Intellect and Reality

[nanda chandran]

In all these discussions regarding intellect and reality, we have to be
clear about one thing. The intellect is not the knower - it is only the
instrument which discriminates and it is used by the knower to obtain
knowledge. So the question of the intellect "knowing" reality is invalid for
it by itself never knows.

The knower is not the Atman but only the normal self which arises out of the
coming together of the psycho/physical complex. It is this self which uses
the intellect to discriminate.

The knower cannot be the Atman because :

1. The Atman is already perfect and needs no new knowledge.
2. If the Atman were the knower then the Atman being eternal, all knowledge
obtained would also be eternal and there thus cannot be cases like loss of
knowledge which happens due to old age or loss of memory.
3. If the knower were the Atman then being the knower which can exist only
in the duality of knower and known, the Atman too would exist only against
the known - interdependent existence and not the thing-in-itself.
4. As it is established in itself in the state of deep sleep where there's
neither knower nor known.

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