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Mainstream, VOL L No 46, November 3, 2012

Myth, Reality and Moral Science

Wednesday 7 November 2012

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by A. RASHID

The paradox, which every religion has been grappling with unsuccessfully, is this. On the one hand it demands blind faith to accept its tenets and on the other it tries to make those tenets look scientific and rational. It refuses to see the obvious that a rational idea does not require blind faith. Rationality has been the casualty in this undesirable struggle. As a consequence established religions had to resist science.
Though very late in coming, the acceptance of Copernican cosmology (earth going round the sun) and the biological evolution of life by the Catholic Church is a welcome step in the right direction. Other religions must follow suit.

One may wonder how various religions could suppress free inquiry when the founder of every religion had been an inquirer. This difficult task was accomplished by a simple linguistic trick of literally interpreting the myths and allegories. Now we know that earth at the centre of the universe was a myth and so was the immutabi-lity of species. There is yet another myth still dear to the believers that human soul has come from god. And a myth in vogue among the materialists is that there are no souls. I personally hold a myth that all souls have as humble an origin as our body.

In this great confusion of myths and allegories, we have only one dependable tool to get at the reality. As science has exploded many myths in the past, it is sure to continue the good work in future also. Rationality and spirituality can only be reconciled in moral science. It reminds one of the most important myths affecting us—we are accountable for our actions or a moral law pervades life. Only science can shed some positive light on this contentious issue. That morals are non-material may be another objection. But, psychology as a behavioral science is already dealing with non-material emotions and moods. Biology and psychology have been able to explode the myth about racial superiority of any race.

Any creed opposing a free inquiry is anything but a religion. Yet this inquiry into morals by science is sure to be vehemently opposed by the so-called religions. The present Pope has already drawn the line. He has advised the scientists to leave the soul alone as it is directly created by god. It appears that the Pope, at the threshold of the third millennium, has conceded the modern cosmology but retained the moment of Creation; likewise he has conceded the biologically evolved body to the scientists but retained the soul.

THOUGH it may go against the gospel truth of many religions, many lives or rebirths add to the glory of god and the majesty of nature. Simply put, a god granting millions of lives to each soul is any day more benevolent and merciful than a niggardly god granting a single life. Science can make a beginning by studying the effects of virtues on the psycho-physiology of the person as it now better equipped to measure and analyze the brain activity and behavior. Yoga is a good example. It is found to reduce inner conflict and impart health and cheerfulness. Practising yoga is, then, a desirable virtue. In the same manner the effects of honesty, truthfulness and compassion may easily be studied. The idea is to find out the relevance of virtues for this life, here and now. Its relevance for society is self-evident. A society made up of honest and truthful members is the avowed social goal of every moral philosophy and creed. And there are small pockets of such societies scattered in the world.

Research in moral science is sure to throw up morally appropriate technology to eradicate moral aberration in the individual as well as the society. For example, everybody is fed up with corruption and violence these days. We feel so helpless against this system of demonic proportions. If only we could empower ourselves with a polygraph, this system would vanish into thin air and the little demons will vanish behinds bars.

Summing up, myth is ignorance while true insight into reality is knowledge. There are myths galore in this modern civilisation at the beginning of the third millennium after Christ, and the pride of place goes to the myth about god communicating with man in human lang-uage. It blocked every inquiry as useless since God could always choose a new spokesman whenever He felt the need to correct us. How elegantly simple! The reality, too, is simple thanks to biology and psychology. My talking to god is prayer; God talking to me is schizo-phrenia—a mental disorder.

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