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Dr. C. Jacob

There is no higher knowledge than philosophy that man is expected to know. Why, one may ask. The answer is simple. It has the power of enlightening man. Philosophy means love of knowledge, etymologically speaking. The study of Philosophy brings in all kinds of information and knowledge from all directions and all sources. In acquiring knowledge one need not accept one kind of knowledge as good and reject another kind of knowledge as bad. Discrimination and elimination of some knowledge as harmful and choosing one kind of knowledge as beneficial does not help acquiring sound knowledge. In this context it is worth remembering what the great philosopher Bertrand Russell said. According to him, “It should not be thought that some knowledge is harmful and some ignorance is good.�

As said in the Bhagavad Gita what is learnt is enough that no more knowledge need be acquired, is the real and absolute knowledge. Attainment of such knowledge, according to me, is the object of philosophy. We have to develop a cosmic outlook that all are one and one is all, to find unity in diversity and diversity in unity. Excluding minor apparent differences in colour, size and shape, all living beings have almost the same characteristics of feeling pain and pleasure, greed or passion for pleasure and dislike for displeasure and a host of such characteristics. To know this is real knowledge on which the edifice of philosophic thought is built.

The contradictions in nature like good and bad, right and wrong, happiness and sorrow, pain and pleasure, heat and cold, darkness and light, hard and soft, big and small, safety and danger and a thousand more of such opposites are common for all human beings. Similarly the neutral aspects are also common. Certain things are neither good nor bad, right or wrong. That is called normalcy. Nature is beset with so many mysteries that man has yet to dispel and enlighten himself. All kinds of information about such things philosophy embraces and tries to impartially judge to arrive at truth. That knowledge which clears all doubts and enlightens the mind and fills the heart with a kind of inexplicable joy is achieved by philosophy only. Infact what gives peace to mind is philosophy.

Philosophy does not keep the mind split but helps its harmony. Good morals speak of universal truths. Universal truths are derived from universal laws. Universal laws are inherent in nature. The universe is governed by innumerable natural laws. For a life to come in to existence or become extinct, only these natural powers or laws are responsible.

Knowledge is infinite, So also ignorance. From the beginning of Renaissance and Revival of Learning, knowledge has been going forward and ignorance wards.

If the object of man is enlightenment, doubting everything, verifying everything and applying reason instead of belief, and if he enquires impartially, he would certainly reach his goal. Suppose scriptures say one thing and sciences say another thing as to how life came into existence first on earth, it is philosophy that helps man to reason out what is true and what is false. It helps in clearing out all doubts about human beings, animals and other living beings, about lifeless things and matter, whether things are happening naturally, or by an individual force or universal forces that are present in nature. It is almost believed by a majority of people that good things happen according to the will of God and bad things happen on account of the influence of some evil spirits. But philosophy tries to investigate into these beliefs to arrive at a correct conclusion. Karl. G. Jung, the great Psychiatrist and the disciple of Sigmund Freud in his book “The Psychology of the Unconscious� says that the chances for good to happen in nature are as many as the chances for bad to happen. What we have to understand here is that circumstances under which all beings are existing are governed by individual efforts based on knowledge and intelligence, so long as nature and natural laws permit. For instance I wish to go to market. Suddenly a storm comes. I cannot move out. This happens at nobody’s will, much less it is the intentional act of a superhuman being. Likewise I receive news that a close relative of mine died. Then also I stop going to market. If such unexpected things do not happen, other things being normal, what I intended to do, I can do. Neither the former act nor the later act is under my control. To the extent we need not depend on external circumstances, to that extent we can do as we wish.

A successful man in life is one who is much informed, in other words, who has got the best information. Such a man can plan for, adjust, adapt and manage himself in such a way that any foreseeable evil, to a great extent can be avoided. In the words of Benjamin Disraeli, “as a general rule the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information�.

Man is often thrown into a dilemma when he is confronted with two opposites like good and bad or right and wrong. In such a situation it is philosophy that helps him in deciding and arriving at what is good or bad by virtue of its results. A philosophic outlook or bent of mind or right approach to facts i.e., appreciation with detachment untainted with bias always brings peace to mind. Peace brings happiness. Peace promotes growth. Peace helps harmony between man and the external world.

All fundamental truths can be learnt through philosophy. Almost all great philosophers learnt them this way. For instance see what the noblest philosopher Spinoza said about fundamental truths and how specifically and clearly. He propounded five fundamental principles. They are: ­

1. There is only one absolute thing which is god or nature.
2. Nothing finite is self sufficient.
3. Self preservation is the fundamental motive of persons.
4. All wrong is due to intellectual error.
5. All excellent things are as difficult as rare.

The value of philosophy was realized by philosophers long . Talking about politics and administration of Justice Plato said that philosopher - kings should become rulers. In history we come across a lone example of that kind and he is Marcus Aurelius.

Bringing the discussion to a close it is worthwhile to recollect the immortal lines of Shakespeare spoken through the mouth of Hamlet and they are as follows: “What a piece of work is Man! in form and in moving, how express and admirable! in action, how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights me not? No, nor woman neither.........� For Hamlet revenge might be delightful but for mankind, it is philosophy that delights them.

Physical pain may be common to all. But in the case of mental pain it is not so. In the midst of anxieties and sorrows philosophic thought works as a pain-balm and a great solace. It is the philosopher alone who can have calmness of mind and peace. Music, poetry and arts contribute to philosophic thought. Philosophic thought liberates man from all irrational thoughts, false views and convictions, blind beliefs, superstitions and all kinds of narrowness. Liberation, in a word, is bliss absolute and there is no higher plane of happiness than absolute bliss.