zaterdag 16 januari 2010

states of mind

Somehow, ''we'' (westerners (as if easterners are different)) in our education (oh yes we do) have a focus on the rational way(s?) of knowing. So called ''altered states of consciousness'' (ASC) (term coined by Charles Tart, i admit not yet having read his work on them) are (usually) neglected.

I find it helpful to ask myself whether i myself neglect them; why rationality is so highly (over?)rated; etc.

Some more questions i would like to think about more in my life (i.e. if i ever become knowledgeable in several fields and still have time i might write something about this):

-Can ASCs provide more valid ways of knowing? In what contexts? On what ways? What then is knowledge?

-Why are ASCs calles ALTERED? This supposes that somehow our basic state of mind is cold and rational... i think it is not. At least not if we are not firmly indoctrinated and imprinted to value the rational state extremely high.

by the way; i'm pretty sure that rationality as a way of knowing the world is limited per se.

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