In scientific research there is an old [1] idea known as Occam's Razor or the Principle of Parsimony. Basically, it says choose the simplest conceptual model that explains all the data. Mathematically, prefer the equation with the smallest number of terms to describe something. E.g., E=mc^2 describes the maximum energy present in a mass 'm' using just one other term 'c'.
Similarly, the elegance of Advaita lies in its theoretical notion of everything in the universe arising from just one single thing. Unlike Einstein's equation, though, it is not possible to test, let alone prove that through "objective" experiments. A bit like the Big Bang theory! [4]
Advaita, while parsimonious in its axioms of initial (or eternal) state, does end up resorting to earlier concepts from Sāṁkhya (which has two foundational entities) to explain our world. Thus Māya is practically the same as Prakṛti, and Ātma, or Jīvātma, the same as Puruṣa.
In Sāṁkhya, consciousness and non-consciousness are eternally separate and so it is easy [2] to understand that states of mind (a non-conscious thing) are different from a state [3] of consciousness. Thus, jāgrata, svapna, and suṣupti - all mental states - are different from turīya. Or they are orthogonal to turīya. Turīyātīta, posited as another state of consciousness, subsumes easily into turiya in combination with a different mental state.
NOTES
[1] Traced back to Aristotle per Wikipedia.
[2] Sāṁkhya is a realistic philosophy which does not deny the existence of anything, including mental states.
[3] Strictly speaking, consciousness, or Purusha, in Sāṁkhya is absolutely non-interactive. So there is only one state.
[4] But see first comment below - at least one prediction of the Big Bang theory has been tested and proven, and so it is more valid than, say, the steady-state theory. In general, though, it is not theoretically possible to prove a theory - it can only be disproven.
Two comments Re Physics : 1.You cannot prove a scientific theory, you can only disprove it. This is common sense but was emphasized by Popper in his analysis.
ReplyDelete2. 3-degree background radiation was a testable prediction of Big Bang theory and was discovered in the sixties.
Re. 1 - Agreed! But, unfortunately, disprovability is not obvious/commonsensical. One has to delve deeper to understand that a theory is valid in larger and larger contexts as more and more of its predictions are proven. Just as one cannot test a complex system completely , one cannot claim that all possible predictions of a theory have been made.
ReplyDeleteRe. 2, thanks, Balu, I didn't know this! Will edit and point to your comment.