TRADITION, MODERNITY AND FUTURE OF CIVILISATION

__________________________________________Madan Mohan. L

Ph.D., Research Scholar,

Osmania University, Hyderabad

…..There are two things that we can hope to give to our children; one is the wings and the other, roots. Wings are required to move ‘and adapt ourselves with times, for the biggest lesson that we can learn from human history so far is that the only thing that is permanent is change. However, along with it. We also need to assert that if society is to be anything more than a loosely organized chaos in the contemporary age of science, it must recognize that its position and its speed of movement, that is Change, is by the very nature of things indeterminable as evident from Heisenberg’s principle of indeterminacy. The present being transient and the future unknown, interdependence rather than independence and multiculturalism rather than materialism, should be stressed keeping firm faith in basic human values. Multi-ethic cultures, traditions and fundamental human rights – the roots of any civilization. It is this fusion of roots and wings that, if persistently pursued today, will raise humanity to a new level of sustainable peace, progress for all. A Latin proverb aptly says – The future always struggles against being mastered but is masterable with roots in past (tradition) and living in present (modernity) ……. “

- President G. W. Bush (Excerpts from his speech on 29th March, 2001 in Polish University).

The origin of human civilization, on this earth is as fascinating as the origin of life itself. Life originated on this earth some 2000 million years ago (though from fossil records, some scientists put this estimate at about 1500 million years ago) in the form of bacterial like unicellular objects (now called microfossils). Thereafter, there has been no stopping with evolutionary emergence of sea weeds and invertebrates (550-450 million years ago), fishes (450-300 million years ago). Amphibian (300–250 million years ago), reptiles, birds and mammals (250-50 million years ago) as well as nature’s experiments with mammals (50-30 million years ago). Apes and humanoid varieties (30-1 million years ago), and the final emergence of man some 1 million years ago. Thus, it is clear that man has been in existence for only 1 million years out of me 2000 million years of life or only about 0.05% of the lime. Similar is the case with human civilization that is only about 10,000 years old or mere 1% of man’s existence time. We sec in the above sequence complexity, development from simple to complex forms through various stages of evolution. And each stage represents a higher integration of all the component elements till we come to the peak, the human being, about whom Riaisc Fiscal remarked: “Man is but a reed, the weakest thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed”, and. Shakespeare went into ecstasies when lie stated. “How beauteous mankind is! Oh brave new world. That has such people in’t’ and further. “…What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In form, in moving, how express and admirable! How like an angel! In apprehension how like a cod!” But, this “god” bears in its embryo evidence of its lowly origin. It starts as a single cell (a kind of protozoan) and then becomes a small colony of cells (like a sponge) each of which is callable of separating and starting life on its own. Then it passes through a two-layered stage, like the coebnterates (“hollow gut”), typical representatives of which are jellyfish and the sea anemones. Then comes a third layer, as in the case of the starfish, the sea urchin, and other echinodermata (“spiny skin”). The whole gamut or evolution is repeated. Similar is the case with human civilization, which has slowly evolved from the primitive and simple to the modern but complex type; moving from divergence towards convergence of traditional as well as modem perspectives. Overall, the human civilization can be categorized into three eras and ten main stages as:

A. Era of Primitive Similarity

1. Food Gatherers and Primitive Hunters.

2. Advanced or Big Game Hunters.

3. Matrifocal Agricultures.

4. Early Technologists.

5. Warrior Nomads and Pirates.

B. Era of Theocratic Divergence

6. Techno-Theocratic (River Valley Civilizations).

7. Religio-Hierarchic Agricultural (including feudal).

8. Religio-Mercantile (Religious Bourgeois).

C. Era of Convergence

9. Rational-Mercantile (Bourgeois).

10. Scientific-Democratic-International-Ferninist (Modern).

The chronological order is basically in the sequence given above, although there are exceptions of jumping, missing, extension, and transplantation of stages. These exceptions can be explained through man’s experiments with nature for adjustment to changes at different locations and are in unique similarity to nature’s experiments with life forms for the same purpose as already discussed in the evolutionary sequence. Thus, in Western Europe, the rehgio-mercantile (First West European high civilization) came before the religio-hierarchic agricultural, as it did in Crete, Russia, parts of West Asia (Syria. Babylonian, Arab-Muslim), parts of South-East Asia (Sri Yijaya, Sailendra Java), parts of Trans-Saharan Africa (Ghana, Mali, Songhai), etc., showing jumping of stases. Some zones and societies have missed some stages. Thus, Europe missed stage 6, i.e., Theocratic Irrigation. Eurasia also missed this and the rational-mercantile was weak there. In South-East Asia, stage 5 (Warrior Aristocrate) was weak while stage 6 (Theocratic Irrigation) was missing. Only west Europe and Japan had the rational-mercantile. Meanwhile, European rational-mercantile was transplanted to North America. Europe developed the scientific-democratic, which was also transplanted to North America, Meso-and South America and appropriated in Russia, later the USSR and Japan. Elsewhere, except in China, reccgnisable scientific-democratic societies existed only thinly or marginally as transplantations. Stages 1.2.4, and 5 were mobile and moved between zones. Stages 3 (Matrifocal Agricultural) and 6 (Theocratic Irrigation) were sedentary but their ideas, products, etc., did radiate out, especially under trader and warrior auspices, often initially foreign.

The characteristic property of various societies mentioned above is that they developed on their own and had their own identities, even in cases of transplantations or extensions from elsewhere, thus, representing unique characteristics, traditions, cultures, and perspectives. The differences between groups B and C indicate that religion or ideological dogmatism. is a great divying factor. It can also be seen that the typologies arc based on the dominant mode of production or distribution; This does not mean that other modes are not in existence but that production or distribution of the type-name is pre-eminent and that it stamps its quality on the society in question. For this purpose, stage 10 production is ‘scientific’, a term of wider implication than ‘industrial’ in that it implies never-ceasing research.

In the earliest parts of world history, alt cultures being based on the struggle for existence against a hostile nature, began to operate from the compulsion in the human metabolism to create such conditions as may enable man to master his environment. This creative urge from the human race has been in action, in all stages, sometimes hindered by uncongenial political and social orders and sometimes obstructed by the prolonged wars of personal aggrandisement of powerful tyrants and potentates. Importantly and uniquely, however, in renascent periods there has always been the attempt at integration through the reassertion of the capacity of man to control his destiny. Unfortunately, such attempts in the modern era have led to a dilemma as aptly described by Albert Einstein, one of the most creative intellects and brilliant scientists of the millennium: “Perfection of means and confusion of goals seem in my opinion to characterize modernity”. This has been primarily due to the fact that the complex of values that emerged to guide the ancient civilizations in the field of scientific investigations (principally responsible for ushering in the modern era) including the finding of solution about the mystery of universe to attain true knowledge of ultimate reality, culturing science in the background of dharma or natural justice and having a humanitarian end in view, have been lost sight of. The task of integration of different, highly specialized and complex awareness of man in the contemporary period, when there has been a phenomenal multiplication of ascertained facts and adumbrations of the inner worlds, of faculty and experience, also seemed highly impossible and beset with extraordinary difficulties. The frustration, thus, ensued from these factors as well as from the imperfect measures taken to combat these in the name of ‘Globalization, Liberalization, and Privatization. This frustration took various forms during the 20th century, out of which the militant form of piety, often known as fundamentalism, erupted in every major religion as the biggest rebellion against modernity. Every fundamental movement convinced itself that scientific, liberal, secular and democratic society is determined to wipe out religion and multi-cultural traditions built up through centuries of human civilization development, thereby, putting the very future of our civilization in perils. Therefore, in order to secure the future of our civilization, the following aspects need to be reasserted and recognized in the modern-scientific civilization. These aspects include:

• Blending modern science with traditions of society/ Sociology of Science.

• Blending modern science with traditional art and history.

• Interaction of Modern Sciences and Religion.

• Interaction of Modern Science and Human Values.

• Strengthening the chain that links Science and Philosophy.

1. Blending Modern Science with Traditions of Society

Science should never be taken as an individual quest or a selfish pleasure, that is, it has value only in so far as it gets linked with the welfare of human community. In the words of Schrodinger, “Never lose sight of the role that application of science and scientific tools have to play within the great performance of tragic-comedy of human life; keep science in touch with life and keep life in touch with science”. Only by keeping the humanitarian end in view of every applied science, can we think of leading science to achieve true happiness and sustainable peace for society – the ultimate aim of my successful civilization. The application to check epidemics, the application to combat poverty, the application to bring in greater transparency in public affairs, the application to build a casteless and classless society, the application to improve human nutrition, the application to strengthen democracy and freedom with responsibility and so on are some of the measures that science can and should adopt but they have to be taken with a new dimension that is, ‘Sustainability of Effects’. Without sustainability, tensions and problems of social, psychological, political, and economic nature arise continuously and repeatedly and in a form that is more difficult to control. An integrated personality of a human being should he stressed to vigorously propel the idea of belonging together and check the slow erosion of total and universal personality of a human being. The confusion today is that with the current trends in science, we are knowing more and more about less and less mid to that extent are losing the perception, the vision and the imagination of the whole. This is the problem why fundamentalism is rising. This is the problem why frustration is escalating. Science has to realize that specialized sciences, be it genetics or astrophysics, mathematics or botany, are all like the fingers of a hand; they all from the common matrix of common sense, from man’s daily experience, his history, his tradition and his words. Each is now developing a life, an experience and a language of its own but between the tips of fingers there is rare or almost no contact. The need, therefore, is to maintain this contact and continue growing. For efficient democracy and running of political system also, modern science has an important role to play, since political doctrines (be it democracy or totalitarianism or any other form) and Government policies do affect the way of life and conditions of living of the people of a country. Be it education, automation, agriculture, harnessing of nuclear energy, defense, industry, economy or any other social aspect, the role of state and politics is enormous. “As you are, so will be your rulers!” is an often quoted phrase linking society and politics and, thus, the interaction of modem science and politics, political ideologies and the state. In fact, a ‘New Panchasheel’ for the new millennium can well be proposed: “Child centered Education, Women centered Family, Human centered Development, Knowledge centered Society and Innovation & sustainability centered World”.

2. Blending Modern Science with Traditional Art and History

Inherent in a human being are the forces of curiosity and endeavour to achieve means of production and his fundamental urge for inquiry into solving questions about origin of life, its ultimate destination, harrowing pain of existence, body-soul internal imbalances through nature’s cruelties, through the evil of other men rooted in personal aggrandisement and through millions of hopes and despairs. All this compels him to cultivate skills and techniques for his search to observe himself and nature and then analyse his experience (for example, Picasso started many pictures with a line that led him to a new possible organic composition by the unconscious-conscious interplay of kinetic faculties using causation, similarity, contrast of colour, line and structure, and many other relations with intense vision and inborn skill). However, if a man finds it necessary to accept certain axioms, which are not proved, they still remain a part of his hunches or apperceptions. The resulting experiments remain suspended between actualisation and aspiration and may or may not become a completely integral part. But, they are put forward or communicated. When a scientist or an artist feels that he has done his best to realize his deepest intentions, his search in a variety of experiences leads to the creation of a balance and a sense of cohesion and harmony with the society (lore example, Ukanawa’s hypothesis of meson began as a guess and was not proved until afterwards but today we know these mesons as being the ultimate particles rather than the atoms and this postulated from his hypothesis). Thus, if there is no difference between the inspiration behind a scientific experiment and a work of art or craftwork, then how is it possible that in our machine and scientific age, the hostility between science and art is so visible in the daily life? It is likely that the unity between the two in the ages before modernity was based on the fact that the tools employed in both the primitive experiment and handicraft were simpler and could be wielded; by one and the same man. With industrialization, the nature of tools became more; complex in so far as they became intricate machines and there began a subdivision of labour. This meant the lapsing of personal initiative, which cannot easily be restored, unless and until each workman understands in the contemporary world that he is not a cog in machine, but an important element in the total process.. Hence, this blending of traditional art and history with modern science is w, important issue in today’s age for security and well being of future civilization.

3. Interaction of Modern Science and Religion

In his essays on Science and the Modern World, Alfred North Winiehead queried, “When we consider what religion is for mankind and then what science: it is no exaggeration to say that the future course of history depends upon the decision of this generation as to the relations between them”. In reply, Albert Einstein, in his famous lecture on Science and Religion noted: “Science without religion is lame, Religion without science is blind”.

A careful study of human history indicates two important facts about science and religion. First, that there has always been the conflict between the two (as between Galileo and Catholic Church, and, between Copernicus and Church, etc.) and secondly, that both of them have always been in a state of continual development. If we focus on the first aspect, the genius and role of especially Christianity in western history and society will largely remain undiscovered under its conservatism However, when we focus on the second aspect of continual growth of science and religion, we note the genius of those religions that have endured through long periods of history as significant participants in an ongoing culture and as meaningful elements in personal and collective human lives. This ability to participate in a ‘happening’ or development or change is one of their greatest but often unnoticed resources. In fact, though their most devout adherents may well argue that they have endured because the truth they possess is eternal and indestructible, the student of religion also notes that it is only those religions, possessing the aptitude of accommodation that have continued over long periods of changing circumstances to have relevance to personal human life and collective human society. Religion need not mean a mere sentimental moonshine based entirely upon faith and imagination, having nothing to do with reason. It is faith, indeed, but faith in the essential rationality of world order and of that which we regard as the ultimate (for example, Quran quotes: ‘There must be no coercion in matters of faith! (2:256) and preaches through the Hadith (or tradition): ‘Pay the labourer his wages before his sweatdries up’. Religions have taught us both, personal as well as social morality and teachings as well as traditions, and, a need to maintain a fine balance between the two for checking the negative offshoots of any new development. This balance is a significant lesson of the religious history of mankind, which is increasingly under constant threat by modernity, especially with the vivid effects on personal morality. A truly religious life, a life of deep devotion, knowingly or unknowingly, is a life of profound thought. Knowledge or wisdom is always there whenever it is a case of deepening of devotional life. For. in the last resort, true devotion can only be a commitment to truth, which is in fact, also the final goal of science (to find the ultimate truth of life). Thus, the relation between religion and science in the modern world is imperative in balanced form to check negative influences of both religion (called fundamentalism) as well as science (called negative use of science). In (act, we see today a race from every existing religion to explain how scientific is their religion without compromising or abanswing its essential themes. It is this spirit with which religion must be pursued as a tool and a potential weapon to check all that is ignoble and evil in our society and science. Only in this way. can it act as a contributing (and not a disturbing or a destructive force) in the build up of future civilisation based on the provision of effective peace and prosperity to all and sundry.

4. Interaction of Modern Science and Human Values

The outlook of every activity, be it societal or scientific, has to be humanitarian and concerned with human beings. Bu» for an activity concerned with human beings to be punitive in approach and constructive in action, a complex of values to regulate human behaviour is a must, for without it the human intellect is bound to and has the potential to become a formidable dangerous force. This is what has been emphasised in every religion and this is what ushers in through the creativity involved in every art. Isaac Newton once said: “To me science, art and religion are all ultimately one and the same and ultimately lead us to one goal, the goal of self realisation which is the acceptance of the fact that the self means not merely you or I or any individual but the life that pervades all – manifested and unmanifestcd creation and which cannot be even thought of without depiction of true human values in our every endeavour”. All the discoveries and advances in technology in the modem world have done one thing, which did not exist before, that is to make us world conscious and materialistic. Every trouble, every difference of opinion, political and otherwise, has now a worldwide repercussion. When Kennedy was assassinated, it became an event of world importance. When Martin Luther King was shot or the World 7; trade Centre towers fell on September 11, once again the fear of world opinion and world conflagrations came into existence. But, unfortunately, in this world consciousness, we all are today far more conscious of the evil than of the good, and, a powerful evil man attracts world attention more than the great man of compassion, unless he be of caliber of Lord Buddha, Lord Krishna, Guru Nanak or Christ (rarely though, such beings come into the world!). Lack of vision of small man, his selfishness, and great knowledge along with the power to achieve personal goals will only lead to the destruction of man by man. But if human values are attached alongside, the same will become a constructive weapon for humanity to live and let live its future generations peacefully and in a healthy and creative environment. An epitome in this direction in the modem era is Bhutan, which has declared as its state policy to respect each other, mutually cooperate and coexist, preserve fundamental human rights and values, take pride in one’s culture, create healthy employment opportunities, provide corruption free governance, and live in harmony with nature. This way, it has decided to measure its growth in terms of ‘true human happiness’ by strengthening it social sector” in the modern era rather than through GDP or other economic indices. The same is true for Norway that has created a culture of strengthened social structure by developing its resources (that is, the people) in its 1000 years of history and has been ranked no. 1 in Human Development Report by United Nations for the year 2001.

5. Strengthening the Chain that Links Science and Philosophy

Since times immemorial, philosophers like Plato, Socrates, and Swami Vivekananda have motivated millions of minds and raised their voices against the brutalities and vices of their times. The coming of Renaissance era in Europe has largely been attributed to the philosophers and thinkers as Rousseau, who said “Man is born free but he is every where in chains”. Such is the impact of philosophy on our minds that whenever we talk about a ‘creative individual’, it is the philosophers who always excel the scientists. Philosophy, according to Russell, is something intermediate between theology and science. Like theology, it consists of speculations on matters on which definite knowledge has so far been unascertainable; but like science, it appeals to human reason rather than to authority, whether that of tradition or that of revelation. And, such has been the ultimate relation of science and philosophy that scientists before 1840 were called ‘natural philosophers’ as the term ‘scientist’ was first coined and used by William Whevell of Cambridge. We are already seeing a lot of philosophical concepts as feminism, internationalism, etc., being attached with modernity. Alexander Pope once said:

“Little learning is a dangerous thing,

Drunk deep or taste not the Pierian spring,

There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,

And drinking largely sobers us again”.

This philosophical aspect not only pertains to science, but also to every endeavour that man should undertake in the struggle for existence or in development. To describe in terms of relative psycho-social attitudes: if science is man’s ultimate cognitive awareness, philosophy certainly is his ultimate concern, whereas religion is nothing less than his ultimate commitment. Therefore, a chain linking these multidimensional aspects of human life need to be strengthened to get an explicit view of life as Whitehead remarked, “The balance of mind through these aspects should now become part of the tradition which infects cultivated thought. It is the salt that will keep life sweet and continuously growing”.

Evolution has taught us great lessons and so have our traditions Humans have evolved after millions of years of patience and complexities of different stages of evolution. Knowledge about each and every aspect of nature call never be obtained without its effect on the researcher himself as a man, on his emotions, his attitude to life, his outlook upon humanity and on his relationship with all. Therefore, the advance-guards of all civilizations should sought to include the various developments in knowledge about the various cultures into a single realm, over which man must remain in harmony with nature if the species called homo sapiens, is to survive in the midst of the still unabsorbed nature. Man will also have to conquer his own dangerous weaknesses and aberrations in order to usher in a future of relative balance to render possible a just distribution of potential of the earth and other planets and will also have to seek some kind of harmony within the dynamic universe. Sri Bhagwan in the seventh chapter of Bhagvad Gita says, “I shall tell you spiritual experience (that lies beyond the scope of reason) plus the scientific experience (worldly and reasonable knowledge); knowing which there is nothing left to be known in this world”. In the ninth chapter, he again emphasises that knowing both will free us from evils.

In fact, no one lives alone even if he has to live in two worlds. This is the spiritual experience that comes as a result of contact with nature and it should make one realise that we all belong to a unitary consciousness, whether man, animal. plant, or mineral. If we experience all this as a part of a greater consciousness, this experience would make the present as well as the future of the civilisation healthy, safe and secure and will prevent anybody from saying in future, ‘What men call civilisation, always results in deserts!’ (Don Marquis). We are lucky to have “the three great elements of modern civilisation – TRADITION, INFORMATION AND RELIGION’ (Thomas Carlyle). The onus is, therefore, on us today to rationally analyse, reason and direct their use for humanity and its welfare. The present situation is both a challenge and an opportunity. If considered as an opportunity, be ready to live and create a fruitful, healthy, purposeful and creative future for our progenies but if considered a challenge, he ready to face the wrath of the coming generation, who will stare at the face of man for leaving such a heritage that will shame us throughout as Tennyson has epitomized it beautifully:

“And so, when modern things are thrust.

By death beneath the coffin lid.

Our liberal sons will spun, the dust,

And wonder what is was we did.

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