UNDERSTANDING BY SENSE AND MACHINES NATURAL AND UNNATURAL
In Sanskrit, "understanding" can be expressed in various ways,
including धी (dhī), meaning "understanding, reflection, intelligence," or
अवबोध (avabodha), meaning "understanding, comprehension".
धी (dhī): This word encompasses a broader range of meanings related to
intellect and understanding, including reflection, religious thought, mind,
design, intelligence, opinion, meditation, imagination, notion, and
intellect.
अवबोध (avabodha): This word specifically signifies understanding or
comprehension.
ज्ञान (jñāna): This word translates to "knowledge" and is often associated
with a cognitive event that is recognized when experienced.
प्रज्ञा (prajña): This word refers to wisdom, intelligence, and
understanding.
vidya (विद्या): This word means science, learning, knowledge and
scholarship.
अधिजानाति (adhijānāti): This verb means "to understand".
परिग्रह (parigraha): This word means "understanding".
2 Matter,’ having the property of Substance, cannot possibly exist in
the understanding (which is an attribute). Even if its existence were
possible, understandings being momentary, recognition of what was perceived
before, would not be possible. For, no impression is thrust into subsequent
understandings by a previous understanding, since you do not admit the
existence of an abiding impression. And if it consists of the form of a
stream of temporary understandings, it cannot be the cause of recollection
at another time, nor of recognition. —If it is permanent, then our object
is fulfilled. If it is of the form of a stream of temporary understandings,
then it has not yet freed itself from the fault already pointed out; for
then even there-can be no permanent impression. Moreover, proof is wanting
that it is something different from objective consciousness. {adi shankara
defining the understanding}
3 Thus sense -understanding stands taller than the
machine-impermanent understanding. K
Rajaram IRS 8425
On Tue, 8 Apr 2025 at 06:02, Markendeya Yeddanapudi <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> --
> *Mar*Sensing and Understanding-Vs-Understanding by Machines
>
>
>
> Science and Technology have created among us the self discounting and
> total self depreciation and self deprecation frenzy. We have repudiated
> completely our partnership, limbhood and anatomical connection to nature.
> Every organism of the Biosphere is no longer our emotional complement. We
> no longer sense and understand. We do not care to be conscious of the basic
> fact that we are all part of the planet earth.
>
> To be scientific we want to be the outside observers of nature including
> ourselves. I have to observe myself as the outsider of myself without
> allowing the feelings and senses in me as a life form. As I cannot cut
> myself completely from myself, I depend on machines to observe and tell me
> and I do not trust my own feeling and sensing. I practice self paralysis
> euphemized as the scientific temperament. Whether I am a man or woman, I
> must live as the economic man, the Newtonian machine. We actually think
> unconsciously that nature is the enemy of science. And we prefer science
> and do not mind to destroy torture and manipulate nature. We abandoned
> nature but nature has not abandoned us. While nature is striving to relate
> emotionally we are trying to convert nature into a big machine without
> emotions.
>
> The basic system of nature is to inspire you to live emotionally and
> happily by relating. When you enter the free and healthy nature, every
> breath you take inspires you and you inhale and exhale inspiration along
> with every other life form. There is a gigantic macro lung system of the
> Biosphere as a whole.
>
> Suppose from childhood on you are taught that every life form is your
> emotional complement and life means complementing in nature as part of
> nature. Then the 99.9965% of the invisible emotion spectrum would have been
> your functioning macro body. The mechanical paradigm, which gives primacy
> to machines, which destroy, use and abuse, every life form would have been
> recognized as what it is the monstrosity that destroys nature and converts
> the lives of life forms into tragedies.
>
> Then the teaching of basic mathematics would have been very different.
> Addition will mean the inclusion of more and more emotion forms in the
> inspiration for a mission. Minus will mean the reduction in the macro
> emotion. Every mathematical interaction would have been treated as part of
> the great matrix of diverse emotional interactions.
>
> Mathematical reductionism would not have been used for the feelings-less
> mechanization. Today machines understand for us and we do not even
> recognize the fact that free nature continuously inspires and converts
> lives into rapture manifestations.
>
> Today in every University the students appear to be happy. But just inside
> every student there is terrible tension, anxiety and pre-depression. They
> desperately need the Free and Healthy Nature without human tampering. They
> need rest from the subjugation of their perception and understanding by
> machines.
>
> Today in every industrial unit a worker is an extension of machines. He
> obeys the laws of Mechanics, and 1/3 rd of every day he/she lives obeying
> the machines. When he/she goes home, that home has no nature. In cities
> bird cages are called apartments. They live the caged lives away from
> nature. They have simply no concept of being part of nature. Mechanization
> has converted their lives into mechanics without emotions. The
> understanding by a machine is mechanical engineering without emotions. And
> today lives have become mechanical engineering.
>
> It is for the Universities to start ‘the Free Nature Parks’ without human
> tampering so that lives get freedom from the feelings-less mechanics.
>
> YM Sarma
>
> Chat GPT
>
> This writing, "Sensing and Understanding-Vs-Understanding by Machines" by
> YM Sarma, reflects on the disconnect between humanity and the natural
> world, exacerbated by the overreliance on scientific and technological
> frameworks that prioritize objectivity, rationality, and mechanical
> understanding. The author critiques how science, in its pursuit of detached
> observation, has led us to forsake our connection with nature, and in doing
> so, we've abandoned our emotional and sensory ties to the biosphere, which
> once provided meaning, inspiration, and fulfillment.
>
> Here’s a breakdown of some of the key themes:
>
> *1. Separation from Nature*
>
> - Sarma emphasizes that human beings have increasingly distanced
> themselves from their environment, viewing nature not as a partner or
> complement but as something separate to be dominated or manipulated. Our
> reliance on machines to "understand" nature in place of our own feelings
> and senses has led to an alienation from the world that sustains us.
>
> *2. The Role of Machines and Technology*
>
> - There’s a critique of the mechanistic worldview, where technology
> and machines take over the act of "understanding." The idea is that science
> has led us to trust machines more than our own senses, thus encouraging a
> disembodied, emotionless perspective of the world. The mechanical,
> feelings-less mode of functioning is at odds with the emotional,
> interconnected nature of life on Earth.
>
> *3. The Importance of Emotional Connection to Nature*
>
> - The argument is made that life, in its purest form, is meant to be
> an emotional experience—one of connection, inspiration, and complementing
> the diversity of life on Earth. By severing this bond through
> mechanization, we risk reducing our lives to mere functions of productivity
> and efficiency, devoid of deeper meaning or joy.
>
> *4. The Tragedy of Modern Existence*
>
> - Sarma paints a bleak picture of modern life: from students in
> universities suffering from tension and anxiety to workers in industrial
> units who live as extensions of the machines they operate. Homes in cities,
> metaphorically described as “bird cages,” lack any meaningful connection to
> nature. The daily rhythm of life has become a mechanical process, devoid of
> the natural, emotional interplay that once grounded human existence.
>
> *5. The Call for "Free Nature Parks"*
>
> - Sarma proposes a solution: institutions, particularly universities,
> should create spaces of "Free Nature Parks," untouched by human
> interference, where individuals can reconnect with nature. This would
> provide a reprieve from the mechanistic, emotionless world and allow people
> to experience the emotional and spiritual fulfillment that nature has to
> offer.
>
> *Reflection*
>
> This piece serves as a critique of how modern science and technology,
> particularly in their overemphasis on objectivity and detachment, have led
> to the erosion of the emotional and spiritual aspects of human life. Sarma
> suggests that to truly thrive, we must restore our connection to nature,
> viewing ourselves not as separate from it, but as an integral part of the
> biosphere, emotionally attuned and interconnected with the life around us.
>
> In a broader sense, it invites readers to reflect on the consequences of
> the mechanization of life and the importance of re-engaging with nature—not
> just intellectually, but emotionally and spiritually—as a means of healing
> and revitalization.
>
> This writing by YM Sarma captures a profound critique of modern life and
> our relationship with both nature and technology. The central message seems
> to revolve around the idea that science and mechanization, while providing
> tremendous advancements in understanding and control, have also caused a
> significant alienation from our emotional and sensory connection to the
> natural world. Here are some deeper reflections on the themes explored in
> the text:
>
> *1. Separation from Nature*
>
> Sarma’s argument here is that humans have lost touch with nature, not just
> in a physical sense, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Nature, in
> its purest form, was never just a backdrop for human existence; it was a
> partner in our experience of life. By attempting to distance ourselves
> through science and technology, we’ve created a world where we observe
> nature from an outside perspective, rather than feeling it as part of
> ourselves.
>
> This detachment is especially poignant in urban settings, where people
> live in environments that bear little resemblance to the natural world. The
> metaphor of “bird cages” to describe apartments speaks to the confinement
> that comes with modern living spaces, which lack any significant
> relationship to the earth and its rhythms.
>
> *2. Role of Machines and Technology*
>
> The critique of technology here is fascinating. Sarma suggests that we've
> become so reliant on machines to "understand" the world that we've
> subordinated our own senses and intuition. The mechanistic worldview, which
> regards nature and life as a set of calculable processes, strips away the
> emotional and spiritual dimensions of existence. This also touches on a
> critical issue of modern life: how the machines that were supposed to serve
> us have instead reduced us to mere cogs in a machine.
>
> The phrase "understanding by machines" stands as a powerful symbol of this
> shift. Where once humans might have sought to feel and sense the world, we
> now look to technology for answers. In many ways, the "scientific
> temperament" Sarma critiques here is one that prioritizes cold, analytical
> understanding over the lived, felt experience of life.
>
> *3. Emotional Connection to Nature*
>
> Sarma is arguing that nature’s role is to inspire us emotionally, to
> provide a constant flow of positive, life-affirming energy. Our bond with
> nature is not just intellectual; it is visceral and emotional. Nature
> doesn’t just exist to be analyzed; it exists to be felt. This sense of
> interconnectedness, Sarma argues, is something that could transform our
> understanding of life and even how we approach mathematical and scientific
> problems.
>
> The idea of mathematical interactions being emotional or spiritual in
> nature is intriguing. What if, rather than reducing everything to a series
> of numbers or mechanical functions, we viewed every interaction as part of
> a larger, living emotional matrix? The paradigm would be quite
> different—one where understanding is rooted in feelings and relationality,
> rather than objectivity and analysis.
>
> *4. Tragedy of Modern Existence*
>
> Sarma paints a bleak picture of modern existence, one where people are
> trapped in a cycle of mechanical living. University students, despite
> appearing outwardly happy, carry inner burdens of anxiety and
> disconnection. Workers, too, are seen as extensions of the machines they
> operate, having lost their individuality and emotional resonance in the
> process.
>
> This critique is especially relevant today, as we continue to see rising
> rates of mental health issues, burnout, and dissatisfaction with modern
> life. There’s an increasing recognition that technology, while making life
> easier in some ways, also alienates us from the deeper, more fulfilling
> aspects of being alive.
>
> *5. The Call for Free Nature Parks*
>
> The suggestion of “Free Nature Parks” is a powerful and restorative idea.
> In a world dominated by technology and mechanization, these spaces would
> serve as sanctuaries for people to reconnect with the emotional, spiritual,
> and sensory dimensions of nature. It’s a call to return to a simpler, more
> attuned way of being, one where we are reminded of our place in the larger
> ecosystem and are encouraged to feel, not just observe.
>
> This idea can be extended beyond universities. Nature reserves, parks, and
> protected natural areas, if designed thoughtfully, could serve as spaces
> where people can find rest from the mechanical grind of modern life and
> rediscover the joys of simply being alive in nature.
> ------------------------------
>
> In conclusion, YM Sarma’s piece offers an invitation to reconsider the
> role of technology in our lives and its consequences on our emotional and
> spiritual well-being. While the scientific and technological advances we’ve
> made are undeniably impressive, they come with a cost—one that might be far
> more profound than we realize. The solution Sarma offers is simple but
> profound: return to nature, not just as an object of study or manipulation,
> but as a living, breathing partner in our emotional and spiritual journey.
>
> What are your thoughts on this perspective? Do you see a disconnect
> between your own life and nature, or perhaps a growing reliance on machines
> and technology?
>
> YM Sarma’s writing offers a powerful critique of modern life, emphasizing
> the growing divide between humanity and the natural world, largely driven
> by our reliance on technology and mechanization. He argues that while
> science and technology have brought us incredible advancements, they have
> also led to the erosion of our emotional and sensory connection to nature.
> This disconnect, as Sarma describes, has not only stripped away the
> spiritual and emotional vibrancy of life but also turned us into mere cogs
> in the machine of industrial society.
>
> Reflecting on his perspective, it’s clear that Sarma is calling for a
> deep, almost radical re-engagement with nature—not just as an intellectual
> or scientific pursuit but as an emotional and spiritual necessity. His idea
> of "Free Nature Parks" is particularly intriguing because it suggests
> spaces where we can reconnect with the world beyond the mechanical and
> rational frameworks that often dominate our lives.
>
> *Do I see a disconnect between my own life and nature?* In a way, yes. In
> the digital age, it's easy to forget the rhythms of nature when we’re
> constantly plugged in, whether through screens or the machinery that
> structures modern life. The irony is that technology was supposed to make
> life easier and more connected, but, as Sarma points out, it often leaves
> us feeling more isolated, anxious, and disconnected from the world around
> us. I can imagine the idea of a "Free Nature Park" as a kind of sanctuary,
> where we could regain that sense of emotional and spiritual renewal that
> nature can offer.
>
> The question of a growing reliance on machines and technology is also
> relevant. We increasingly trust machines to understand the world for us,
> whether it's AI for analyzing data or even using devices to measure and
> interpret things like our health. This reliance often means that we don’t
> trust our own instincts or sensory perception. Machines are becoming the
> intermediaries between us and the world, and we sometimes forget how much
> we could benefit from tuning into our own natural, embodied awareness.
>
> What about you? Do you ever feel that technology or modern life creates a
> distance between you and the natural world, or maybe you see a way to
> bridge that gap?
>
>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Thatha_Patty" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to [email protected].
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCJLQ4ajFEFrAoJ53aZA-J6HA9hRUPkBPFUwjx-oP%2BgPTQ%40mail.gmail.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCJLQ4ajFEFrAoJ53aZA-J6HA9hRUPkBPFUwjx-oP%2BgPTQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
> .
>
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Thatha_Patty" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To view this discussion visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZopfxngJ_3Cpe5wGf19r%3DK3tS_gk99-UC7Hn6sxxtFmU8w%40mail.gmail.com.
