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Argumentative Indian is a source of much hilarity most of it unintended.
One such nugget of wisdom goes, "While Hindu extermists may assert the Rama is a God, in Ramayana he is depicted as a epic hero".
I am somewhat puzzled why no one catches this wise man at his lies.
Previous post, also an extension of related post
One of the results of the factors driving humans is incessant quest for meaning behind existence.
The latest idea which attempts to answer this question can be safely classified as scientific reductionism. In brief the explanation behind existence of life is that it is a result of evolution occurring over a span of billions of years. The evolution in turn is understood in terms of natural selection of fitter life forms. Hence the reason behind presence of any characteristic of homo sapiens, including but not limited to the the principle faculties referred to in earlier post, is a simple result of environmental pressure to drive toward bigger brains and dexterity.
Is idea of evolution perfect ? Not being an expert, I can not decide one way or other.
However, the problem that is presented with such a theory is while it does, in great detail, explain the mechanism behind the existence, it doesn't explain the existence. The only view one can form, if he were to take evolution and only that as the starting point is that life has not meaning, and existence is futile.
And once such conclusion is reached, there is no "rational" basis behind morality, ethics or civilization. Thereafter a rapacious murderer is on same footing as a saint.
This is nothing but nihilism in a modern cloak. As far as society goes this is harbinger of destruction.
Therefore if one aspires to find basis behind morality and ethics, it has to be beyond the narrow boundaries of rational dogmas. To put it another way, while rationality can explain phenomenon at experiences belonging to order of daily events, as we go far from it rationalism as a tool is less effective, at the extreme range (that is matters concerning self-existence) it fails completely.
Therefore life has to be understood not inside a petri dish* but outside the laboratory.
I suspect, in fact I am very much afraid that a moder atheist is arrogant of shallow rationalism, he doesn't even bother to examine the limits, and therefore modern atheism (and companion such as liberalism and individualism) as a foundation for society is dead end.
* Earlier invoked here
This is a return to one of my favourite source of amusement and vexation, atheism or to be more precise modern version of it.
It is easier to live with atheists who out rightly dismiss religion as hogwash*,(one of the example being this guy). However what does one make of atheists who prefer to weasel around the concept of religion, by spouting homilies, such as "let's get the best of all religions".
Now, it is not my claim that above is a transgression of some logical or ethical rule, or there is a single religion which represents the absolute truth. My grouse is that worthies who repeat such statements like a slogan do not define what they mean by "best".
This is not trivial nitpicking. Humans have two faculties unique among organisms, one is an acute perception of self, second is unmatched curiosity.
Only by considering these two drives (behind a human psyche), one can understand the relevance of most of the systems which are concerned with exploration of abstract.
* The reason one can live with such gentlemen (and ladies) is two fold,
First either the person who makes such claim has explored the basis behind reason, and come up with reasons convincing enough (for himself) about irrelevance of religion, in which case it is always gratifying to gain new insight.
Second (and more likely), he/she has no idea, but speaking just for the heck of it, in which case it is very entertaining.
To the saying, "when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail", let me add this "when your toenail is removed, everyone looks like an insane psychopath". I am dreadfully afraid.
Welcome to Pune, city of hot babes, bad roads and painful back aches!
This time I am not exaggerating, even Kanpur at worst is easily better than Pune.
Since my time of arrival (which was four months ago) some of my vital body parts have emigrated as a protest against constant jarring, meanwhile others have exchanged their places.
This post is written with my small intestine firmly lodged in my upper cranium.
(Actually it was supposed to be a smaller and rounder organ, but for sake of decency it has to be intestine)
I do not think that all jobs are equal, nor worthy of equal admiration or envy.
I value the profession of nuclear or genetic engineering more than that that of programming which to me is more valuable than clerical post.
I will not certainly not want my progeny to wait at tables or worse peddle themselves.
However one thing that is essential, is to understand that everyone who works deserves respect. This sadly is missing in India. It is a matter of concern when someone who earns money honestly with his physical labour is shunned and many times treated with contempt, whereas jobs which are nothing more than paper pushing are coveted, the fact these jobs involve corruption is considered to be a plus factor.
If India has to progress then we must treat labour with respect and dignity.This we can learn from Americans.
In part this was a delayed response to Joe Biden's remark, which while being ignorant and stereotypical was not, in my opinion, derogatory.
