire him and would simply adorn the pages of history. These thinkers seem to be convinced that man’s philosophy and life cannot follow separate courses. His philosophy cannot cut itself off from the mainstream of his life. Philosophy, according to them, is not something which concerns simply man’s intellectual life.

INDIAN philosophical thought has entered a new era in the present century. The eminent Indian thinkers, specially the Hindu thinkers, have generally made serious and sustained attempts to re-interpret the great Indian philosophical tradition of the past and to give a new orientation to it. They have also tried to introduce certain new values concerning man's ethical, social and religious life, and his ultimate destiny. Thus they cannot simply be called the interpreters of the past heritage. Thinkers like Sri Aurobindo, K.C. Bhattacharyya, 9. Radhakrishnan and others also show a profound impact of the great stream of Western thought in the development of their philosophical views and systems. On the one hand, their philosophical views are largely derived from the great stream of the Vedantic thought, on the other hand, they are also shaped and moulded under the influence of the great idealistic tradition of the West.

Thinkers like Sri Aurobindo, Tagore and Radhakrishnan also show considerable influence of modern evolutionary philosophy in the development of their thought. Thus, the twentieth-century Indian philosophy presents a happy confluence of the two great philosophical traditions of the world — India and the West. Though the philosophical systems of Sri Aurobindo, Bhattacharyya, Radhakrishnan and other twentieth-century Indian thinkers are largely founded on the ancient Vedantic thought, yet they show disinct originality and freshness in respect of methodology and approach to the problems of man’s life, world-existence and Ultimate Reality. They show the same freshness and originality in their treatment of the concepts of Reason and Intuition.

Meaning of Reason and Intuition

Etymologically, the term "reason" is derived from Latin word ratio. It means relation. "In the most generalized sense of all, reason might be defined as the relational element in intelligence ...."' Senses can apprehend "A" and "B" separately. Reason alone can relate them. Philosophical thinking starts at the level of reflection. It is only after attaining a certain level of reflection that man finds himself in a position to ponder seriously over the problems of life and reality. The distinction between true knowledge and false knowledge is possible only at the level of reflective consciousness. It is only at this level that one can determine the nature of knowledge and distinguish the different sources of knowledge. Sense experience, reason and intuition are generally treated as different sources of knowledge. Radhakrishnan puts it.

**Contents and Sample Pages**