Ajit Krishna Dasa
Knowledge, Reason & Reality
From the Vaisnava Intellectual Tradition
All Articles
All Articles
Explore the complete collection of articles and essays, arranged chronologically with the newest first. Browse through the archive to discover earlier writings.
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What is the Meaning of Life?
The human form of life is a rare opportunity given to the soul after many lifetimes of wandering through the cycle of birth and death. Srila Prabhupada often stressed that…
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The Ketchup Proof of God’s Existence
… as you reach for the ketchup to add that extra zest to your slice, consider the profound philosophical implications hidden in this simple act. Each squeeze of the bottle…
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Logic Demands the Existence of God
Logic isn’t some weird cosmic accident; it’s rooted in the very nature of God. It’s reliable because He’s reliable. Universal because He’s universal. Without God, logic is unexplainable, just free-floating…
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Dubito, ergo Deus est (I doubt, therefore God exists)
In the contemplative journey of epistemology, doubt serves not merely as a cognitive disturbance but as a profound engagement with the metaphysical inquiry into truth. From the Vaisnava perspective, the…
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Is an Inconceivable God Knowable?
Claiming we can’t know God because He’s acintya (inconceivable) totally misses the mark. In Vaisnavism, sure, God’s full nature is beyond our complete understanding—but think about it: if He’s almighty,…
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Atheistic or Theistic Veganism: Compassionate Confusion
From a Vaisnava perspective, this impulse to protect animals is beautiful. It’s a spark of the divine, a sign that there’s something deeper going on. But then, things start to…
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Vaisnavism, Metareligion, and the Lens of Revelation
That’s the vibe with metareligion—the idea that all religions are essentially saying the same thing, just in different languages, and that we can find a “higher perspective” by mashing them…
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Conversations With AI: God and The Burden of Proof
An agnostic atheist doesn’t have the burden of proof when it comes to proving God doesn’t exist. But here’s the thing—I think agnostic atheists still have a worldview, and they…
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Answering critics: Is Presuppositionalism for Vaisnavas?
I appreciate your engagement, but your critique seems to misunderstand both the nature of presuppositionalism and its alignment with Vaisnava epistemology. Let me address your points step by step, while…
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What Is Presuppositionalism and Why Does It Matter for Vaisnavas?
A house might look impressive, but if its foundation is cracked or missing, it won’t stand for long. Similarly, a worldview needs a strong foundation to hold up. Vaisnava Presuppositionalism…
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The Ground of Knowing: Why Ontology and Epistemology Are Inseparable in Vaisnava Presuppositionalism
The accusation that presuppositionalism confuses ontology (what exists) with epistemology (how we know what exists) stems from a misunderstanding of the relationship between these two concepts. Presuppositionalists, especially from a…
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How Naturalistic Evolution Undermines Its Own Basis for Trust in Our Epistemic Faculties
Given naturalistic evolution, the chances that our cognitive faculties are genuinely reliable for apprehending truth appear low or practically indistinguishable from unreliability. Here’s how this likelihood unfolds under naturalistic assumptions:
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Srila Prabhupada on the Logic of the Blind and the Lame
In his teachings, Srila Prabhupada sometimes invoked the andha-pangu-nyaya, or “the logic of the blind and the lame,” to illustrate how two limited parties can achieve success by cooperating.
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Srila Prabhupada on the Logic of the Nipples on the Neck of a Goat
Srila Prabhupada often employed traditional Indian logic and analogies in his preaching to help his audience grasp profound philosophical concepts. One such analogy he used is the Aja-gala-stana-nyaya, or the…
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Srila Prabhupada on the Use of Logic in Krishna Consciousness
Srila Prabhupada held a balanced view on the use of logic in Krishna consciousness, recognizing both its value and its limitations.
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Bursting the Bubble: The Froglike Thinking of Secular Scientists
Just as the well frog couldn’t grasp the ocean, secular scientists struggle to comprehend the spiritual dimension, the realm of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the reach…
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Are We Merely Animals? What Sets Humans Apart in Vedic Philosophy
Modern science has highlighted many similarities between humans and animals, such as the capacity for emotions, complex social behaviors, and even certain forms of intelligence. These findings have led some…
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Trusting Our Senses and Cognitive Faculties for Knowledge
Atheistic thinkers employ several philosophical arguments in their attempt to justify that trusting our senses and cognitive faculties in their pursuit of knowledge is possible in the absence of a…
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The Foundation of Knowledge in a Vaishnava vs. Atheistic Worldview
Can human beings build a coherent and reliable epistemology apart from a Supreme Godhead?
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The Aroha and Avaroha Apologetic Methods
“There are several apologetic methods, but as devotees we can categorize them as either belonging to the 1) aroha pantha (the ascending path) or the 2) avaroha (the descending path).”
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How to Talk to Atheists (Part 2): Positions in Relation to the Existence of God
Written by Ajit Krishna Dasa Positions in Relation to the Existence of God In How to Talk to Atheists Part 1 I made the argument that we as devotees have…