Even scientists, educationists, professionals, judges, teachers and politicians are reluctant to embrace tenor of scientific temper in their day to day life
PRABHAKAR TIMBLE
The stride and march of Man in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Engineering and Space in the last 75 years has been superlative and could be regarded as unmatched from the dawn of human civilization. It is a matter of celebration that India has the third largest number of scientists in the world. This is a victory of free, rational, liberal and secular environment. Can this be a confirmation enough that we are living in a scientific age?
There could be no iota of doubt that we are in the era dominated by technology. All assimilate and take on the board the fruits of technology. The process of adapting to the dislocations that the spectacular know-how creates in economics, business and established social relations is unstoppable. This conflict with the old arrangement generates tensions but finally paves the way for a new economic and social order. Technology being secular, it cuts through the barriers of boundaries of nations and the man-made walls of religion, caste and gender. Technology aids human advancement providing access of opportunities to all. It also comes in handy to propagate false medicine, false science, regressive tradition and blind faith.
The story of imbibing Science is different from technology. Technology gets acceptability and is easily digested. In common parlance, Science is akin to Reason. In day to day life, the desire to know, inquire, reason and arrive at truth based on evidence is what could be termed as science. This is what scientific temper is all about. This is the fundamental duty enshrined under Article 51(A) of the Indian Constitution which exhorts every citizen to “develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform”. Not just the ordinary citizen, but even the scientists, educationists, professionals, judges, teachers and political leaders are reluctant to embrace the tenor of scientific temper in their day to day life.
The performance card of the community in respect of drinking Science is indeed very poor. We are in a tearing hurry to take bath after an eclipse and not even prepared to introspect on this natural phenomenon and scientific truths associated with the planetary motion. We undertake fast and yet go through the strenuous daily work schedule to please God or for grant of prayers. We hold to the claim that the position of stars and planets in the solar system at the time of birth determines our destiny in life. We are ever ready to hate and even kill to uphold the honour of religion and caste. We make a public issue of beef or pork consumption resulting in confrontation and lynching. We refuse to give even second thought to gender bias and prejudice and accept derogatory customs in respect of women. When we espouse morality, the basis is not for a harmonious social life but to insure salvation in another world after death.
The idols we worship drink milk and draw crowds to bow in reverence to this spectacle. Burning of ghee, grocery and sandalwood in a ‘yadnya’ for rains, son in a family, winning a cricket match against Pakistan, keeping an unstable government stable or unseating a stable government are the “truths” we pursue and propagate. We get lured to emerald stones to bring good luck, take care of blood pressure and drive the evil spirits away. We hardly come across a political leader without multiple threads on the wrist, each one for supernatural favors. We take immense self-importance in linking the color of clothes, the direction of the house, the position of the bedroom and kitchen to good and evil outcomes.
In addition, Godmen are holding sway on the minds and lifestyles of their blind and faithful flock. Quacks with popular support are visited by professionals and the affluent sections. Earlier, organized religious outfits were persecuting men of reason and science. Today, we see a shift from this behavior. Now, they attempt to find gaps in science and in what science yet cannot explain. It is here, they create space for dogmas, rituals and scriptures. These “scientists” of superstition, supernatural and miracles tend to have greater control on the minds of people. They can dance without restrictions as they are not subjected to any tests of evidence and verification. Further, their teaching and preaching also receives the obedience of visible number of scientists, judges, teachers and political leaders.
Article 51(A) of the Indian Constitution seems to be no code for men in science, judiciary, education and politics. Politicians consult astrologers to file nomination papers for elections and end with a pilgrimage after the declaration of results. The Prime Minister takes deliberate call on temples at election campaigns and finds comfort in exhibiting self with godmen. Judges from higher judiciary exhibit their lack of concern for scientific temper with due publicity in mass media. Today, spiritual gurus desire to enter politics and occupy seats in legislative bodies. Earlier, they were content with only extending outward support to their faithful. They used to conduct their business from their platforms. Today, MLAs/MPs/Governors are taking forward the non-science agenda using the pedestal of IITs, Universities and Congress of scientists.
Faith is a good word as long as we put faith in human relationships, reason and science. It is super if we are prepared to shift faith as new facts come to surface. Faith is criminal and dangerous, when we restore it in astrology, ‘omenology’, numerology, superstition and supernatural. It is menacing when we refuse to review our faith in non-science and dishonest claims.
If India has to arrive in the scientific age, the scientists, teachers, media and the government need to take up the challenge and counter the forces of falsehood with the same courage and determination with which we commit to fight against any foreign aggression on our borders. It is the responsibility of scientists to build scientific temper as it contributes to national development. The conscious mind welcomes technology. The subconscious mind will not accept scientific temper automatically.
