AUROBINDO'S "TELEOLOGICAL" ARGUMENT

(a pantheist argument)

Premise A: Life, mind, and consciousness have evolved out of matter.

Premise B: Anything that has evolved out of matter is involved in matter.

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Conclusion C: Life, mind, and consciousness are involved in matter.

Question: How is this possible?

(Supplementary premise): If life, etc., are involved in matter, matter is a form of life (life a form of mind, mind a form of consciousness; thus, matter a form of consciousness).

(Supporting argument:) Such pantheism is the best candidate (i.e., the best explanation of life in matter, mind in life, and consciousness in mind) posits that matter is a form of consciousness).

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Conclusion D: Matter is a form of consciousness.

AUROBINDO'S ARGUMENT FOR FUTURE EVOLUTION

Premise 1: Everything (a) seeks and (b) finds harmony (in time).

Premise 2: Human aspiration to overcome disease, old age, death, etc., is a seeking of harmony.

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Conclusion 3: Human aspiration will find harmony (in time).

Premise 4: Human aspiration cannot find harmony without further evolution.

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Conclusion 5: There will be further evolution.

QUESTION FOR REFLECTION

What does Aurobindo mean by "evolution"? Is this the same sense as that employed in biology, and if not, how does it differ?