We human beings learn by experience. This learning starts from the very beginning of life. As we advance in age, our experience becomes richer and richer. Experience, therefore, forms the basis of all learning. Even animals learn by experience. So no learning is possible without repeated experience. Hence knowledge and experience go side by side. And this is why philosophers base their knowledge upon experience. The Greek thinkers from Thales down to Plato and Aristotle too had relied upon their experience. And what they have given to the world, we may say, is the fruit of their personal experience. In the same way the ancient Indian systems like Bauddha, Jaina, Sankhya, Yoga or the Advaita Vedanta of Shanker are the results of deep meditation and experience. In the modern Western thought also philosophers had to rely upon their experience. Descartes' examination of Cogito ergo Sum, Spinoza's concept of substance or Leibnitz's search for monads are the gift of their feeling and experience. So is the philosophy of the Absolute Idealism of Hegel and Bradley or the examination of McTaggart's nature of Existence. And lastly, the pure empirical trend running from Locke to the contemporary analysts is the glaring proof of experience employed in the pursuit of truth. Thus, all the above illustrations go to show that in feeling and experience we seem to have immediate contact with reality. For our aim in philosophy has been to grasp the reality in its individuality. We desire to have possession of it beyond doubt. And to meet this end we have to appeal directly to our personal feeling and experience. Unless this truth is achieved, we hardly feel satisfied. For without this, there can be no judgment, no statement or opinion of any lasting value. And thus to have a vision of truth we, in the end, appeal to our feeling and experience. But feeling or experience involves both intellect and sense. Where the work of intellect is greater, we pass beyond sense experience. The truth is no more the object of sense perception. It becomes then an object of pure thought and intuition. So here the thinking becomes a priori. The experience acquires a highly developed form. And this is what we have in speculative metaphysics. In contrast to the above mode of thinking, there is experience of a different nature. It is more direct and immediate. It is direct or immediate in the sense that the object of feeling is the Nature. It is the world of science and common sense. And in the age of science, nothing can be true unless it is proved. But that alone can be proved which is subject to test. And nothing can be so, unless it is fit to be brought to the notice of all. Only such things.
Dr. Lallan Jee Mishra obtained his master degree in Philosophy from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya and own Gold medal. Latter he was awarded Ph. D. degree from the same University under U.G.C. Fellowship. Research scholars have been awarded Ph. D. degree under his supervision. He has published papers and articles. At present he is working in the Dept. of Philosophy, M.V. College, Buxer. V.K.S. University, Ara.
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