The Forces of History - 2

 

There are three ways of looking at the world we live in:-

(1) Physically, (a) as a pattern spread out in Space; (b) as a pattern spread out in Time; (c) As a logical pattern of concepts.

(2) According to the function of things within systems.

(3) According to underlying Principles.

We can think of things as being (1) Static, (2) Dynamic and changing and, therefore as having a history or (3) Ordered and having a pattern and belonging to systems. This corresponds to a distinction between facts, meaning and values and between passive, mediating and active or vitalising. Thus the Historical View lies between the other two, a resultant of the action of the vitalising factor on the passive or inertial, or something from which the other two separate out. But corresponding to these distinctions, History can be regarded as consisting of a series of changes with no particular direction; or it can be regarded as having a direction; or it can be regarded as an unfolding of certain inherent principles. In this case is would be like a hologram or Fractal pattern such that the pattern of whole is reproduced in the parts and the parts of the parts. Each part can then be seen as containing a similitude of the whole and vice versa. As above so below.

The First Mystery of Existence, M1, is that things X exist. This provides us with facts.

The Second Mystery, M2, is that change takes place. Things change from x1 to x2. There is a contrast and the notion of "Cause" and "Force" are connected with this. The existence of causes or forces is a mystery like M1 but at a different level which is prior to M1.

The Third Mystery, M3, is that there is not only horizontal change at the same level, but also vertical changes of level, of order and complexity which bring about new phenomena. The change from nothing to something is also due to M3. The existence of M3 is like M2 but at still another level which is prior to M2. However many levels we go to there is the mystery of its existence but also that of all the other levels.

It is the existence of Mysteries (the unknown) that activates human beings to seek knowledge. But human beings as other things do not exist by knowledge alone. They have their own nature that must be fulfilled. In so far as they exist in and are part of an environment with which they interact, the process of existence has three aspects (i) to receive an input, (ii) to process it, and (iii) to produce an output. These three are interdependent. This output is an input into the environment that it processes to produce an output, some of which becomes an input in man. Thus an entity or organism E1 is connected with its environment E3 by a third factor, the process of exchange E2. We have a Life Cycle which has three aspects, namely (i) materials, (ii) energy and (iii) information. All three are needed to exist. Whereas the Life Cycle proceeds automatically in Inert objects generally regarded as Material, Living things have to be more actively involved and as such are represented by Energy, though also consisting of matter. Conscious human beings, though also matter and energy are represented mainly by Information and as such require Knowledge, Motive and Action. The total number of factors involved in the processes of existence are, therefore, 3 x 3 = 9.

Knowledge is partly inbuilt in us and partly comes from experience and partly comes from thinking, data processing. There is knowledge about outer phenomena, but also about ourselves and about techniques, how to do things. Knowledge about outer phenomena can consist of natural facts or about human organisations (politics, Law, Art etc) or about Ideas (Science, Philosophy etc.). Knowledge is, therefore, a much wider concept than science, and Life with which Religion deals is a much wider than just knowledge. And Reality is much vaster than Life.

 

Experiences provide data from the external physical and social world and from the physiological and inner psychological world. It produce effects on thoughts, feelings and action and these interact and affect each other.

Human beings modify themselves, their society and their environment by their thoughts, motives and action. Thought acts through motive and action on the environment. Motive acts through emotion and action, and action by causing reactions from that on which it acts, provides experiential data. But these faculties also act by interpreting experience. But in so far as these faculties utilise electronic, electromagnetic and other forces, there are also much more direct effects that have not yet been widely studied. But thought, motive and action do not only depends on experience, but also on data processing (thinking) and on inherent impulses of faith, love and hope that derive from the fact they are part of the natural processes of the Universe that have produced them. These impulses are interpreted and can be misdirected distorted or even inverted to produce fear, hate and despair. Other symptoms of perversion are morbid doubt, uncertainty, cynicism, scepticism, confusion, apathy, disinterest, hopelessness, superstition, illusion, delusion, aggression, destructiveness, depression, anxiety, tension, greed, and obsession etc. The misdirection of hope leads to gullibility and reliance on false sources of satisfaction e.g. games of chance, reliance on false authorities, leaders, ideologies and so on.

Actions depend on (i) the direct effect of the forces from the environment. (ii) inherent instinctive factors (iii) Reaction to stimuli. Here pleasure and pain become the driving forces of history, one attracting towards one pole and the other repelling from the opposite. They, therefore, both have the same developmental effect. The notions of Heaven and Hell are connected with this at the mental level though they are symbolic. (iv) habit formations owing to repetition of the same or similar events. (v) Observation and imitation. (vi) Communication with others including learning from parents and teachers. (vii) Reasoning and deliberate purposive action.

It is said that in science we have to prove everything. But firstly, we have to establish the priorities about what one is speaking about. The first assumption is that Absolute Reality exists. We do not need to prove this because proof depends on it. The second assumption is that consciousness exists. If Reality did not exist then consciousness would not exist and if consciousness did not exist we would not know reality. The third assumption is that the contents of consciousness exist. There are three kinds:- sensations which we attribute to the external world, feelings that we attribute to an interaction between the external and internal worlds and thoughts that we attribute to an inner psychological world. These correspond to the distinction between matter, mind and spirit. Consciousness is prior to perception, which is prior to reason and that is prior to science which is prior to technology. This in its turn changes our life style and conditions the way we see the world. A > C > P > R > S > T > L. The progress of knowledge and human evolution is the reverse of this. We have to ascend the ladder

Proof has three levels. In the first level of proof, P1, we simply point to the existence of the fact x1 that is given to our experience - it is self-evident. The Sun exists; the tree exists; a particular object exists. We experience things (a) through our outer senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, feeling, kinaesthesia, the muscle sense that gives us weight and the sense of balance), but also (b) through physiological senses that give us information about the state of our organs and (c) we are also aware of various feelings and emotions and thoughts. From the raw data provided by the senses we form concepts by comparing, associating, analysing and synthesising. But we can create and choose different concepts and combine them in different ways to form ideas and systems of ideas.

It is necessary to understand that:-

(i) That we are affected in more ways than through the senses. Sensory perception is a sub-set of all perception. It includes feelings, thoughts, images, insights, intuition and inspiration.

(ii) The experience is an effect of a real impulse on the person and consists of a transfer of information or order. This is interpreted as a sensation or perception. The electro-magnetic wave of a certain frequency, for instance, is interpreted as a sensation of a colour, red for instance. The colour is not in the wave. Smell and taste refer to certain chemicals but do not exist in them. We hear various sounds but in nature there are only vibrations of various frequencies. The Reality is, therefore, distinct from the experience. It is perfectly possible to relive the experience in our minds so that E is separate from the R that gave rise to it. D can also be separate from E because we can invent objects and stories.

(iii) Three levels of perception should be recognised:- (a) We are only aware of some aspects of an object or event depending on our interest. (b) This is only a subset of what we could be aware of. (c) What we could be aware of is a subset of a greater range. For instance the spectrum through which we see the world is only a small part of the total electromagnetic range. We are also limited as to the intensities, the strength or weakness of the forces we can be aware of and the amount of discrimination and distinction of differences. Thus space, which seems empty, is full of all kinds of invisible things, and we are unaware of the great many things that surrounded us. It is possible that what we see as solid and confined to a particular space is much more extensive. Things may exist in many dimensions but we see only three of space and one of time. We have limits in seeing the very large and the very small and very fast and the very slow. Events that happen at great speed are seen as solid objects and vice versa as can be demonstrated by taking photographic films and then showing them in slow motion or speeded up. We see things by light. The size and speed of its particles, the photon, therefore, circumscribe ordinary human awareness. This cannot mean that subtler substances do not exist. Crystals, molecules and atoms that things are made of consist mostly of space - there are much greater distances between the particles they are made of than the size of those particles. But this space is not empty as it filled with forces. In fact the particles have short life spans and consist of waves that have cycles. Matter is constantly being created, annihilated and recreated. It is not as solid and permanent as we see it. Things as experienced are not, therefore, the same as they are in reality. If one looks at a complex structure, say a house, from one angle we do not see the same thing as from another angle. But it is possible, through instruments or techniques to change ones relationship with things and see them differently. It is, therefore, necessary to recognise different Contexts of Perception. If the sensitivity of the senses were set to a different set of frequencies or speeds than we have now, then different worlds or levels of Reality would come into our awareness.

(iv) Each person has a limited set of experiences and interprets the data of experience according to how they affect him. He organises it in certain ways to form a complex or several complexes. He interprets new data in terms of previously acquired data and according to its context within the complex and by addition of fantasies and speculations. He is affected in doing all this by the rest of community with which he interacts. All this is mostly done sub-consciously or unconsciously. Each person, therefore, has his Personal World or Worlds. The different Personal Worlds of the people can expand or contract, overlap or may contain or be contained in that of others and form a Collective World.

(v) Perception depends on the state of the perceiver - the degree of consciousness, health, mood, attitude, purpose, mental set, familiarity, and expectation. There are different degrees of perception. Perception can therefore be vivid or vague to different degrees and people have percepts of many degrees. There are vague feelings about the nature of existence and one's role in the scheme of things that are often difficult to express and communicate. They are known as religious or spiritual experiences. Though everyone probably has these feelings because they are in fact a part of existence, people give them different degrees of attention and may deny or suppress them. Some people have them to a more vivid degree and are transformed by this. As they give expression to what others feel more vaguely they obtain a following that produces a Spiritual or Religious movement. Though the great religions have founders, they could not exist without the rest of the community having initially similar experiences. The outer manifestation of Religion is like the body containing an inner spiritual core and like an iceberg most of which is hidden below the surface.

(vi) Other creatures or beings could experience things in quite differently from human beings and may even have a different set of senses as is known by Zoologists who study animals. All organs, including the sense organs start from the fertilised egg which multiplies and differentiates into the various organs including the sense organs. It is possible that new organs can form. The senses, therefore, also start from a General sense and then differentiate into different special senses. But these are not completely separate, but interact and can take over each others function with exercise. The general sense, however, still remains and could produce other particular specialised senses.

(vii) These direct experiences provide us with (1) Experiential facts. Some of these (i) correspond to something real and useful and others are (ii) "illusions" based on inadequate information caused by fascination, fear, greed, hate etc. or (iii) Hallucinations where thoughts or mental images are mistaken for realities. To distinguish between these the experience must be (i) repeated (ii) corroborated by others and (iii) it must be consistent with other linked experiences.

But there are also (2) Meaningful Relationships that are understood under certain categories of thought such as space, time, characteristic, aspects, order, system, level, control, dependence (passive, mediating and active), qualities (positive, negative, neutral), quantities (unity, plurality, totality), modalities (i.e. existence, necessity, possibility), substance, causation, interactions, passive, mediating and active and so on. The distinction between fact, meaning and value also belongs here. Different sets of these will produce different experiences.

We also have (3) Value Concepts that give us Categories of Significance such as Truth, Goodness, Usefulness, Beauty, and Power and so on. Different sets of these can produce different experiences.

The second level of proof, P2, concerns processing the data of experience. This involves comparison, analysis, association, relating and synthesis. Reasoning is a subset of data processing and verbal Logic is a subset of reasoning. Concepts are formed by abstracting certain common features from the data of experience. These concepts are not the same thing as the experiences. These are put together to form propositions. Propositions are put together in order to extract an inference in the form of a proposition. This can be put together with other propositions and so on to produce an argument. We want to explain something x2 by relating it with x1 that can be proved by P1, or something x3 that is related with x2, and we also have to prove the relation r1. That is, something has to be taken for granted as existing. We can explain it by means of a self-consistent hypothesis H1, which must be falsifiable. That is the hypothesis that necessarily includes x2 must also necessarily include all facts x1 which can be proved by P1. So if any facts x1 cannot be proved then the hypothesis is false. But if a hypothesis is such that whatever facts x1 we consider, it explains them, then it is useless for differentiating between one thing and another. But it is possible that several hypotheses H1, H2, H3 can be constructed to include x2 and all x1. The one that is more comprehensive or useful or consistent with other hypotheses is preferred over the others. It is also possible that another hypothesis H2 can be constructed that explains why some x1 cannot be proved in H1 while others can. Data processing can take place at various speeds.

The notion of force in Physics is not falsifiable. Neither are the ideas of Random Mutation and Natural Selection in Biology, nor is Determinism. These have been assumed so that is what science looks for and whatever science may discover it will be interpreted in terms of these ideas. From the Religious point of view any fact that is discovered will be attributed ultimately to God as the cause of all causes and that is also unfalsifiable. But this idea is justifiable because religion unlike science is required to deal with existence and life in a unified comprehensive manner which includes facts, meaning and values.

It is necessary to note that:-

(i)All the steps from the formation of concepts to the construction of the argument can be done in different ways according to motive and purpose. If we have a problem in mind which we wish to solve then we can look for the means to do this. But it is not possible to start with a set of concepts or propositions and reach a conclusion that is valid because the choice is arbitrary.

(ii) The argument is linear but in nature things tend to form systems so that there are multiple connections and feedbacks between things. Scientists generally want to isolate one variable v1 and study it as it relates to another v2. But it seldom occurs to them that variables might be connected so that changes in v1 will only produce changes in v2 in the presence of v3, or that the relationship between v1 and v2 depend on the conditions in which they exist, or that v1 or v2 or both may really consists of a number of different factors. Differences of level tend to be ignored. The cause or effect of a variable v1 may lie at a different level of organisation or may not be physical, but psychological or spiritual.

(iii) People differ in the kind of experiences they have. These experiences are a subset of the all the data that is available. People living in any particular area will have certain sets of common experiences not only because the same environment and events are available to them, but also because there is communication between them, and they point things out to each other. They also use the same concepts which, though abstracted from experiences are not the same thing as experience and refer to a small part of what has been experienced or is experienceable. In fact, the world they describe is a human construction. And this description also modifies their conscious experience.

Conscious reasoning is relatively slow. Subconscious processes are much faster and unconscious ones are even faster. When, for instance, we wish to catch a ball that has been thrown, then the calculation of speed and position by which this is done is much faster than can be done intellectually. There are also a much greater reservoir of memories in the subconscious and unconscious than is available to the conscious mind. The emergence of the result of these processes into consciousness is called intuition, inspiration or revelation. Much scientific and other progress takes place when the conscious rational faculty is suspended allowing such contact to be made.

The third level of proof, P3, is concerned with the need to construct a self-consistent and comprehensive world view in which the observer and his experiences, motives and activities also fit. This is a question of consciousness and insight. This ability varies between people. Apart from experienced data, people, like all other entities, also have inherent or Existential information that is genetically built into them. People may have varying degrees of conscious access to this. Religion, for instance, is a Universal aspect of man. There is some recognition that they are part of the rest of the Reality, which is much more than what is known to them, with which they interact and with respect to which they have a function. People have partial knowledge which is partially processed in their consciousness and this means that different people have different parts of the total knowledge. But this is affected by sub-conscious and unconscious factors. Three conditions, therefore, arise:- (i) There are differences, controversies and conflicts owing to mutually exclusive systems of knowledge. (ii) Systems of knowledge may overlap to different degrees such that there are both degrees of mutual understanding and difference. (iii) Some systems of knowledge are more comprehensive than others and contain them. People who have less can follow and learn from those who have more.

There is a difference between hearing about India, seeing India and being an Indian. These three types of knowledge are referred to in the Quran as (1) Ilm-ul-Yaqin. (Quran 102:5) - "The Lore of Certainty". Verbal knowledge (2) Ain-ul-Yaqin . (Quran 102:7) - "The Eye of Certainty". Experiential knowledge. (3) Haqq-ul-Yaqin. (Quran 69:51) - "The Truth of Certainty". the Knowledge of Identification.

But there are three sources of differences controversies and conflicts:- (a) Due to differences of knowledge. (b) Due to differences in motives and interests. In fact, when resources are limited the same motives will lead to conflict. (c) Due to differences in actions, efforts and skills.

These three kinds of proof correspond to the three levels of man, namely the physical, the mental and the spiritual. Animals live by their physical senses and do not require P2. The purely intellectual approach of science uses logic and mathematics that are constructed so as to give deterministic results:- If "All men are mortal" and "Socrates is a man" then "Socrates is mortal". This is because Socrates belongs to the class man which belongs to the class mortals. If we define 2 = 1+1 and 3 = 1+1+1 and 5 = 1+1+1+1+1, then 2+3 = 5. But this approach is wholly inadequate for life. For instance you cannot cross a river 5 metres wide by using two metal lengths of 2 metres and 3 metres unless you do some welding. We need experiences, perception, motives and skills. Knowledge is not independent of the nature of human minds, of their capacity for perception, motives and actions and interactions with the environment and consists of more than just scientific knowledge.

We tend not to be conscious of things that are uniform and homogenous. We become conscious only when there is a contrast, an opposition between one thing and another. Knowledge is, therefore, always relative in that it depends on comparing and relating. The opposition constitutes a "stimulus" that not only awakens awareness but impels us to action. The purpose of action is to provide a third reconciling factor that removes the contradiction and restores the harmony. The opposition between A and C constitutes a problem and the action is designed to provide a solution B. The opposition or problem could exist within us or in the environment or between an inner desire and an outer condition. The solution could be in the form of an explanation to an intellectual or emotional or physical problem. The One could, therefore, state that the function of life, particularly human life is problem solving, the restoration of the original unity from which the pair of opposites arose to create the Universe. The third reconciling factor that life provides as a solution is the same as that which kept the opposites together in the first place and is now trying to recombine them. We are, therefore, told:-

"And of all things have We created pairs, that you may reflect. Therefore flee unto Allah, surely I am a plain Warner to you from Him." 51:49-50

The verse does not say that they are opposites. In fact they complement each other. All phenomena are a balance between both and can be regarded as being determined by a third factor. Changes take place owing to changes in the balance and this is often cyclic moving from one extreme to the other where one or the other dominates. This also applies to masculinity and femininity in human being as observation and self-observation takes place. The characteristics of both such as aggression and conformity are required in life and they need to counterbalance each other. Aggression is the quality that tackles problems whereas conformity is required for co-operation. Change and development requires both destruction and construction.

It is not difficult to see that the so called Three Laws of Motion are a consequence of this. The First Law affirms that there is something uniform permanent and Eternal, something fundamental is conserved. The Second Law, therefore, requires that changes should be attributed to forces. The Third Law affirms that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This removes the change. In fact, the Islamic religious position is similar. It recognises that the fundamental self-existing Reality, Allah, is Eternal and Permanent. It recognises that change is brought about by a creative force that derives from Allah, the Word or Command of Allah. And it recognises that all creation is based on a pair of forces.

 

Observation shows that the Universe and the things in it are not Static, but shows three distinct conditions:- (1) Things that remain permanent and regular and are, therefore recognisable. (2) Things that change and move. (3) Things that are ordered but grow or degenerate in complexity. These three features are relative and combined in various ways. Even the changes have regularity, and the things that seem permanent change over a longer period. Though traditional science recognises only a cause for change, the fact is that each of these features requires a cause. The force required to maintain a state can be called the Inertial Force. The force required to cause a change can be called the Dynamic Force. Another force, unlike the others required to cause development can be called the Organising Force. In so far as the Universe and all things in it are evolving, we must presume that the Universe is a System into which the Creative Organising Force is being introduced from the outside it which can also be withdrawn. It may be that the two processes take place simultaneously or alternately or both. Each counter-balances the other. As the Universe has a beginning in the Big Bang, then it is not self-existing and there is something outside it that is Self-existing and permanent to which the Principle of Conservation applies. Therefore the creation of a positive force requires the creation of the opposite, negative force. Quran 51:49

There is an opposition between the Inertial and Organising Force, and the Dynamic Force can be regarded as a resultant and mediating factor between the other two. But it may be also regarded as something inherent in Creativity that gave rise to the separation of the opposite forces and now tries to reunify them. From the Point of view of the Absolute Whole nothing ever changes. Change is only experienced by that which is limited.

These changes imply that something new is created by the sacrifice of something that has previously existed. There is always a contradiction, a conflict between "what is" and "what will be". This is represented in human consciousness as a distinction between "facts" and "values" which is mediated through "meaning".

People can behave in three ways:- (a) As individuals. (b) As members of groups. (c) As part of an organism or organisation in which they have particular functions. They can, therefore, act independently or cooperatively with others or in a controlled and controlling manner. These elements are combined in different proportions in different societies. Individuals and groups can control organisations; groups can be organised or be dominated by individuals; individuals are influence by other individuals, by organisations and the culture of the society. Groups can contain sub-groups or be part of larger groups and there can different kinds of connections, organisation, inter-dependence and controls between the greater and the smaller groups.

A group exists by isolating itself from the rest of the community and other groups according to a set of features that are common to the members but constitute only a subset of a much greater set of features. A group is, therefore, formed because its unifying force is obtained by appropriating it from the Society, the unifying force of which is depleted. In other words, it is obtained by creating proportional disunity elsewhere - by sacrificing external unity and creating conflict. The rest of the Society becomes the Environment for the Group. This tends to create Double Standards, one, an Altruistic one for the members of the group, and another an Exploitative one for those outside the group. This is normally one of Indifference, but becomes one of Hostility when it leads to conflict as it often does when no compromise has been achieved. According to this, whatever is regarded as good or evil when done to the Group or its members becomes the reverse when done to the others. There are, therefore, in reality three Standards of Behaviour.

People can deal with the environment in three ways:- (a) Exploit it for their own advantages. (b) Care for it as people do with their own property. (c) Being part and dependant on it, having a duty for its welfare and enhancement. These constitute three levels of development and can be found in different combinations.

 

The events we observe around us in the world, we know are driven by underlying "Natural Forces". These are not directly sensed but remain as explanatory ideas. The existence of these forces is a mystery, just as formerly, before scientific enquiry was undertaken, the existence of the "Observed Events" was also a mystery. We can expect that if further but more refined enquiries are undertaken, then we shall come across a more "Fundamental World". We can distinguish between these as The Physical, The Mental and the Spiritual Worlds that together constitute the Real World. As our knowledge is human knowledge, these distinctions correspond to similar three levels of human functioning. Conversely, as human beings are part of the Universe and Total Reality with which they interact, then that also has similar divisions. Human Social History has correspondingly three distinct but interacting streams:- (a) The Exoteric Stream consisting of the normal social, economic and political activities and interactions. (b) The Mesoteric Stream that refers to the Culture, the Sciences, philosophies and Arts. (c) The Esoteric Stream of which the Spiritual, mystical and religious aspect of life are a manifestation. Religions can also be divided into the same three divisions - the exoteric concerns itself with the religious law, and practices and institutions; the Mesoteric is concerned with the ideas, the motives, the faith; the Esoteric is concerned with the spirit and state of being - with consciousness, conscience and will and with the corresponding motivating forces of Faith, Love and Hope and the Principles of Truth, Compassion and Justice.

Human behaviour and history, and the state of the planet on which it acts, is driven by (a) the direct action of the real world on them, (b) the inherent nature of people and (c) how human beings interpret their experiences. Their interpretation depends on (i) the experiences and knowledge they acquire (ii) their motives which may be based on objective values, or on self-interest, habits or socially conditioned attitudes that have arisen accidentally and (iii) what they think and imagine. The human soul can (i) direct attention, (ii) filter the data of experience by suppressing, diminishing and exaggerating and (iii) manipulate the data by associating organising and distortion.

Because of these facts human beings are partly responsible for what happens to them, their societies and their environment. We are responsible but not generally aware of the fact that we are the cause - there is a difference between the aware person and the person having the effect, though one is a part of the other. A person can modify himself, the society and the environment to various extents by (i) his actions, (ii) his motives and desires, and (iii) his ideas and images, all of which he can modify, train and reinforce. Some of these can be beneficial, others can be harmful and some can be catalytic, enabling other things depending on circumstances. In general, the harmful effects flow (i) from the negative emotions of hate, fear greed, lust and so on that affect each other, (ii) though errors and (iii) unpredicted or unpredictable results of interactions also occur. It is not only the output in the form of thought, motive and action, but also the input in the form of impressions, experiences and food and the kind of interaction and attitudes a person has that can be nutritious, poisonous or catalytic. Hence the great importance of the kind of environment one puts oneself in and the inner and outer behaviour one cultivates.

"O you who believe! If you fear (do your duty to) Allah He will give you discrimination (or a Criterion) and will rid you of your evil thoughts and deeds, and will forgive you; for Allah is Lord of Infinite Bounty." 8:29

Universal Consciousness has parts, which have further parts and so on. It can be a Great Circle having in it many smaller circles, each of which has many still smaller circles and so on to many levels. The circles may overlap or there may be links between them both horizontally at the same level or vertically between levels. The consciousness of the individual is part of a communal consciousness that is part of a collective human consciousness, which is a small part of the Universal Consciousness with which it interacts. There are different degrees of integration, association and overlapping between the various levels and parts. The circle of Human Consciousness can be unstable, disintegrated and intense to different degrees. It fluctuates. It can expand or contract automatically or by deliberate effort as in sleep, waking, reverie, attentiveness, concentration, meditation, hypnosis etc. It can be concentrated and focused by attention and directed to various points of interest. It can be directed outwards into the environment or to social interactions, or into one's body or inwards into various levels of the mind and psyche. There are a great many states of consciousness but they can be classified in groups according to the level of Reality they are aware of.

Ordinarily human consciousness is normally turned outwards to the physical world. The inner world is seldom explored though it is religion that attempts to divert attention to the inner Realities. The failure to do is caused not only because of our dependence on the physical world but most probably also because it is painful to look into oneself owing to the contradictions and conflicts that have accumulated during life, producing tensions and guilt feelings. These we wish to deny or escape as they damage the self-image created by the Ego. Unfortunately, however, this diversion of attention prevents the solution of the problem and leads to increasing malfunction and suffering. The psychological disharmony which manifests as inability to live harmoniously with oneself, with the community and the environment, therefore also has equivalent social and environmental consequences. Religions exist to restore the harmony but the physical worldly forces tend to corrupt religion also.

This is one of the reaction that the fight/flight/defence mechanism quite naturally produces whenever there is a stimulus or problem that needs solving. There are, therefore, three ways of solving problems, (a) by attacking it, (b) erecting defence barriers or (c) escaping from it. The problem is a conflict or disharmony that may exist in the external world, or within oneself or between an inner desire and an external condition. One can solve the problem (i) in reality or (ii) in the mind, in fantasy, or (iii) by perverse means such as criminal activities that simply transfer the problem elsewhere.

However, apart from the distinction between the Worldly and Religious Life Systems another, a third also exists that concerns itself with what are called Psychic Phenomena. It diverts attention to various paranormal experiences, trance states, dreams, after death existences, other "dimensions", spirit guides, gods and creatures living in outer space, ghosts, demons, astral travel and so on. Much of this appears to be invented by the sub-conscious fantasy under the influence of suppressed desires. Whereas some of the ideas may well be true, they tend to divert attention from the need for personal development and religions tend to disapprove of them as a distraction. However, there is no reason why research and advances in knowledge should not be made in the inner worlds as in the outer. Islam is concerned with the function and relationship of man with the Creator and His Creation and spiritual growth. This certainly requires inner psychological and spiritual self-knowledge.

The individual himself is not generally a single entity, but has several levels and contains several personalities that manifest themselves in different situations as observation shows, but he generally remains unconscious of this fact. The separate personalities arise because of barriers between them owing to inadequate processing of the data of experience. This leaves unresolved contradictions. We are normally unconscious of ourselves and most of our behaviour and affects on other people and their behaviour and affects on us. We are also unaware of the processes taking place in our bodies and minds. We are physically in interaction with the rest of the Universe through all kinds of forces but remain unaware of most of these. Whereas we are not conscious when asleep, on waking we can be said to be normally in a Pre-Conscious State becoming conscious only when we turn our attention on something. Human States can, therefore, be analysed into Active-consciousness, Pre-Consciousness, Sub-consciousness and Unconsciousness that can be further sub-divided. The Sub-conscious state contains (i) things we are not normally aware of, (ii) things that we have suppressed out of consciousness because they conflict with values held in the Conscious or Pre-conscious state, (iii) connections with the Sub-conscious of other people and the Collective Consciousness. The Unconscious State concerns the processes within the body and its interactions with the rest of the cosmos of which it is a part. It is also conscious though a person is not. The Active-consciousness usually fluctuates and can not only be selectively directed by attention according to interest but can be focussed to different degrees and can be contracted or expanded. It is generally variable, unstable and disintegrated. A person who becomes conscious of what is normally in the Sub-conscious can be said to be Self-conscious and one who becomes conscious of what is normally in the Unconscious can be said to be Objectively Conscious. A still higher state of Cosmic Consciousness has also been described making a total of 7 States that correspond to the 7 heavens. These are connected with the States of the Soul. The four higher states of the soul are referred to in the Quran as nafs-i-ammara (12:53), nafs-i-Lawwama (75:2), nafs-i-mulhima (34:2) and nafs-i-mutmainna (89:27).

A corresponding distinction can, therefore, be made in Human behaviour. We could distinguish between three persons or Selves, S1, S2 and S3. Our awareness, knowledge and idea of "Self" is as limited as our knowledge of everything else, and is a small subset of the total reality. As we are able to direct conscious attention, the Self must be regarded as other than consciousness. S1 refers to the Soul that is part of the Universal Consciousness but which is normally in the Human Unconscious. S2 refers to the multiple personalities and other entities that exist in the Collective Subconscious. S3 is the ordinary Ego which we call "I", that experiences the common physical world. Consciousness is narrowed down to this level because of the need to make a living in connected with the physical world, and this has become a habit that filters out all other kinds of experiences. This is reinforced by the mental attachment or addiction cause by sensuality and the pleasure principle derived from sexuality that produces greed, lust, pride, vanity and the other Motive Sins. If access to what is usually in the subconscious is experienced then it not understood by the ordinary waking consciousness and usually dismissed as false imagination. But It is also accessed in dreams and other states of consciousness and sometimes admitted as intuition, insight, inspiration or revelation. This obstruction to wider consciousness is said to disappear on death and " now We have removed from you your veil, and piercing is your sight this day" Quran 50:22. The distinction between waking and sleeping periods reinforces this and entrenches Dualism. Sleep is akin to death (39:42) but we suppress awareness of both in life. It has, therefore, been recommended that we should cultivate awareness of death and this separation between wakefulness and sleep should be reduced and studies and efforts should continue during the night (51:17) and rest periods should be taken during the day. Sleep itself is known to vary in depth as is wakefulness. Prolonged sleep causes sluggishness of consciousness.

Each of these Selves has its own environment, capabilities and interactions. If we consider a person to be the sum total of his genetically derived characteristics and experiences then there is overlapping between one person and others who share the same characteristics and experiences. There is also a collective Soul to which all others belong as parts.

But Human beings can behave instinctively or subconsciously or consciously. In so far as people interact and live in the same world, we can speak about a Collective Consciousness, Sub-consciousness and Unconsciousness, in which various entities exist and various processes take place. However, the conscious mind can have various amounts of access to the sub-conscious and the unconscious parts. Many people, including scientists, artists, statesmen and entrepreneurs experience "Inspiration" which refers to contact with the product of the greater resources and processes of the sub-conscious mind. Human progress depends mostly on this rather than the data processing of ordinary reason. The conscious personality can regard another personality lying in the sub-conscious as another person depending on the degree of dissociation and that produces hallucination. It is possible that when one person is said to be an incarnation of another who lived in the past that might refer to associated personalities. There are a number of people who have mystical or paranormal psychic experiences because of various amounts of access to the Sub-conscious, giving them a following with considerable influence in the community. Some of course, are charlatans who make false claims. There are also genuine Prophets and Messengers who have contact with the Universal Consciousness to various degrees which is normally in the Unconscious.

As the world we are aware of depends on the nature of human consciousness, we can speak of Personal Realities that form parts of human Reality and have levels that correspond to the 7 Heavens. Religion requires Human beings to develop by ascend this ladder.

"And We have created above you seven paths; and We are never heedless of creation." 23:17

"You shall surely travel from stage to stage!" 84:19

Each individual (i) affects, (ii) is affected by and (iii) must respond to other people in the social environment. The human environment can be said to be partly created by the collective action as well as collective perception and interpretation, and these things are inter-dependent. Obviously that environment is also affected by the existence and interactions of all other entities in the environment, and some of these have been created or interpreted by human beings which then also affect these other objects and processes.

As the World of Natural forces is a sub-set of the Fundamental World, this implies (a) that things can happen that cannot be explained by known laws or forces, (b) that there may be other forces and laws that have not yet been discovered or come into operation and (c) that the existence of known regularities or laws are a matter of probability rather than certainty.

From the Islamic point of view the fundamental Reality is Allah and He is the Creator and Maintainer of the Universe which He created for a purpose. The Universe, therefore, has an origin, a history of development and a goal. All events in it are to be interpreted in this context.

"Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between the two; He creates what He will, for Allah has power over all things!" 5:17

"He is Allah the Creator, the Originator, the Fashioner; His are the Most Beautiful Names; whatever is in the heavens and the earth declares His glory; and He is the Mighty, the Wise." 59:24

Human beings are formed of the same materials and forces as the world of which they are part and which they interact by perception, data processing and action and this changes the world as well as man. But we live in communities with which we interact. The people and their culture also affect us and we affect them. There are, therefore, three factors involved and the Social factor mediates between the individuals and environment. But what we experience is only a small part of all that affects us and what we are conscious of is a small part of what we experience. A distinction, therefore, arises between the Conscious, the Sub-conscious and the Unconscious worlds. These are subsets of the Mental World but correspond to the divisions of the Real world. We must, therefore, expect that what we are ordinarily aware of and suppose to be true is very likely to be other than what is true when we examine it in greater detail and that even that is only a surface phenomenon of a much deeper reality.

Human history, we have noted elsewhere, is driven by three factors that affect each other:- (1) the Psychology of people, (2) Social conditions and (3) the Physical environment. The Social conditions can also be divided into corresponding parts:- (a) Ideologies (b) institutions and organisation (c) Economic conditions. According to Marxists it is only Economics that counts. In fact, of course, human behaviour does not depend simply on external factors, but also on how they perceive them, which involves the nature of their mind and how it relates to the world and to other people. Here we can show that Ideological and Organisational factors are also important, but that there is a big difference between the surface, how the world is generally seen, and the underlying reality. One of the eye opening reports is contained in "The Controversy of Zion" by Douglas Reed whose works had been suppressed. This work, which deals with the influence of Jews on world affairs, should be regarded as one aspect of the story. Obviously other people besides Jews were involved in the Political movements he mentions, including Zionism, and other organisations have also had a hand in shaping the world, but probably not to so large an extent.

(Continued in Part 3)

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