The Search for Enlightenment Essay - 1868 Words

The Search for Enlightenment Nature, I think we can deduce, refers not only to animals, plants, and mountains, but rather to the universe as a whole--the entirety of the physical universe ranging from human nature to quantum nature while also including, plants, animals, and mountains as part of this greater whole. It has been the search for knowledge and truths of the wonders and mysteries of nature, or rather the universe (in other words science) that has, over the past few years been the underlying motivation in my life. Not only do I find the search for knowledge exciting and intellectually stimulating, but I have found that this motivation gives meaning or rather a direction to my life. I dont wish to imply that science and†¦show more content†¦This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of science and one that I disagree with. Instead my drive for competency has made science seem attractive, not because it tries to replace God and metaphysical ideology, but rather that it explains the uni verse without having to rely on untestable assumptions (which we cant know to be true) about how the universe should or would make sense to be. As I believe that there is no God or transcendental explanation for life or the cosmos, I aspire to understand human behavior, not in terms of metaphysical and transcendental explanations, but rather in an empirical approach based on logic, reason, and the consiliecnce (Wilson 1998, p.8) of the sciences and knowledge. Yet, my innate desire for competence leads to another important motivation that affects my being, that is the quest for authenticism. To be authentic, I refer to being original, honest about my thoughts to myself and others; aware and skeptical of the motivation and assumptions of culture and society; attempting to recognize and dissect assumptions of my creation and that of culture and societies; being able to relate to others; and finally, being hyper-conscious of myself. By hyper-conscious, I refer to the state of consciousness deeper than that of awareness of ones existence, that being the awareness of ones motivations--the constant introspection, thought, and questioning of ones actions andShow MoreRelatedThe Search for Enlightenment in Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse Essays567 Words   |  3 Pages The story of Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is a story of love , learning and the search of happiness for inner self. The main character Siddhartha has learned all that i s needed from the holy books and his teachers but believes none has really helped him reach the enlightment he truly searches for. 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