General Studies Question With Answer Set-11
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Question.: Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you agree? (Answer in 250 words)
Ans. The cultural belief, ritual and tradition is an inherent and intrinsic value in a human being. The customs, traditions and superstition lead to obscurantism and the obscurantism is the practice or policy of deliberately making something difficult to understand, especially in order to stop people from knowing ideas, facts, etc of science or other subjects allows the growth of ignorance.
Custom, Traditions and Science
- In the recent past, the claims made by people such as the existence of the Internet in the times of the Mahabharata, plastic surgery of Lord Ganesha and the denial of Darwin’s theory of evolution makes mockery of India’s glorious past which promoted the idea of scientific temper through various customs and traditions.
- The cultivation of scientific temper involves asking questions and demanding empirical evidence. It has no place for blind faith.
- Ancient India was known for rich scientific contributions right from the use of zero, precise calculation of eclipses, concept of atom, to Shushruta Samhita involving complex surgery and Charak Samhita explicitly describing diseases, their causes and modes of treatment.
India has Achieved Marvels in Science and Technology in Past
- Sending Mars Orbiter Mission on the red planet is not based on superstition, rather the tireless efforts. of our great scientists and their rational and scientific outlook.
- Eradicating diseases like polio, smallpox and reducing mortality rate or curing many deadly diseases are possible because of scientific research and growth.
- Indoctrination against the scientific temper begins at the very early stage of life. It starts in our families and communities where young minds are aggressively discouraged from questioning authority and asking questions. E.g. an upper caste child may be forced to follow customs, which among others include practising and subscribing to the age-old caste system. The same methodology is used to impose fixed gender, sexual and religious identities. As a result, casteism, majoritarianism and misogynist behaviour breeds in society.
- Traditional customs and beliefs should be practiced for the betterment of the humanity. It is only possible when traditional practices are seen from the perspective of Human reason and rationality. Traditions and customs should not be practiced to prevent the welfare and wellbeing of Human race.
The founders of the Constitution valued scientific temper and human reason. Hence the words scientific temper and the spirit of inquiry and reform finds place in the Constitution, along with liberty, equality, fraternity and secularism. There is a need to revolutionise education, providing scientific training in schools so that people could apply their scientific mind and take rational decisions to make their life better.
