Discernment and Openness of Soul

Randugati - Once upon a time, I remember a routine discussion every Wednesday night with the theme of studying the philosophy of science. At that time, on the second floor in the heart of Malang Regency, precisely in Kepanjen, a study circle that became a routine for students at the noble pesantren institution Bayt al-Hikam of the al- Faraby College of Philosophy (STF), which was taught by Kyai Ach. Dzofir Zuhri and Kak Rusdy who became the head of the pesantren around 2013-14.

I remember one of the ideas of a friend who participated in the study, "if the philosophy of science has a meaning as an idea that contains the processes of discovery, what if the frame of the philosophy of science is reversed to "Philosophical Science" will the meaning and ideas change?"

Of course this is the beginning of a response to the theme of the study of philosophy of science, in this case the discussion is about epistemology. The statement is certainly speculative, but it is so, because the possibilities must exist, especially if you believe in a necessity.

In philosophy, which is the mother of all knowledge, there are three approaches: epistemological, axiological and ontological. Therefore, to get to the space of understanding of "philosophy" it seems necessary to be very intimate with this approach, in addition to the willingness of the heart and mind to be more legowo and able to place themselves.

Why is that? Because this will certainly be related to the space of our spirituality. Especially if the approach in learning philosophy has used the arguments of halal and haram. It can be messy and battered in learning it, just like the word forced love will only be filled with pain and pain.

In the routine discussion at that time, I was the one who was the most silent, in addition to my late study of philosophy, I was also chaotic in the concept of learning, especially related to what fields I should study. I was weak in organizing and deciding. So I chose to be a listener.

But I really opened my heart and mind, when kyai Dzofir said that knowledge is like a sharp knife, so it depends on the user, if it is used to cut vegetables, fruit and meat, then the knife and its function clearly have benefits. But if it is used to kill or cut off people's hands, of course it is different. Therefore, learning is just learning, there is no need to get entangled in the dynamics of halal and haram.

It is the same as looking at the number 9 or 6 from different angles. If one looks at it from its head, then he will conclude that it is the number nine, unlike those who look at its tail, he will defend his argument until he bleeds that the number is the number six.

Increasingly, I feel that the benefits of learning are maturity and self-positioning. This is related to ethics, where when we don't know about a certain discussion, even if we don't connect to it, then we should listen a lot and understand it first, and vice versa, if we understand, even if it's a little, and connect to the discussion, it's okay to argue.

Image Source (Pixabay)

In this context, I would like to contribute to the dynamics of Muslim scholars, Muslim intellectuals, who have recently been engrossed and critical in scientific debates. In order to reach the collective truth, it is necessary to mix, assemble, and disassemble knowledge, both empirical and absolute, so as to find the point of collective truth.

Ups and downs and noisy dynamics, even sometimes bitter too, even sluggish too, are natural and will be beautiful in time. Encounters of truth claims are natural and conscious dynamics, I believe this is driven by God and accompanied by the Prophet. The point of view is not on who wins and who loses, but the position and attitude of legowo over the results of the discussion is more important.

If we borrow the term from Jujun S. Suriasumantri to find the truth, it can be divided into two types, the first is the effort to find the truth from the movement and spirit of man, the second is to accept the truth that is presented in the form of revelation, or also sunnah.

In other words, the process of getting to this truth requires the utilization of the human intellect that has been inherent since birth, as well as the openness of the heart to the truth in question, whether the results will be persuaded or we are too hooked so that the understanding of the truth is wis ngunu anane, that's how it is.

It is different when the response to this truth is accepted with spaciousness and openness, much more peaceful and rightly said in philosophy, wiser. Unfortunately, there are still truth claims whose vision is to maintain comfort, social status, even handsomeness or beauty.

In fact, the implication that is needed by the wider community, whether lay or not, in addition to partisanship is also openness. In short, if the idea is wrong, it must be legowo to admit the mistake, or vice versa, if the truth that is brought and argued is approved, then relax, mediocre, because the principle of wa jadilhum bil ma'ruf seems to be so. But, what else can we do, intellectual honesty is expensive, especially when it comes to existence.

In Javanese philosophy we know “sugih tanpa banda, digdaya tanpa aji, ngluruk tanpa bala, win without ngasorake, trimah mawi pasrah, suwung pamrih tebih ajrih, langgeng tan ana susah tan ana bungah, anteng mantheng sugeng jeneng. Nusantara philosopher Sosrokartono in this case wants to convey that whatever it is, whatever the condition is, be kind and consistent. As a wise person, there is no need to discredit, belittle and corner.

If those who believe that their argument is correct are even reluctant to respond to criticism and suggestions, let it go, because the task of reminding has fallen. We don't know what the impact will be if he or anyone else then turns towards suggestions or accepts criticism of the collective truth that we offer. Because we cannot control something that is outside of us.

But on the other hand, if there is acceptance of criticism and suggestions from the collective truth space, then it does not necessarily mean that the criticizer won. Because it could be that what is criticized is not yet epistemologically intact, or vice versa. Because learning something must reach the end, not in the middle and then ejaculate.

Whether we realize it or not, God tests humans with pleasure and pain. Favor in the form of intelligence and skills, pain in the form of closed hearts and soul perfection. Departing from what Plato said that "be kind, because it could be that everyone you meet is fighting a difficult battle."

So lucky for those of you who are equipped with a broad mind and horizons, so as to be able to go to the collective truth, at least close to the source of truth. Likewise, for those of you who are struggling in difficult conditions, may it be facilitated, because surviving requires tremendous energy.

Referring to the memory of the discussion conditions eight years ago, I realized that learning anything needs totality without limits, until stuck, to the end, because to find the truth it is necessary to encounter complications, sometimes also stumbling, as the saying goes raft first, swim to the shore, hurt first, have fun later.[]