Note: This paper was submitted at the recently concluded seminar ( April 24th,2017) at the inter-university center (IUC) Dubrovnik, Croatia. See link:http://iaewp2u.blogspot.in/2017/02/call-for-papers-for-41th-international.html)
Future of religions: civilization or barbarism?
Abstract:
Man has an inherent conviction that, his beliefs and methods can get the stamping of truth only when they are akin to Nature’s laws and directions. Best example for this assertion is Darwin’s theory of Evolution; when he introduced the theory, he was claiming an insight into Nature’s laws.
Newton or Einstein, our scientists too were seeking to know the laws of Nature. This paper attempts to propose that, origin of Religions should also find such a hidden direction of Nature to explain her role, method, and progress direction. More than a need, it was man’s inherent URGE or DRIVE for finding TRUTH and REALITY that led man to engage in scientific and religious pursuits!
If man has inherent urge for truth, he will logically have the sensory tools also to gain and grasp them, exactly like his physical urges and drives. Don’t we have everything provided to us by Nature, to fully find expression for our physical urges/drives?
Was science’s restricting man’s domain of knowing to his then known ‘means’ of experience a sensible step? Science finalized a ‘method’ of acquiring knowledge by the principle of objective Philosophy. The Objective philosophy says, nothing can be real that could not be experienced, measured or counted. This rigid outlook had shut man into the narrow realm of planet earth, and whatever his probing tools could reach and grab about whatever was ‘external’ to his earth status.
He found the universe so vast and infinite, beyond the capacity of his sensory tools, or the reach of his supplementary scientific tools. Still, he stuck to his base principle of objectivity; the whole should be a physical whole, and it is only a matter of time that he lay hands on her boundaries and secrets.
This paper introduces our ‘faculty of Reason’ as an internal sense organ, the role it played as a ‘sense-organ’ in the past and the present scientific inferences and conclusions, but still not grasped or recognized by science. It is a mystery sense organ that nature has bestowed in man, the aforesaid sensory tool, for giving him adequate insight into Nature’s essential secrets! May not be the equations about her physical-organization, but at least what is existentially required for him to relate to her meaningfully and truthfully! It tries to say, that the essence of anything in existence is not its physical structure and organization, but its ‘emotional’ predisposition, or predilection. The former is only a structural ‘means’ or measure to provide ‘tangibility’ to the latter. Tangibility to the external sense organs of man, and to his MIND system that handles all the date those external sense-organs provide.
This Paper wishes to suggest that, if man strives hard to fully grasp this new sense organ and its complete reach, it will open a new chapter in human epistemology, and a new science that will end her opposite pole status to Religion. This is not about a new door to understand God in the religion’s sense. It might end the great prejudice of Science, that beyond her reach, it is the realm of God of Religions. The paper opens the door for a new knowledge realm that compel Science to probe beyond her physical dogma, in her attempt to understand the whole that is in existence. Beyond the physical, there could be a realm of new energies too, perhaps an energy like a human emotion, a certain ‘predisposition’ of Nature, well graspable by man, thus opening a new chapter where there is no separate entities of Science and religions.
Abraham J.Palakudy
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Full Paper
Introducing existential urges/drives/pangs of man: Both religions and Science had originated in human society, thanks to the ‘pangs’ for TRUTH that man always suffered from!
To predict the future of something, we must have clear idea as to what exactly is it. Here our subject matter is religions. To understand what religions are, we must probe their origins. Not only their historical origins, but also what metaphysical energies, plans and directions must have caused their origin. When Charles Darwin had introduced his ‘Evolution theory’ to the world, he was trying to find out the existential plan and direction of Nature. His theory was not a product of his synthetic imagination. He collected pieces of evidence and presented to the world, proving that, based on whatever evidences he had collected and explanations offered, Nature must be inclined to allow the ‘fittest species to survive’, and within a species too, same laws apply for survival of its individual members. Criteria of Fitness could be sheer physical strength and traits of domination, or the species’ ability to adapt smartly to changing climate and/or available food sources.
When we look at Darwin’s theory at very close angles, we could see certain ‘implied’ ‘direction’ of Nature, or a certain plan of nature. This so-called ‘direction’ of nature is obviously different and distinct from any known physical attribute of physical matter. Is it a hidden, overall ‘predisposition’ of Nature, an emotional content?
We are familiar with Newton’s law of motion, that control movement of physical bodies. We also know about all known ‘energy’ forms of physics, that binds universe and her all moving assets, her heavenly bodies, into a certain compactness. Not only the whole universe consisting of billions of heavenly bodies are in unbelievable compactness, but also every atom in the sub-atomic particle world is also bound in an equally powerful and stable compactness!
But this implied ‘direction’ of living beings stands out very different from such physical laws and energy forms. It is like the laws of electricity controlling the hardware of our computers, and our different set of laws (software programs) that control the flow of data through the said hardware!
Can any one of us claim, that the software programs in our computer technology is nothing but an attribute or manifestation of science’s physical laws? Mind evolved- we don’t know whether from matter or some other source- and this mind was behind the creation of our computer software programs!
In a paper of this author, (http://patternsofapproachtodiscoverreality.blogspot.in/2014/06/rethinking-ultimate-stuff-of-universe.html)
He delves into this ‘software’ command aspect in Nature, a bit more clearly:
“Now, consider the attraction and repulsion properties of nucleons-the proton-neutron center of atoms .Its attraction is active only when other nucleons come close to it-say, the distance equal to 2 to 3 times their diameter. At lesser than this distance, ie. if other nucleons approach each other closer than the above limit, the reaction becomes negative; instead of aggregating the attraction, it shows a propensity to strongly repulse them ! Nucleons can not come closer than the above distance. This way, the nuclear force keep nucleons in an extremely stable manner, in an equally dynamic equilibrium. This repulsion factor is what gives matter its solid nature, and provide the links necessary to build up the molecular structures. They are also involved in the chemical reactions, and are responsible for the chemical properties of matter.
Here too, the above referred distinct third party essence of existence conspicuously emerges as a mystery force, or an inherently received 'command' other than that of energy and matter. This is a distinct and different inherent ‘software’ program that ensures the behavior the sub-atomic particle world. It is this ‘inherent’ command that has resulted in the above seen PROPENSITIES of the sub-atomic particles, that always re-integrate into their mother 'wholes', atoms or its nucleus components, and, or its pre-existent stage. These particular propensities of particles and the matter-energy 'wholes' they constitute, is what gives the world its stability and tangibility, to the perceiving senses.
It needs no super-human intelligence to recognize this aspect and reality of 'software command' behind such behavior of atoms and their particles.
Here too, the above referred distinct third party essence of existence conspicuously emerges as a mystery force, or an inherently received 'command' other than that of energy and matter. This is a distinct and different inherent ‘software’ program that ensures the behavior the sub-atomic particle world. It is this ‘inherent’ command that has resulted in the above seen PROPENSITIES of the sub-atomic particles, that always re-integrate into their mother 'wholes', atoms or its nucleus components, and, or its pre-existent stage. These particular propensities of particles and the matter-energy 'wholes' they constitute, is what gives the world its stability and tangibility, to the perceiving senses.
It needs no super-human intelligence to recognize this aspect and reality of 'software command' behind such behavior of atoms and their particles.
What this author attempts to bring to the attention of all of you is , that beyond the ‘physical’, which looks very much like merely the ‘structural material’ of existence, a whole lot of pieces of evidence are there to prove the parallel existence of a deeper ‘substance’ realm, akin to a ‘software’ command realm in existence!
This realm need not be taken as the usual realm of the God of Religions.
Just observe it, and if found acceptable to our sense of Reason, consider it as part of our scientific reality that man undergoes during his life tenure. In other words, the ‘whole’ may not be a realm of dead, inorganic matter, and life a ‘zero-sum game’. The whole is highly sensible and alive, and it has sensible ‘directions’ and possibly objectives too! If Science could ignore or avoid her prejudices about God of Religions, who seek worship etc, and try to accept the existence of plain ‘sense’ by way of certain directions for world and existence, it would open a new chapter in human knowledge. It would help her to look at the phenomenon like Religions more sensibly and meaningfully.
What is this ‘sense’ factor of life all about?
We have seen above, that the ‘whole’ has not only a structural organization, but also certain hidden ‘sense’ and essence.
Besides matter, that is claimed to be a dead, a zero-sum game stuff, merely the ‘structural’ material for the existential phenomenon, man has a spiritual organization and direction also. If not God in the image and projection of Religions, there exists an ‘emotional’ dynamics behind the matter realm, and Science has to leave her matter dogma and proceed further to probe whether there is something beyond the matter realm that guides life, and minds of men, and perhaps similar ‘mind-like’ system bestowed in living beings in other far-away planets!
This spiritual (spiritual simply means that ‘software’ realm earlier mentioned) direction could well be ‘sensed’ by man, via his nature bestowed mystery ‘sense –organ’ of ‘Reason’. We all have to logically agree, what is the essence of me or you is not the shape of our nose, or our mouth or our body type. It is our peculiar ‘predisposition’. Every one of us, even every member of animal species’ has it’s peculiar to the individual member, his very peculiar ‘emotional’ disposition. It is what distinguishes one from others. It is my essence and your essence. It is the final reality about you and me. So, naturally and logically, the belief of science that the universe is a ‘zero-game’ stuff should be erroneous. The ‘whole’ should have, by all means, a certain ‘predisposition’,( or predilection) or in other words, an ‘emotional’ attitude too! This emotional predisposition is what the essential REALITY about existence, or Nature!
The ‘software’ aspect of existence that we had discussed above should be centered around this emotional ‘predisposition’!
Once again would like to emphasize, that this is not an attempt to highlight the existence of God, a merciful, Almighty one! This is a call for science to discard her hardcore dogma that the whole should be physical. The realm of ‘mind’ must be more seriously probed, and her shut door beyond the physical must be broken and opened! That emotional realm of the predisposition of Nature must be brought into the mainstream realm of science! When that happens, there wouldn’t be a separateness between Science and religions. It that ‘predisposition is something positive, ( not antagonistic to man and life!) and life caring, it should be got translated into our languages, myths and traditions. No doubt, life won’t be same ever after! That would be the new ENLIGHTENMENT!
Looking at the life of every person from within, it would be evident that, emotional predisposition of Nature cannot be antagonistic to life, but certainly caring, personal and extremely sensible! It was from such rudimentary ‘sense of care’ that all religions had got born in the world. But, for lack of knowledge, as to whether we have any means to at least ‘sense’ the realm beyond the body, ( physique) Religion had opted to ‘worship’ that realm! Man started ‘fearing’ that realm, so ‘worship’ to please it was the most sensible option.
Science also beliefs in a certain predisposition of Nature!
Though it is not expressed distinctly, Science also has attributed a certain emotional disposition to Nature; that is ‘cold’, mechanical and physical energy driven. Can’t we agree, more than the physical structure of universe, what we should debate about should be on this emotional ‘predisposition’ of universe or simply the whole, than a possible physical equation that would explain her ‘structure’? This structure is nothing but what akin to one’s physical body.
More on the ‘predisposition of Nature, and the role of the sense-organ of Reason
The essence of the whole would be, without any doubt, her very particular emotional disposition. This emotional disposition is Existence’s attitude towards herself, and all that exists, including, and most centrally man, her most delicate and complete item in existence! Our sense of Reason or that of ‘common sense’ tells us, that attributing such a ‘disposition’ would be more sensible than attributing a ‘zero-sum’ game disposition, as it was attributed to Nature by man without considering all available facts of life and existence. Such a disposition was attributed to her after the fall of the Church, and the adolescent pride of Science provided by Galileo’s telescope etc! Telescope like instruments were not meant or equipped to ‘sense’ or ‘infer’ a ‘disposition’ like deeper quality to Nature. Nor in the similar future growth of Science too, she never had the opportunity or NEED to think on the lines of finding a ‘disposition’ to Nature!
Nor eye, ear, nose or skin could give man and science any clue about Nature’s having a ‘disposition’ stuff. So, science continued with her dogma that, the ‘whole’ is a physical whole.
But the logic about every living being having a certain peculiar disposition is self-evident. Look within by every sensible man, and he can observe his most demanding ‘urge’, that of ‘expressing himself’ before the world! He need someone other than him to do this act, as the ‘other’ acts as a ‘mirror’, before whom he could self-express, and in the act, perceive himself as REAL! This a very complex metaphysical proposition. I find me and my essence only through this self-expression act. Till I do not self express, I remain ‘unreal’ to myself!
If I have certain essence, or my base emotional disposition, and if no one realizes it, my whole existence and the fact of my being become void and meaningless! How hard I try, a piece of rock can’t, and won’t be able to realize me, in my essence, because, it doesn’t have the required ‘sense’ tools to realize it.
Hope, enlightened readers would now realize what this author attempts to convey; yes, man has been bestowed with this mystery ‘sense organ of Reason’ exclusively to enable him to sense ‘existence’s basic essence. Her emotional predisposition!
What we have delved elaborately above leads us to a sensible clue about the much elusive ‘why’ question too; yes, it is a metaphysical law of existence, that if I need to be assured, or feel real about myself, I need to be perceived by some other sensible entities! In other words, I cannot simply ‘exist’ in real terms without having someone else too as a perceiver. This is not exactly the position of Bishop Berkeley; who claimed, nothing can exist without having there an observer too, though in essence, what he had touched was the essence of what we have observed above.
Great philosopher Hegel too had shared the above position:
“The peculiarity of Hegel’s form of idealism, on this account, lies in his idea that the mind of God becomes actual only via its particularization in the minds of “his” finite material creatures. Thus, in our consciousness of God, we somehow serve to realize his own self-consciousness, and, thereby, his own perfection” ( text from Stanford University pages on Hegel’s philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hegel/,2.2)
Now, can we arrive at some certainty about this ‘URGE’ and pangs for truth that led to the birth of religion and Science? How can we explain it?
Here the presupposition is, that similar to the physical laws and direction of matter, Nature has set in place, certain directions for man’s behavioral future also. This is evident from the certain closely observable ‘predilections’ of our known sense organs, as well the ‘urges’ or instincts that every man experiences within him. Some simple examples of these ‘predilections ( or predispositions) of our external sense organs are;
1) Eyes prefer to see orderly objects and events in its surroundings. It prefers beauty to ugliness and order to disorder. We all experience it.
2) Ears always prefer soothing and orderly audio inputs. If it is continuously negative, man gets disturbed.
3) Tongue’s penchant for sweet taste instead of bitterness is famous, though rare exceptions also are there. But pleasant tastes to unpleasant one stands as rule.
4) Skin’s predilections for smooth touch and warmth too does not need any elaboration.
Now comes the most central observation that this paper intends to propose, about the self evident ‘predilections’ of this mystery internal sense organ of man, his Faculty of Reason. It too exhibits its distinct predilections in line with that of external sense organs. Yes, the inner urges and instincts we all experience like the reality of day light are the predilections of this not yet recognized internal sense organ of man, most probably his mystery faculty of Reason!
What are the pieces of evidence, that prove Faculty of Reason is an internal sense organ?
1) We all experience the internal agitation when we do, or witness illogical behavior, or illogical arguments. If someone teach us, that A=B, so all C’s are Bs, we experience the agitation of our faculty of Reason. It sense it’s ‘inconsistency’, and it can’t accept it. It is similar to showing a picture of an elephant and ask to believe, it is a horse, something quite opposite to the sense of sight. Yes, our faculty of Reason is a sense-organ, that sense order, consistency and unity, and also disorder, inconsistency, and disunity. We simply call this role of Reason, ‘faculty of Reason’, but never thought, it is an exact role of a sense organ that our external sense organs perform, sensing a particular ‘category’ that nature has set to reveal us through a very specific window!
2) In every Scientific inference we use this mystery faculty, our sense organ of Reason, to conclude it as a theory; when Scientists collect evidence or arguments to prove a theory, someone or he himself has to conclude its logical relation with the what he has already stands proved in his mind, or some theory that stands in the world already proven! We can’t create a Logic from thin air; Logic is nothing but relating a new finding with some theory or axiom that already stand proven in the world. As this argument is not a new one; Bertrand Russell had clearly expressed it it his writings on Reasoning and Logic: A blog of this author explains it elaborately at link: http://philosopherskorner.blogspot.in/
3) Now coming to the predilections of this mystery, internal sense organ; we have already seen elaborate references to URGE (or pangs) for truth above. This urge is nothing but a clear ‘predilection’ of this mystery faculty (sense organ) for ‘order’, consistency and unity. It is this pang for ORDER that had led to birth of religions and Science. Truth is nothing but ultimate ‘order’. Man cannot rest till he finds a sensible ‘tie’ with existence. It was this existential urge that lead man to seek out distant stars and planets, as well as religious myths.
We have seen that we violently experience the ‘urge’ for self expression. It is the prime and most distinct motivational urge that distinguish all living units from non-living stuff! Rat, or a rose-plant or man, what keeps them moving, and what keeps the world dynamic and lively is this extreme ‘self-expression’ urge! This urge is similar to attraction and distraction features of atoms. Following blog link (already quoted once above) will help the readers and evaluators of this paper to know more about our inherent urges, or DRIVES: http://unrecognizedobjectsofthemind.blogspot.in/2013/07/existential-drives-of-man.html
The obvious sense of compassion we feel when we see a child getting drowned in water, or close relations involved in some danger etc can not be a work of our upbringing; even intelligent animal species show such urgency to save family members and strangers from danger. Man can’t stand injustice also in a similar inherent urge. Mankind fought many a wars to safeguard one’s sense of dignity. Kant observed this fact, hence he had come out with his ‘moral imperative’ theory around Reason.
As this subject itself deserves volumes of books to explain it in full detail, author leaves it to the readers and evaluators to refer to his above given blog-links, wherein link of his self-published book/e-book, titled, ‘Is Reason a sense-organ? A super-mind above the known mind?’ is given at the first link. Or, just search Google for the above title at Amazon.com.
4) It should be believed, this mystery faculty must be behind giving us ‘experience’ of love, rage, spiritual revelations etc!. Just like the picture of elephant in my mind may not be that in your mind, my experience of the above ‘emotional’ objects might be different from that of yours or any other person. Science stipulate that, irrespective of your elephant or my elephant, there is a really real, universally objective Elephant there in the external world! But now Quantum physics also teaches us, that there cannot be anything such really objective, as every reality is a unique convergence between the observing subject and the observed object.
Simply put, Nature has devised the external world realm filled with ‘objects’ of her external senses, where the ‘objective’ entity of man (his so called ego) an exclusively synthetic entity, dwell.
Nature’s goal here was uniquely creative! Her task was to cause the birth of independently TRUTH seeking entities, who would be capable of sharing her existential ecstasy one day! This was not a simple task. We have seen already, that despite mankind’s passing of billions of years on planet earth, that task is still too far away! Now, our clue that, man’s faculty of Reason could be the right door for launching man to fulfill the great task Nature could be a turning point. Wish to share here another work of this author, that explains the above mystery goal of nature, and the unprecedented ways she had opted, at link: http://thewhyquestionofexistenceanswered.blogspot.in/2015/03/the-rationale-of-being-existentially.html
When Nature devised an external world where man ‘names’ and identity all her ‘objects’ in his own way (phenomenal realm)she had also devised an equally elaborate inner or subjective realm with equally numerous objects, for the ‘transcended’ entities to dwell. Transcended entities simply mean those men who could observe another version of him within, who often could act as an external ‘watcher’ on his Ego entity. He simply realize that, he is not at all exclusively his Ego!
Man always weigh the objects and relations with the standards of his inner realm, to create his final realities. Reason is the king of this inner realm, which weighs each item of decision with balanced realities of external, and that of his inner wisdom.
Inner wisdom too, similar to working of the external sense organs, outputs strictly proportional to the attention one gives, and the degree of dedication he gives to details. When he is able to totally suppress the ways of the ego, and the learned patterns of the inner realm, he certainly can draw wisdom and spiritual light DIRECTLY from the hidden sources of Nature too! This act or phenomenon is often called by ‘revelation’ by science, that she always look down upon.
To conclude this chapter, where we had delved into the theme of understanding Religion as the result of a particular URGE within man to know the Truth and reality about himself, and the world, it has been inferred, that both Religion and Science originated from the same URGE, and man indeed is directed and guided by certain inherent ‘command’ or a software program to reach some destination!
Finally and most centrally, we delved deeply into a vital proposition that, our faculty of Reason indeed functions in the role of an internal sense organ. This mystery sense organ carries many a predilections or predispositions of Nature, that it reveals, that while the external sense organs dwell in the world of objects, this internal sense organs is destined to dwell in our inner world of mind, handling our inherent directions, urges and our spiritual destination. Former’s realm stands converted into ‘words’ and language, so it rules our so called external world. The latter realm, due to having its prompts and pulses NOT duly available in words and language, ( because, mankind yet to recognize it!) ourselves (egos) stand puzzled before them! Nature had set our reality realm in such a way, that only those items of reality would be acceptable to our routine mind, that are publically recognized and accepted. That have publically accepted words and concepts.
This spiritual destination stuff is not the typical religious destination of knowing God or landing up in him at death. This is all about man’s realizing his true status and relation with the grand phenomenon of Existence! This aspect handles the most difficult ‘why’ question of existence as once deliberated above.
When we realize this grand motto behind existence, it will call for a grand, new enlightenment, merging science with a new spirituality, without all Religious connections in its existing meaning and traditions. It will be an integral aspect and task of our new enlightenment, where the very difference and opposite pole status of both will end, and a new epistemology will emerge. In this meaning, religions will lead mankind to a new civilization, with her new science, new politics and new industry.
Future of religions: Civilization or Barbarism?
Perhaps after grasping whatever we have deliberated in the above portion of this paper, we may have to rethink whether the subject matter of our enquiry, ie, “Future of Religions; Civilization or barbarism” should be centered around our religions’. It might be perhaps more about how we carry our future political ideas, and around whether our Science would be able to liberate herself from her present hard dogma around ‘everything is physical’. We know that, the division of Church and Polity was basically triggered by Science. It was Galileo’s telescope that found the Earth orbiting around the Sun, and then claimed the authority over the Truths of the world. Polity was very smart to use such assertion of Science to beat the Church down, and finally take over the reign of society from the former.
So, the next Enlightenment could only triggered by science, with the active will of the polity. Then Religions will follow the suit. The wings of the religions once clipped by the Polity is still incapacitated as before, though she has grand following in the world of different type. It is a following based on unverified items of faith. The keys to the Truth of the world is still in the pocket of Science. So it is she who should open up, and trigger the new Enlightenment, grossly altering her DOGMAS on ‘objective Reality’.
This author would love to share with his enlightened readers, one of his blogs that delve deep into how the pathetically subjective man invented an ‘objective’ system of knowledge, at link: http://argumentsagainstscientificpositivism.blogspot.in/2017/02/how-pathetically-subjective-man-created.html
If ‘barbarism’ issue was taken-up here as part of this deliberation based on increasing events of Islamic terrorism, we must realize, it is not at all based on Religion but the mad need of man for self-identity.
There is a grave issue of terrorism in the region originated and spread to other parts of the world, as well as within the region as a greater menace because, the ordinary Muslim in all the Muslim nations suffer from a great self-identity crisis. When the world they see in the printed media and TV channels does not at all match with own lives, they suffer from the above said, grave self identity crisis! They feel them selves isolated from the rest of the world, and even from the elites in their own countries. We know, most of the wealthy Arabs frequently travel to West and rest of the world, and enjoy the fruits of the western development and its elite-ways.
The above particular situation that transformed the Gulf region into that of the birth place of terrorism is explained at link: http://metaphysicsofthehumansoul.blogspot.in/2014/12/terror-for-religious-causes-time-for.html
What man metaphysically want, first and foremost is, his self-realization. He wants a sensible definition as to what is he. He wants a sensible self-identity, and a sensible tie with the contemporary world. Unlike common men in other countries, they in the Muslim region are strictly under the control of native, local Mullahs. They cannot escape their control in day today lives, and live free-lives as their counterparts live in other parts of the world. This leads to extreme tension in their personal lives, that seeks some kind of a strong self-identity. Naturally, what is left out is their religious identity, and like a drowning person, they catch hold on it!
We know, the much acclaimed Western model of free and secular man, a product of Capitalistic world view and propaganda stands almost dead in modern world today. The image of the ‘Global’ man is a fading one. Despite more than a century of the reign of Capitalistic ‘development’, more than 70% of world population are either poor, or those who live at subsistence level. In other words, both the elites and middle class combined, those who share the best of modern life and its fruits and benefits is less than 30% in modern world. Modernity has expressed itself only in the form of better roads, better travel, better communication and better food and dress style in the world. Only the above 30% was able to taste it. The rest comprised the underbelly of every city, and the rural sector.
This alienation of the majority is the face-mark of our age. Most of these men and women seek alternative identities, and many seek to go back to the glory of the past. Every one of us has our base identities that was formed during our childhood and adolescence. See the Indian story. Despite 70 years of her journey through industrial development, number of elites and middle class combined is still below 30%. Their seeking of self-identities has now resulted in their seeking their religious identity as Hindus (the majority religion in India, standing at 80%) Now, under the new Prime-minister Narendra Modi, there is a Hindu revival of a sort, and ordinary Hindus who could not identify with modernity of the times now seek their old Religious identity as Hindus, at the cost of a severe cultural division in the country between them and the 20% non-Hindus.( Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists etc)
What this author tries to convey is, that Religion may not be the factor that will decides either civilization or barbarism of future, though nature’s Spiritual goal about man will finally determine the ultimate state of life on the planet.
Religion has got degenerated into a means of social identity for man. It no more has any Spiritual dimension. The present day tendency of Terror for Religious causes is basically violent attempts to seek self-identity by rootless men. So, its remedy lies NOT in religious revival or an enlightenment based on it, but a radical scientific and political enlightenment. The much needed trigger for such an enlightenment must start from Science, as it was based on Science’s findings that post enlightenment developments in modern politics and even economy happened. Capitalism was more a product of the steam engine, railway, telegraph and telephone that facilitated improved production and improved market. Colonization also was more a product of distant travel facilities and better fire power at the side of the imperialists. The Capital foundation of the West for the industrial revolution was, in fact the plundered wealth from the colonies.
Democracy, the much acclaimed sign of human-LIBERTY, though reinvented with genuine intentions and sensible system in America, the later stage diabolic partnership of polity and industry for DEVELOPMENT of Nations, which was basically economic development, had transformed citizens into the status of animals like herds! Though the system was meant for, or in other words, though the citizens were the ‘end’ and State, a ‘means’ in the new political and economic system, a tragic reversal had happened in due course; the end has become means and visa-versa! This vicious reversal had indeed caused the great ‘self-identity’ crisis in modern man. The very species of ‘individual’ lost his legitimate entity in the new politico-economic system. Love to share here an excellent paper here, that narrate that story in detail: http://linkis.com/truepublica.org.uk/c/tVMBj
We all remember, Thomas Hobbs and Machiavelli had kept very lowly impression about basic human nature. Both thought, man is by nature ‘selfish’, and a higher power, in the form of a POWER-STATE only can keep him civilized, or his selfish nature restrained. State was this new ‘noble collective’ for man to belong to, and toil for her betterment. When the collective progresses, individual also naturally and logically progresses. They thought, this arrangement would get man’s selfish nature mellowed.
But what exactly happened was, that the new States and the new industry elites started acting the role of the old selfish individual! Rousseau had observed this transformation and tragedy very early:
“bodies politic, remaining thus in a state of nature among themselves, presently experienced the inconveniences which had obliged individuals to forsake it; for this state became more fatal to these great bodies than it had been the individuals of whom they were composed. Hence arose national wars, battles, murders and reprisals which shock nature and outrage reason; together with all those horrible prejudices which class among the virtues the honor of shedding blood.
The most distinguished men hence learned to consider cutting each other’s throats a duty; at length men massacred their fellow-creatures by thousands without so much as knowing why, and committed more murders in a single day’s fighting ,and more violent outrages in the sack of a single town, than were committed in the state of nature during whole ages over the whole earth” ( from his famous work, ‘ On the origin of inequality’)
The outcome of Hobbs’ folly is evident from the words of Rousseau above. Thus, the species of individual got kind of, ‘extinct’ from the face of earth. Naturally, it got violated mother Nature’s central motive behind having entities here in the world, fully developed as ‘conscious’, wise and spiritually ‘enlightened’ beings!
Hope author has made it adequately clear, why the role to kindle an enlightenment lies with man’s Science, and / or his polity. States are the patrons of modern Science. But, as Science has more men with pangs for TRUTH, she could always explore and find man’s intrinsic relation with the whole of existence, and change her books and old dogmas! Once she has done it, polity will have no way other than to follow the suit and oblige man’s most celebrated torch bearer in her search for truth and reality.
Conclusion:
It is time for our conclusion. Recollecting what we have deliberated in detail above, we may safely conclude that, if there is an enlightenment in future, it will not be by or around any religion. None of the leading religion in the world today possess the required degree of urge, or the determination to undertake a review of her beliefs, her method, or to uplift the condition of her believers spiritually. Most religions want their numbers, and also their social and political influence to improve, so that they could play more influential role in world affairs in collaboration with the polity of the day.
The agent of plurality and multiculturalism was simply the industry. There was no element of true universality in such an outlook, except the benefits of the Global MARKET for their products and services! They intended that, without restriction of race, culture or ethnicity, every man in the Globe should be a blind, loyal consumer of their various products! They should simply disregard religion, their local cultures and traditions and transform themselves into world citizen, a perfectly ideal consumer of modern products and services.
We know that, due to latest political movements in the world today like that in USA and nations in European Union, Globalism now is a new pariah. American President Trump and UK’s PM Ms.Theresa May are trying to take advantage of the wishes of their people, by discarding Global plans, but to withdraw to the strategy of ensuring jobs for own people. Products and workers from other countries are now looked down upon. World shows a tendency to shrink to a kind of Nativity, and own shells. Racial attacks is every- where, with shouts of ‘go back to your country’, though it has not gained any dangerous proportion. In India, the world’s largest democracy, there is a dangerous spurt of Hindu Nationalism. Hindu majority now claim that, the father-land belongs to Hindus only, as Muslims and Christians are more admirers of other cultures! Hindu religion, a religion with one of the richest traditions of serious spiritual ideas is now a silent victim of her new political avatar! This new spurt has no religiosity or Spiritual goals, but exclusive political goals. Hindu majority (80%) simply want to dominate the 20% minorities, an empty desire of the Ego. A vicious goal of the ego for enhanced self-identity!
Total confusion about the methods of gaining truth; between realms of data, empirical facts, ‘experience’, and that of ‘insight’ and judgment!
Above was part of the final questions about the paper raised by the organizers. The division was part of old division of methods, that of science and religions. We now know that, both were not the right methods. The new knowledge that we have gathered above, about the role that our faculty of Reason play in every scientific enquiry might remove above division. While the obsession with data, empirical facts and ‘experience’ etc that Science insist, will converge with that of ‘insight’ that the new method involving our faculty of Reason in all inference. If there will a fresh enlightenment, it will once again be triggered by the genuine pangs of Science for higher knowledge. She will one day realize, that her methods were outdated, adolescent like, and narrow. If she trigger the new Enlightenment, it will affect polity, and all other institutions in modern world. As we have seen, it was Science’s findings that formed the foundation attitude of all other institutions in the past. She was the determining force, though her influence is silent and unknown today.
Is autonomous human reason sufficient for such transformation of religion and enlightenment, and its legitimization without any religious revelation? (who are able to connect revelation and autonomous reason?)
Yes, autonomous human Reason is sufficient for a transformation of religion and enlightenment, but Reason need to be understood differently in a drastic fashion! We have delved deeply into various aspects of it in the above portions of the paper. If we open up our mind fully and contemplate, we will realize that our sense organs are actually ‘reveal’ some or other properties of the Existence. They are all basically ‘revelations’, though due to over familiarity with them every moment, we do not realize it. We are kind of slaves of what they provide to us. Rest of all our so called ‘knowledge’ is depended on what our sense organs ‘reveal’ to us.
Religions do not have anything to do with ‘revelations’, though it serves the purpose of a foundation for seeking ‘truth’ in a method different from that of Science. Revelations are the whole and sole function of our sense organs. Religions were genuine initiatives of man, compelled under the pangs of our sense of ‘reason, to seek out truth. But they are supposed to depart from their bigoted ways, dogmas, narrow social and political ambitions to be in line with goals of Existence.
‘Revelations’ cannot be ruled out, as Existence is too eager to reveal herself to the truly seeking man! We can see, she does not have other means to interact with mankind, except through the ‘inner’ of some or the other man. Man could never lift himself up away from the ‘world’ and realize, that they are ‘revelations’, because, such phenomenon are not in the recognized daily routine of his life. So, he always gave an ‘unnatural’ or Godly picture to such revelations. Every Religion was originated through such rare men, who very genuinely sought spiritual truths and then got it.
This author, who had the fortune or the misfortune of having a close family member with a rare genetic Kidney ailment, had to undergo the trauma of ‘dialysis’ non-stop for over 5 years! The much-needed kidney transplant, due to lack of a kidney donor, was not taking place despite best of efforts. Prolonged dialysis had caused an incurable Hepatitis-C infection also to the patient, adding up to his trauma. Life of the family got stuck. He was not able to attend to his work, and all the reserve funds were fast getting exhausted.
No more explanation needed to describe his mental state. He naturally sought relief from is pains to the Existence or Nature, whatever that might be. He knew it is his right, as the life stuff he was undergoing was not exactly ‘his’, as he believed, he was simply a ‘carrier’ of it!
After many months of intense seeking for relief for his problems, he found himself suddenly awake in the bed one dark night, mind filled with an unexplainable peace and bliss! It was very similar to the emotion of ‘love’ when one is the object of its receiving most abundantly. First, he thought it might be the effect of a regular dream, or a stuff similar to that, but when it lasted for more than 20-25 minutes, he started realizing its genuineness. It was going to be morning hours soon.
Though the intense state of the mind filled with that unexplainable emotion of care and confidence lasted only for 20-25 minutes, even when he woke up in the morning, it was lingering in the mind till next day noon, till it gradually disappeared in the mix-up of the routine of life. But, there were few messages in his mind, inscribed there like on stone:
1) Nature’s relation with every human being is personal. Masses and societies are illusions
2) As Existence cares every man, the health issues of my family member would be fully solved in few months. Nature always shares man’s both bliss and sufferings
3) There is a moment to moment watch and care for all those who care to seek.
4) There is ‘sense’ in life. Do not give much heed to the ‘prompts’ of the routine mind, as it belongs to a different realm of consciousness
It is going to be 10 years after the said ‘revelation’, and that family member underwent a kidney transplantation in 2007, and she is leading a normal, healthy life till this date!
So, man and Existence are in ‘live’ relation every moment. The chaos belongs to the realm of the mind and her world.
Revelations are real in every sense, as our sense-organs are shut-proof windows, always open towards an unknown realm! We can only be helpless receivers here!
So, only Science can connect ‘revelations’ and Reason. She needs to open up a lot, leaving her religion-like obsession with ‘physicality’ of the whole. There would be light beyond what she considers as the ‘physical’ whole. Love to share here with a link that explains why: http://metaphysicsofthehumansoul.blogspot.in/2015/11/can-any-religion-afford-to-end-search.html
With the kind of legitimacy and reputation she enjoys today in the world, only she can influence the world-view of polity and other institutions. The base of the world view of today’s world had been built around what Science believed and dictated. Her stands are not ‘opinions’, but facts based on observations. Once she abandons her prejudices about her field of inquiry, and her existing ‘mother premises ( universals) about the ‘physical’ nature of the whole, she could be the true initiator of a new Enlightenment. Remember, it was she who had initiated mankind first Enlightenment too!
Failed states lead to barbarism.
Absolutely right statement! Yes, the cause of barbarism is failed States! Politics is the all -controlling institution in present day world, including the institution of State. When such a state is not enlightened but shares some of the primal traditions and longings of the past, another Enlightenment cannot ever originate! Love to share here with a very specific paper that explains the subject matter of this last para: http://direneedofreinventingdemocracy.blogspot.in/2015/03/modern-notion-of-state-means-usurping.html
In the sense we discuss it here, every state in today’s world is a failed state! They do not exist to help the enlightenment of citizens, but specifically to prevent it, as otherwise, such citizens would be the greatest threat to their very existence!
Our world certainly needs another enlightenment, and it could be triggered by a new science, a science that shed all her unscientific spirit. Another important institution that could aid this enlightenment is our Media; she needs to discard her unholy affiliation with Polity and industry, and be with People and mankind. Science could do a new enlightenment only if Media stand with her, and with the people and mankind!
Our class of ‘thinkers’, ‘philosophers’ and ‘religious seekers’ also has a vital role in making a future enlightenment happen. Hundreds of such seminars are taking place every day in the world, but do the mainstream aware of all of them, or even one of them? No, certainly No.
Prof. Siebert’s letter to president Trump should be taken as an excellent example as to how our class should proceed to counter the above trend.( Though we do not know whether he received any acknowledgment from President Trump’s office, as such simple courtesies are extremely rare a phenomenon these days from govts and Political offices!) We must write regularly to all universities, media leaders and houses, and top science bodies, FIRST to form a formal platform of our strata in the world, and then force govts and political leaders to mend their ways. We must ascertain and claim our VOICE in the world, for her own future glory and enlightenment. There should be regular exchange of our body with the world and people, through the active assistance and participation of Media. In the absence of our Voice, world will be ORPHANED!
Author: Abraham J.Palakudy
(His profile, list of papers submitted at various Universities etc, and the list of books he published are at: https://www.blogger.com/profile/14249415589712707293)
