Unknowing the known : a heuristic study of J Krishnamurti’s notion of insight to explore the purpose of education from a nondual philosophical perspective

Abstract

This study explores J Krishnamurti’s notion of insight, based on his personal inquiry into the nature of the human mind. Since this conceptualization of insight was explored by the physicist David Bohm, this study includes Bohm’s inquiry into the system of thought to understand insight. Clark Moustakas’ heuristic inquiry to explore the phenomenon of insight was found to be an appropriate methodology for this study, as this methodology does not place the researcher outside of the process unfolding but rather as an integral part of the investigation. Through the course of the inquiry, the understanding of insight underwent gradual change until a connection was formed between what Krishnamurti referred to as total insight into the human mind and the notion of nonduality. Nonduality is a concept that has been mentioned in religious and spiritual texts but is also considered by both ancient and contemporary thinkers to be the fundamental essence of human existence. It considers all beings to be interconnected and part of a larger whole, further claiming that the boundaries between self and the world are illusory. It sees the divisive nature of thought to be that which makes the illusions appear to be real and is epistemologically rooted in direct experience in order to see reality for what it is. Finding this notion to be a reflection of Krishnamurti’s insight and seeing how this philosophical orientation could have an impact on one’s way of being and relating to what is experienced, this study focuses on understanding the implications of this worldview on educational practices. Bohmian Dialogue was employed as a means of data generation and dialogues with five teachers from the Krishnamurti schools were included for this study. The understanding of the notion of total insight was initially explored, followed by a further inquiry into how the coresearchers’ understanding of nonduality has influenced their views on the purpose of education. Five themes were identified from the dialogues and various other paradoxes were drawn out from the themes in order to explore what a curriculum based on nonduality as a philosophical orientation would entail.