What is the Need ?

The present status of philosophy as a useful discipline is in doubt. Here are some reasons for this. First, mainly in India philosophy is on the dominancy of religion so one can not make distinction between philosophy and religion. Mostly problems of philosophy are treated like religious problems and there is a lack of basic understanding between the nature of problems regarding philosophy and religion. We come to know from religious literature that its doctrines are supported either by reasoning or by revelation. Doctrines supported by reasoning unaided by revelation constitute metaphysics and fall in the domain of Philosophy, but doctrines based on revelation are to be excluded from philosophy, because revelation is supported to be a type of experience entirely different from the experiences that we as a matter of fact have. All metaphysical thinking is necessarily God-oriented. Here we need the criteria how far is it useful in dealing with matters in daily life. The teaching methods of philosophy used in institutions are not valuable as to understand the real nature of philosophy. So, here is a basic need of such healthy and positive attitude for philosophical inquiry, which is only concerned with the problems of human life and related to ordinary discourse of living. I have used the term Positive Philosophy for this. My object is to achieve an intellectual detachment from all philosophical systems, and not to solve specific philosophical problems, but to become sensitively aware of what it is we do when we philosophize.
Prof. Daya Krishan said :

"दर्शन के नाम पर भारत में एक ऐसी अबोद्दिकता का प्रचार किया जाता है जिसे अध्यातम का नाम देकर बुद्धि के अनंत आक्षेपों से बचाया जाता है। बात शब्द की नही है यदि दर्शन का अर्थ वही है जो ये लोग देते हैं; तो हमे उसके लिए कोई नया नाम खोजना पड़ेगा जिसका बुद्धि ही शेत्र है और तर्क जिसका प्राण है। शायद 'फिल्स्फा' उसके लिए अधिक उपुक्त शब्द हो। यह पुस्तक या पुस्तिका ......... इसी विश्वास पर आधारित है की जहाँ बुद्धि की बात नही है वहां दर्शन की बात करना फिजूल है। ध्यान लगाइए , घड्ताल बजाइए , प्राणायाम कीजिये ,योग साधिये, यह सब खुशी से कीजिये ,पर कम से कम इनको दर्शन की संज्ञा मत दीजिये। अलग- अलग चीजो को एक नाम से पुकारने से कोई लाभ नही है ।" - "ज्ञान मीमांसा" नामक किताब से ॥

Last Updated:07-07-2009