CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF REASON

Authors

  • Kurian Perumpallikunnel St. Peter’s Seminary, Pretoria

Keywords:

Reason

Abstract

Among the many definitions through which human beings tried to assess themselves, “homo animal rationale est” (man is a rational animal) stands out prominently. The rationale behind naming the currently thriving human race, homo sapiens,[1] may also be the same, i.e., our pride in being rational. If it is the reasoning capability that singles out our human race from the rest of the animal kingdom, then the absence of it, or a refusal to keep it operational, may have a degenerative effect on our human nature and essence. Being ‘rational’, human beings show an innate tendency to search for reasons behind everything they happen to experience. That may be why followers of every religion and “ism” are trying to prove the rationality behind their stance. However, we know that reasoning comes only after experiencing. Without experience, there is no room for reasoning. Mystics often try to explain their experiences logically and scientifically, while lamenting that their experiences are incommunicable.

 

Author Biography

Kurian Perumpallikunnel, St. Peter’s Seminary, Pretoria

Dr. Kurian Perumpallikunnel cmi, the dean of studies at St. Peter’s Seminary, Pretoria, S.A., holds a Ph.D. in Spiritual Theology from Teresianum, Rome.  He is the author of many books and articles, among which his Ascent to Nothingness (London: St. Paul’s) has received critics’ acclaim.

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Published

2005-12-31

How to Cite

Perumpallikunnel, K. (2005). CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF REASON. Journal of Dharma, 30(4), 445–471. Retrieved from https://dvkjournals.in/index.php/jd/article/view/573