METAPHYSICS IN FICTIONAL WRITING.
One normally associates metaphysics with arcane ( and perhaps esoteric) realm of philosophy. It is normally consigned to academic discourse with hardly any connections to our day to day living. However , on little reflection , one would realize that even in our daily lives we implicitly adhere to some inchoate metaphysics. In that sense , this implicit metaphysics is part and parcel of our unconscious mind. Our religious beliefs , our views on death ,our notions about soul and our interpretation of death are in fact byproducts of our implicit metaphysics. These human constructs are universal and beyond any religious denominations. Of course , our beliefs in any particular religion would shape and influence our implicit metaphysics. However ,the important point is that our religious beliefs do not create this metaphysics they simply shape it. It must be kept in mind that even atheist would have some form of implicit metaphysics. The term metaphysics refers not just to transcendental realm but also to hidden aspects of the universe that are captured and stored in our unconscious mind. Thus when someone believes in reincarnation ,in effect , one is assuming human soul is capable of existing in some hidden dimensions of spacetime. Thus when one professes one’s belief in reincarnation one is simply asserting one’s belief in higher dimensional nature of spacetime. One can similarly deconstruct the whole range of beliefs to demonstrate that each such belief is in fact assertion of some hidden aspect of the world we live in. The term metaphysics refers to sum total of such implicit assertions about the nature of the world we live in. Since these aspects are not integral to our theories of physics , they are rightfully part of metaphysics.
If one were to accept this definition of metaphysics , it is easy to see that metaphysics is necessary component of our psyche. It is possible to utilize this implicit metaphysics to deconstruct our own cognitive faculty. It is possible to untwine our set of beliefs into separate strands and find out how our mind weaves tapestry of our knowledge from such disparate elements. Our mind does not weave just knowledge ( in the form of web of beliefs) but it also weaves all our unconscious explanations and justifications. Therefore metaphysics is always implicit in our reasoning. In fact , it is possible to unravel the whole range cognitive dissonance ( in form of simultaneously held beliefs in contradictory assertions) to demonstrate that these dissonances reflect a different metaphysics implicitly held by the individual.
If the reasoning outlined above is true then it is axiomatically true that creative writing per se carries within itself a different metaphysics. I would like to summarize my own experience while writing this novel in light of metaphysics as described above.
While creating the protagonist of the novel i. e. Manas ,I was keen that his psychopathologies should not be seen from outside. This is because I felt that such an external narrative of Manas would turn out to be judgemental. I genuinely believe that good literature is never judgemental. When one thinks of great works of art , it is immediately clear that the author does not pass any judgement and then create a narrative. The judgement , if any , lies in the mind of the reader. Great literature is intrinsically capable of offering multiple perspectives. It is the reader who selects any particular perspective ( depending on his/ her own sensibility) and passes the judgement. This is evident in our own epics.
In order to provide multiple dimensions to the character of Manas , I chose to put each attribute of Manas in different character placed in different spacetimes . Just as each individual is a bundle of contradictions ,each incarnation of Manas in the climax converge to create a composite and complex individual. It is not possible to pass any judgement on the totality of all incarnations of Manas ( Though it is possible to pass judgment on each incarnation of Manas using your own moral compass).
When I look back , I think I reversed the creative process described above. I created metaphysics first and then I created a complex individual out of that metaphysics. I am not sure whether this novel qualifies to be a good literature or not , but to the extent it is honest to our predicament and to the extent it correctly depicts angst of our times then it ought to be taken as a seriously. A good writer is the one who enables the readers to be in touch with these multiple sensibilities present within their own minds. If I have achieved this even in few readers minds , I would like to think that I am a good writer.
This book is now available for sale on Amazon and flipkart at the following links. It is already available on the website of publishers CinnamonTeal Publishing and on the linkages provided in my earlier blogs.
http://www.flipkart.com/multitudes-ripples-valayavividha-english/p/itmef7tyd8kvkpaz?pid=9789385523243&ref=L%3A3610276796483192327&srno=p_1&query=multitudes+of+ripples&otracker=from-search
vaachakmitra 