26 October, 2016
In a discussion among a closed
group of like-minded people on education, Prof. T. R. Neelakantan, put forward two
important questions:
1. What
is the role of education in achieving the ultimate goal in life?
2. Should
professional colleges & educational institutions today contribute ultimate
goals?
What follows is my response to
his questions. I am just documenting it so that I can revisit this for my own
references and refining of ideas.
Attributes of Educatedness and Ultimate Goal
As you have cited and may be
aware, there have been several schools of thoughts exist on this question. The
Aristotlean and the Budhist hold that the ultimate goal in life is happiness.
Thirukural, as you have said, defines the purpose of life as Dharma, Artha,
Kama and Moksha and if I were to understand correctly, it holds Dharma, Artha
and Kama as means to Moksha.
Since I am much more familiar
with the Budhist philosophy (primarily from the book “The Universe in a Single
Atom” by Dalai Lama), let me try to articulate my understanding of the goal of
education in light of the ultimate goal (happiness). Happiness, as espoused
Budha is not the sensual pleasures but rather an elating and transcended
happiness (and is called “sukha”). The Budhist philosophy holds that the path
to this happiness is an investigative path adopted by the self. For instance,
it encourages one to investigate the cause of suffering. However, before
investigating the cause of suffering, one needs to define what is suffering.
What is suffering to me might be different from what is suffering to another
human. So, a person investigating on the cause of suffering needs to clearly
define the boundaries and circumstances under which one would define an
instance/feeling to be a suffering. This is not an easy task as you might
observe. One needs the ability, not only to construct the definition of
suffering, but also the ability to evaluate the definition.
Now consider the below arguments
on the definition of liquid. The textbook definition liquid (secondary school
text): Liquid is something that takes the shape of the container. By this
definition a heap of sand in a beaker is a liquid. We should now either accept
that a heap of sand in a beaker is a liquid or change the definition of liquid
(if we agree to the premises of rationality). I think most of us would now want
to “refine” the definition. For instance, one may define liquid as something in
which the intermolecular distances are farther apart than that in solid. Can we
draw a cut-off in the intermolecular distance and say that beyond this value it
is a liquid? If we cannot, we must abandon this refinement. One can, in
principle, try and consider all such possibilities and counter examples to
arrive at a definition of liquid and solid.
In the above arguments, the “meta-learning”,
if I may call so, is the process of constructing and evaluating definitions
involving identification of counter examples. Secondly, the above is an example
of how we can use simple textbook material to teach students the principle of
constructing, refining and evaluating definitions. To extend this meta learning
to define suffering is beyond the scope and ability of anybody, but the self.
However, by repeating the above process of constructing, refining and
evaluating definitions (what is species, what is democracy etc.) we can
inculcate in students the ability to construct, refine and evaluate
definitions. In similar lines, I hold that abilities such as critical thinking
(identifying the fallacies in a statement/process), identifying logical
contradictions etc., are all the “meta principles” that we could teach students
that will help them develop their own meaning and purpose in life.
Slight deviation:
Aside from this, I would like to
share with you that the Budhist philosophy and the scientific methodology share
some commonalities (again, garnered from the above-said book). One that I would
like to state is that both of them have higher precedence for observation
followed by experience, reasoning and authority. That is, authority takes the
least precedence of all forms learning. Based on discussions with Dr.
Ramanathan on the Upanishad/Vedhic methodologies, I understand that there
are significant overlaps.
Should professional education help the purposes in life or not?
I would say, that the term
professional education connotates providing/passing on domain knowledge so as
to create a “trained” workforce. This is what, in my perspective, the Nation
has adopted - whether by force/influence or not, I do not know. If WE define
the goal of professional education to just create a trained workforce,
obviously, we don’t have to worry about equipping children to find their
own meaning of life.
But I beg to differ and make an
earnest request that we don’t restrict ourselves only to create a trained
workforce. Let us aim to create educated individuals who can find their own
meaning in life and reach whatever they define as their goal in life. The
education that we provide should impart the children with the necessary skills
and abilities for the purpose defined above.
What are our activities?
The four activities that you have
stated are indeed the basic ones. However, I believe there is more. For
instance, I may regard contributing to the welfare of other people as one of my
activities. Likewise, each may have their own set of activities. How does one
decide that X will be one of his/her activities in life? How would (s)he go
about achieving it? If I were to regard that contributing to the welfare of
other people as one of my activities, I may achieve it through ‘n’ number of
ways. How do I choose one over the other? This requires deep analysis supported
by evidences and logical reasoning.
In essence, I earnestly request
that we be committed to not only passing on the knowledge to the next generation,
but also to equipping the next generation to create their own meaning and
purpose in life and providing them with the necessary skills and abilities
Prof. T. R. N’s email:
Part 1:
Does our education help in our activities? Let us
analyze our activities first.
It looks to me that we basically do only four
activities. All living beings do the following activities: (a) eating (not just
by mouth - sense gratification); (b) sleeping; (c) procreating and (d)
defending (health insurance - buildings - military).
We may sleep in a nice a/c room on a bed; cows
may sleep in shed; dogs may sleep in streets; but activity is ‘sleeping’.
Though there is difference in sophistication, activity is ‘sleeping’
Having the sixth sense, are we doing different
activities? (What is sixth sense?) Please let me know any activity we do that
is not ultimately connected to the above listed basic activities.
I think that ‘self learning, critical thinking,
team work, problem solving etc’ are all the intermediate goals (or mile stones)
but not ultimate goals. What will you do with ‘self learning, critical
thinking, team work, problem solving, etc’? Will you not use them to do these
four activities?
Part 2:
Through scriptures (example: திருக்குறள்),
I have (you might have also) heard many times that the purposes of life are:
Dharma (அறம்),
Artha (பொருள்), Kama (இன்பம்) and Moksha (வீடு). The purpose of education must also fall in line with the purpose
of life. Wikipedia says the following:
Dharma – includes the religious duties, moral
rights and duties of each individual, as well as behaviors that enable social
order, right conduct, and those that are virtuous.
Artha – signifies the "means of life",
activities and resources that enables one to be in a state one wants to be in.
Artha incorporates wealth, career, activity to make a living, financial
security and economic prosperity.
Kama – signifies desire, wish, passion, emotions,
pleasure of the senses, the aesthetic enjoyment of life, affection, love,
without violating dharma (moral responsibility), artha (material prosperity)
and one's journey towards moksha (spiritual liberation).
Moksha – signifies emancipation, liberation or
release - connotes freedom the cycle of birth and death, or self-knowledge, or
self-realization. A few like Sri Nrusimha’s devotee Prahalad did not show
interest in the materialistic first three.
Professional/College education should help for
all these four purposes or not?
