The Metaphysical Foundation of Buddhism and Modern Science

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the self-development of the experiencing subject. Thus for Kant the
data are somewhat narrower than for Hume: they are the sensa devoid of
their patterns. Hume's general analysis of the consequences of this
doctrine stands unshaken. So also does his final reflection, that the
philosophic doctrine fails to justify the practice of daily life. The
justification of this procedure of modern epistemology is twofold, and
both of its branches are based upon mistakes. The mistakes go back to
the Greek philosophers. What is modern, is the exclusive reliance upon
them.
Section VI. The first error is the assumption of a few definite avenues
of communication with the external world, the five sense-organs. This
leads to the pre-supposition that the search for the data is to be
narrowed to the question, what data are directly provided by the activity
of the sense-organs - preferably the eyes. This doctrine of sense-organs
has a vague, general truth, very important for practical affairs. In
particular all exact scientific observation is derived from such data. The
scientific categories of thought are obtained elsewhere.
But the living organ of experience is the living body as a whole. Every
instability of any part of it – be it chemical, physical, or molar – imposes
an activity of readjustment throughout the whole organism. In the
course of such physical activities human experience has its origin. The
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