Advaitic quotes

[sadananda]

>Shri Gurubhyo' Namah:
>
> I came across this quite interesting verse when I was reading on my
>current research topic. And I figured it would be interesting to post it
>too.!!
>(It is basically about science, and specifically, it is about the
>importance of trying to solve the N-body problem, with several bodies
>interacting with each other and we are trying to solve Newton's equation
>of motion.)
>
> Given for one instant an intelligence which could comprehend all the
>forces by which nature is animated and the respective situation of the
>beings who compose it - an intelligence sufficiently vast to submit these
>data to anlysis - it would embrace in the same formula the movements of
>the greatest bodies of the universe and those of the lightest atom; for
>it nothing would be uncertain and the future, as the past, would be
>present to it's eyes.
>                - de Laplace P.S., A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities
>                        Dover, New York, 1951.
>
>Vaidya.

I could not comprehend this quote.  The last statement "; for it nothing
..." does not follow the rest of it.  Probabilities of particular events
are related to the uncertainties of the future.  If there are several event
probabilities, the course of events that can be charted out by the
intelligence as the most probable sequence of events into the future with
uncertainty factor hooked up with the probabilities.  But the problem in
the vision of de Laplace is to consider the intelligence that is submitting
the data to analysis is separate from the data itself.  This is the
fundamental problem of dRik and dRisya distinction and advaita Vedanta
addresses the very essence of this problem.

In addition, the very analysis of the data by that intelligence itself
perturbs the system and the data that is being analyzed such that the one
of the biggest uncertainty gets built into the system. This is where system
(or input data) as prarabda and analysis as purushaartha gets combined to
give future prarabda- to express simply in the vedantic terminology.

It is a trasitory system with data continouly being modified by the very
analyst who is trying to analyze the system - it is not only interaction of
the N bodies but interaction with intelligence who is the observer of the N
body system.  If the interaction is preordained then the socalled superior
intelligence is no more superior intelligent. This is where there is lot of
confusion in the advaitic discussions on free will or the lack of it. The
data is perturbed by the intelligence by his very observation and analysis,
but the inteligence is not perturbed by the data. (unless he imagines
himself to be the perturbed data).  Hence he is real and the other is
transitory or maaya.  One can imaginge the total confusion that can arise
when the system being analysed is mistaken as the subject who is analyzing
the system - as I am the body etc.

Stimulated quote to think of the glory of our Vedantic analysts who have
combined the analyst and the analyzed system into one! - advaita!

I must have successfully confused everybody now with the analysis of the quote.
But remember I am not confused, but it is only the system that is confused
by my analysis! Could this confusion also be predicted with no uncertain
terms by the superior intelligence! - we can provide an operating
definition for that superior intelligence - as the one how could have
predicted with no uncertain terms that is with 100% probability - That is
the defition of Iswara - Since it is not probable, it is only an operating
definition from the point of jeeva who imagins that such a probability
exists.  But the definition that appeals to me is that superior
intelligence is one who recognizes himself not perturbed even though his
very observation of the system perturbs the system observed with all its
uncertanities. That is possible only if (a) system being observed is not
independent of him and (b)  most importantly it is unreal since real would
make the system independent of the intelligence and can never be predicted
with any degree of probability!

I stop with this any further confusion.

Hari Om!
Sadananda


K. Sadananda
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Naval Research Laboratory
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