ABSTRACT
Aurobindo's metaphysical proposal, particularly in The Life Divine, similarly puts forward both a theory of knowledge (epistemology) as well as a theory of being (ontology) in an interrelated fashion. In this chapter, he engages with 'epistemology'. Since the 'religion and reductionism' debate in the study of religion is the point of departure in this chapter, the author argues that Aurobindo's integral philosophy offers a possibility to enquire into religion beyond reductionist accounts. Second, with relation to the nature of Aurobindo's enquiry, the chapter contends that if Aurobindo's critique of scientific rationality is put forward from the point of view of Vedanta, and he explicitly disassociated his work from 'irrational mysticism', then the rationality in operation in Aurobindo's work, constrained by the Vedanta tradition, is necessarily traditionary rationality. Finally, with respect to dialogical hermeneutics, once it is agreed that rationality is conditioned by tradition then, it is legitimate to talk about the existence of a plurality of rationalities.
