[Reader-list] Talk by Arindam Chakrabarti on 'Aesthetics of Darkness/Epistemology of Ignorance: Notes on Isha Upanishad 9, 10, 11'

[Praveen Rai]

Centre for the Study of Developing Societies

and Akar Prakar

invites you to a talk





*Aesthetics of Darkness, Epistemology *

*of Ignorance: Notes on Isha Upanishad 9,10,11*

by *Arindam Chakrabarti*





*Probal Dasgupta* will Chair

Tuesday, 1 September, 6 pm


Akar Prakar, P 238
                                          RSVP

Hindustan Park, Kolkata 700029                                      Tel: 033
24642617

Please join us for tea at 5.30 pm
email: info at akarprakar.com





In the beginning, the Naasadiiya (RgVeda X.129) tells us, was darkness
covered by darkness. A metaphor for what no one--not even God--knows,
darkness, is the womb of cosmic creativity. Like the complexion of Kaali
the mother, like the deep blue of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, like the
bottom of the ocean, darkness shimmers with the unfathomable possibilities
of a future cosmos. While ignorance leads us to blinding darkness, the Isha
Upanishad tells us, knowledge leads to even deeper darkness. A theory of
knowledge must be a theory of inquiry and hence of ignorance. This lecture
will explore the deep beauty of darkness and the profound value of
ignorance not just for spiritual life, but for civil and social human
flourishing.



*Arindam Chakrabarti* is the Rajni Kothari Chair in Democracy at the Centre
for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi. He is a Professor of
Philosophy and Director of Center for South Asian Studies, at University of
Hawai'i at Mānoa. Philosophy of language and logic, metaphysics, philosophy
of mind, and Indian philosophy are his major areas of specialization.



His major publications include *Denying Existence*, an introduction to 20th
century Western epistemology in Sanskrit, five books in Bangla and on the
philosophy of food and clothing. His co-edited volumes include *Knowing
from Words* (with B.K.Matilal), *Universals, Concepts and Qualities* (with
P.F. Strawson), *Apoha: Buddhist Nominalism *(with Mark Siderits and Tom
Tillemans), and *Mahabharata Now* (with Sibaji Bandyopadhyay).



*Probal Dasgupta* is Professor and Head at Linguistic Research Unit, Indian
Statistical Institute, Kolkata.

Praveen Rai
Academic Secretary
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
29, Rajpur Road
Delhi - 110054
Phone: 91-11-23942199
http://www.csds.in/praveen.rai