Many a time, I regret not asking my children, Munna and Pinky (who are now Shiva and Parvathi), to study philosophy at St. Stephens College, Delhi. Though people say that philosophy is like trying to catch a non-existent black cat on a dark night by a blind man! Criticism and fun apart, philosophy is the pinnacle of all that is known to human mind. We are limited to plants in botany or chemicals in chemistry; philosophy is that place which is not in space, where every knowledge becomes incomplete. It helps us understand how much we do not know.
For God’s sake, philosophy is not religion, nor is it Adi Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta. How can religion have philosophy? Religion is an experience. But the majority do not understand this truth. They wish to study philosophy because they want to know God. Let me categorically assert that Philosophy and Religion are North and South poles. Stupid people. I cannot argue with them, as I have no time. Philosophy is about testing the limits of thought. Where does a thought end? It is a realm of new imagination, new experiences, and thought experiments—an entirely new vision and a deeper desire to understand how good or how messed up life is. Philosophy has the innate power to transform an individual, turning them into a superman.
Shiva is more knowledgeable than I in the field of insurance. And Parvathi’s master’s course in Applied Statistics and Informatics from IIT is a dream come true – a possibility of the impossible. They are good in their respective fields. I am not complaining; I am regretting not asking them to study philosophy, for it might have made them complete. Philosophy would have taught them to go beyond knowledge!
My children’s grandfathers are true philosophers. Their imagination, intelligence, choice of work, and command of language made the world swoon. I witnessed with my very eyes many beautiful damsels falling for them! They left immeasurable footprints on the souls of their progeny. They went on to explore the journey from souls, to dead souls and no souls. I am glad to have shared a few moments of that non-existent time with the grand fathers of my children. These great individuals had a perfect understanding of what philosophy could do in the lives of their children. This path was not a “less-travelled” one; in fact, there was ‘no path’ at all. Yes, it made all the difference.
It is my sincere wish that my grandchildren (if any) must read philosophy and become great human beings who can perceive the shit world as a whole or world to be a true Shitwhole.
About the Author
Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional. What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”. Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com
