Known, unknown and the Unknowable

All that is present there in the world can be defined according to its relation with human understanding. The western world has known about only two of them. Rather, science can believe of only two of them- the known and the unknown. For the scientific mind, the third term does not exist. For science, some things are known and remaining are unknown. Those which are unknown today, they can be known in a while.

Science does not think about the third type of relation. That is, the unknowable. Religion starts with the quest of unknowable. The quest of unknowable does not mean that any answer is needed. The quest is to dissolve the desire of knowing.

What is meant by knowing? When you try to know something, you are making it a subject of your mind. When you are trying to know something, in simple words, your ego tries to know. A scientific person can not accept or rather his ego cannot accept that there is something unknowable( There are a few exceptions). The whole game of religion starts with this killing of ego- there is something beyond my knowledge. There is something which is beyond my control and my understanding.

A man who understands that there is something which is unknowable, is a religious man. A man who has dropped desire to know, is a religious man.


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3 responses to “Known, unknown and the Unknowable”

  1. sachin Avatar
    sachin

    right…but this does not mean that one should stop knowing things and stay idle…rather know more and more things…know as much as you can..extend the rubber to its fullest capacity…at the peak point you will realise that whatever you have known is INCOMPLETE…and you come to the conclusion that there is something UNKNOWABLE…now you have FELT the thing PRACTICALLY.
    …people who are lazy might use this philosophy of ‘unknowable’ to justify their inactivity by saying’what is need to take the trouble of learning?it is useless…etc..etc’.
    This will be like the fox saying ‘the grapes are sour’

  2. Lokesh Walase Avatar
    Lokesh Walase

    Yes, completely agreed with Sachin………!!!

  3. Mandar Karanjkar Avatar

    Thats right. The purpose of knowledge is to realize that there is something unknowable. But, most of the times, knowledge brings fame, money, prestige. So, the person who is learning many a times becomes a victim of this desire.
    While aquiring knowledge, we should remember, something is unknowable.

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