What Socrates Would Have Done?

Philosophies of Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle are still foundations of Western cultures and thinking. Socrates, the first of the great trio of ancient Greek philosophers taught Plato and Aristotle was the disciple and student of Plato. Aristotle used to be the tutor of young Alexander the Great. What the impact of the lessons of the virtues and ethics defined and taught by these seekers of the truth and wisdom remained save Alexander’s ruthless wars to conquer the world and get his name in the list of the greatest warriors of the history?

After the journey of millenniums crossing the Dark and Mediaeval ages man entered 17th century, in Europe, thought to be the century of the intellectuals who threw off the shackles of the past and reckoned it to be the century of enlightenment and consciousness. Eighteenth century brought the biggest cultural and political changes including the Great French Revolution and Industrial Revolution, both the tokens of the freedom from all the forbidding customs and traditions paving the way for democratic norms, democratic economy and industrial democracy. Stupendous ideologies of Hegel, Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Max Scheler and thoughts of some others immensely influenced the minds of the 19th century. Major political and economic theories like democracy, nationalism, fascism, socialism and Marxism either sprouted from the womb of or attracted the minds in the nineteenth century, and mainly experienced in the twentieth century. It was also the century of the burst of the modern material knowledge, science and technology, creating capitalistic industrial societies in Europe and, as it is claimed, putting man on the road of progress, solving his main mundane problems. It was also claimed that most of the necessities of life made in reach of common man, leading him to more, the facilities and luxuries.

But the question remains on the lips whether in spite of spread of worldly knowledge and astounding progress in the field of science and technology is man successful in having many of his problems, if not all, solved? The answer is immensely disappointing. Peace and justice are the dreams still awaited to come true. After the journey of the two centuries of achievements man is still groping in the dark for his destination of Falah (Salvation) but as he approaches a point in hope to be his destination the point turns out nothing but a mirage. Still after every step taken towards his goal nothing is had except following mere conjectures with growing grievances.

And then take the 20th and also this first decade of the 21st century in consideration. It is not but the age of domination of wealth and control of ruling powers, may the dominance be in democratic mask or under tyrant dictatorial shield and got astutely or foxily, using all the branches of worldly knowledge in the interest of the wealthy industrial and ruling classes. Knowledge regarded to be a light is the torch mainly used in the interest of the wealthy and powerful groups. Knowledge itself has become neutral, not determining what is vice and what is virtue. It is like a dagger, left on the designs and wishes of those who manage to take hold of it without its own resolution how, where and why it should be used. A scientist, a technologist, an economist and a computer expert are unconcerned of the sufferings of the oppressed and deprived classes of the society. They have the  ‘For Sale’ and price tags on them to get hired and to be employed for interests of the one who can make high bidding to purchase it, of course, the powerful or resourceful elements to serve their interests. Because neutrality of knowledge has made it blind of Faith and Morality, so multinational companies are always out hunting for the richest brains of medical, engineering, commerce, computer, media and several other fields to hire them for developing and promoting their industries, irrespective of how extensive moral and spiritual damage the products may cause.

Deadly weapons of mass destruction, ruining millions of the people in the First and the Second World War, and also much more advanced arsenals of conventional and unconventional weaponry being used up today in the wars waged by the powers monopolizing almost all the branches of the worldly knowledge, are the fruits of this knowledge, completely detached from Morality and Faith. In his movement of search and quest man’s loss is really much more than the gains. The most precious thing he is in loss of is his Faith and Morality. The centuries without the glitters of materialism used to have the treasures of peace of mind and an inner comfort. Had Socrates been living today, disapproving the prevailing situation of Fasad resulting from use of the material knowledge and divesting the heavenly revealed knowledge taught by the Prophets, particularly by the last Prophet, Muhammad SAW, of its role to bring about peace, justice and inner comfort, he would have preferred to drink a bowl of poison to end his life.

Munir Ahmed Khalili

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on Sep 1 2010. Filed under Editorials, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.