8/13/2019 A Crying Lie

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/a-crying-lie 1/2

A Crying Lie (An egregious shame)

Philosophy comes from ancient Greek word ‘philosophia’ which means ‘love for wisdom’. It was

introduced by Greek philosopher Pythagoras. Basically philosophy is an academic discipline that deals

with the fundamental beliefs of reason, knowledge, existence, reality, rationality, values, mind and

language. Philosophy is taught all over the world to enlighten the folks and to give them insight into thebasic concepts of reality and rational argument. It cannot be seen in isolation rather it is connected and

intermingled with almost all the discipline. Mainly it deals with mind and reason.

The role of intuition in philosophy is very significant. Without intuition philosophy is nothing. One

cannot comprehend philosophy within the cultural, social and ideological patterns. It has to be viewed

and learnt barring all the structure aside. Philosophy is beyond from the limits of time and space. It

includes time and space within. So it is necessary to read philosophy as an independent discipline. In

Pakistan, philosophy is read and taught subjectively and it is subdued to certain kind of patterns. It is

unjust to study philosophy with reference to the context. Philosophy itself is a context, so it does not

need contextual study. Here philosophy and theory are confused with each other. A theory based on an

observation while philosophy based on intuition. A theory is experimental whereas philosophy is logical

and rational inquiry of the things and incidents. So philosophy must not be confused with theory. If we

start from Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Diogenes etc to the philosophers of

modern times and postmodern era, one thing is common in all and that is the use of logic and reason. It

is very significant, as far I have understood, that any of the philosophies has not been refuted. There

might be some improvement in some philosophies or some differences but the new thoughts have been

developed upon the existence logical inquires. Let’s say Sartrian idea is too much different than that of

Kierkegaardian existentialism but it is Kierkegaard who provides ground. It might be falsified but not

refuted. What is unfalsifiable that is classified as unscientific. In the words of  Wolfgang Pauli, “it is not

only not right, it is not even wrong!"

In Pakistani context, the use of reason, logic, mind and rationality is cowered. We are minor in

everything except cramming. The use of intuition is prohibitive because ideology does not second

intuition. Repetition and Ratalization is encouraged because Pakistanis are in race of scoring good

grades. The only criterion is to judge intellectualism how one is good at marks. Bookish knowledge is

encouraged therefore Pakistani students are provided syllabi to cram and stuff their minds with all odds.

They are not taught languages and ideas but books. They teach the students how to sell their brawn and

brain. They are not taught to be brave but to be afraid of the situation. Abrham Lincoln orders his

teacher’s son in these words: 

Teach him, if you can,

the wonder of books...

But also give him quiet time

to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,

 bees in the sun,

and the flowers on a green hillside.

8/13/2019 A Crying Lie

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/a-crying-lie 2/2

In the school teach him

it is far honourable to fail

than to cheat...

Teach him to have faith 

in his own ideas,

even if everyone tells him

they are wrong...

Unfortunately, in Pakistan one’s ideas are not revered and venerated but lampoon. Teachers have no

such mandate except some instructions from those who never entered the classrooms and do not

understand the environment of the classrooms. Teacher is to teach books, not the mystery of the

universe. Pakistani can do only praiseworthy thing and that is he can produce bibliophile in existing

circumstances but not philosopher cause of it visible that neither syllabi, not the State support the

teachers in their goals. State apparatuses such as syllabi, officialdom and lack of visionary policies do not

let the teacher to give an insight to the students in the mysteries of the universe. Resultantly, teachers

have no world views. They borrow their world views and then lend it to the tabula rasa students.

On the other hand, responsible officials are naming teachers as ‘dead wood’. It shows how the official

lampoon publically but no one dares to ask him because he too is considered an enlighten person of the

time. I wish I could tell him that dead woods are collected. They are not gathered themselves. It’s a

crying lie and everything is a thing of far off world.