Chapter 12 Three Cognitive Functions

Franklin Merrell-Wolff’s “mathematical yoga” integrates traditional philosophical and mystical elements with a unique cognitive framework. He identifies three cognitive functions: perception, rational thinking, and what he terms “introception” or “transcriptive thinking.” Each of these functions corresponds to different outcomes and stages of consciousness.

12.1 Franklin Merrell-Wolff’s Three Cognitive Functions

  1. Perception:
    • Definition: Perception refers to the direct sensory experience of the external world through the five senses. It involves receiving and processing information from the environment.
    • Outcome: The outcome of perception is the immediate awareness of the physical world, which forms the basis of our empirical knowledge and everyday experiences.
  2. Rational Thinking:
    • Definition: Rational thinking involves logical analysis, reasoning, and the application of intellectual principles to understand and organize information. This includes abstract thinking, problem-solving, and the use of language and symbols.
    • Outcome: The outcome of rational thinking is conceptual knowledge and intellectual understanding. It allows individuals to form theories, solve problems, and make sense of complex phenomena through logical structures.
  3. Introception (Transcriptive Thinking):
    • Definition: Introception, also known as transcriptive thinking, is a deeper cognitive function that involves direct, non-conceptual awareness of higher realities. It transcends ordinary sensory perception and rational thought, allowing for a direct experience of the essence or noumenon of reality.
    • Outcome: The outcome of introception is transcendental awareness or direct realization of fundamental truths. This state of consciousness allows one to perceive the unity and interconnectedness of all things, beyond the dualistic distinctions of ordinary perception and thought.

12.2 Relation to Raja Yoga Stages

In Raja Yoga, there are traditionally three stages related to deepening levels of mental focus and spiritual consciousness: concentration, meditation, and contemplation. Merrell-Wolff’s cognitive functions align with these stages as follows:

  1. Concentration (Dharana):
    • Corresponds to Rational Thinking: Concentration involves focused attention and the application of the mind to a single point or object. This stage requires the use of rational thinking to maintain focus and exclude distractions.
  2. Meditation (Dhyana):
    • Corresponds to Introception: Meditation goes beyond mere concentration by sustaining uninterrupted attention and immersing oneself in the object of meditation. This stage aligns with introception, where the practitioner experiences a deeper, more unified state of awareness that transcends rational thought.
  3. Contemplation (Samadhi):
    • Ultimate State of Consciousness: Contemplation is the culmination of the meditative process, where the practitioner achieves a state of union with the object of meditation. It represents the highest level of consciousness and realization, akin to the ultimate outcome of introception—direct, non-dual awareness of reality.

12.3 Relation to Kant’s Thing-in-Itself

  • Kant’s Thing-in-Itself (Noumenon):
    • Immanuel Kant postulated the existence of the “thing-in-itself” (noumenon), which is the reality that exists independently of our sensory perception and intellectual concepts. According to Kant, we can never know the noumenon directly; we can only know phenomena—the manifestations of the noumenon as filtered through our sensory and cognitive faculties.
  • Merrell-Wolff’s Introception:
    • Introception, as defined by Merrell-Wolff, is a cognitive function that allows direct, non-conceptual awareness of higher realities, which could be seen as an attempt to access the noumenon directly. Unlike Kant, who believed the noumenon was inaccessible to human cognition, Merrell-Wolff suggests that through introception, one can transcend the limitations of sensory perception and rational thought to experience the essence of reality.

12.4 Summary

Franklin Merrell-Wolff’s cognitive functions of perception, rational thinking, and introception correspond to different ways of knowing: - Perception provides empirical knowledge of the physical world. - Rational Thinking offers conceptual and intellectual understanding. - Introception enables direct, transcendental awareness of higher realities.

These functions align with the stages of Raja Yoga: - Concentration (Dharana) relates to rational thinking. - Meditation (Dhyana) aligns with introception. - Contemplation (Samadhi) represents the ultimate state of consciousness achieved through introception.

Introception, in Merrell-Wolff’s framework, aims to achieve direct knowledge of reality, potentially accessing what Kant termed the “thing-in-itself,” albeit in a way that Kant himself considered impossible.